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I Can't Dance
Genesis Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hot sun beating down
Burning my feet just walking around
Hot sun makin' me sweat
Gators getting close, hasn't got me yet

I can't dance
I can't talk
Only thing about me is the way I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing



I'm just standing here selling everything

Blue jeans sittin' on the beach
Her dog's talking to me, but she's out of reach
Mhm, she's got a body under that shirt
But all she wants to do is rub my face in the dirt

'Cause I can't dance
I can't talk
Only thing about me is the way I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin'

Oh, and checking everything is in place
You never know who's lookin' on

Young punk spillin' beer on my shoes
Fat guy's talkin' to me, tryin' to steal my blues
Thick smoke, see her smiling through
I never thought so much could happen just shootin' pool

But I can't dance
I can't talk
The only thing about me is the way that I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin'

Oh, and checking everything is in place
You never know who's looking on
A perfect body with a perfect face
Mhm

No, I can't dance
I can't talk
The only thing about me is the way I walk
No, I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin' everything

No, I can't walk
No, I can't dance
No, no, no, I can't dance
No, I said, I can't sing

Overall Meaning

The song "I Can't Dance" by Genesis tells the story of a man who's at a beach party but isn't really enjoying himself. The hot sun is making him uncomfortable, and he's worried about getting too close to the gators in the area. The man's lack of dancing and singing ability serves as a metaphor for his awkwardness in social situations. He's only got one thing going for him, and that's the way he walks. Through the song, he encounters various people at the party who he struggles to connect with. A woman catches his eye, but she seems uninterested in him. He also deals with irritating people, including a young man who spills beer on his shoes and a "fat guy" who tries to "steal [his] blues." Despite all of this, the man continues to stand around and "sell everything," perhaps implying that he is trying to present himself in the most positive light possible, even if the reality is different.


The song is a critique of the superficiality of social interactions at parties and the expectations placed on people to perform certain behaviors, such as dancing or singing. The singer is uncomfortable with these expectations and feels insecure about his inability to meet them. However, despite this, he still puts on a front and tries to sell himself to others, showing the pressure that people can feel to present themselves in a certain way.


Line by Line Meaning

Hot sun beating down
The sun is shining very bright


Burning my feet just walking around
His feet are getting hot just from walking around


Hot sun makin' me sweat
The heat is making him sweat


Gators getting close, hasn't got me yet
Alligators are nearby but have not attacked him yet


I can't dance
He is unable to dance


I can't talk
He is unable to talk


Only thing about me is the way I walk
The only noteworthy thing about him is his walking style


I can't sing
He is unable to sing


I'm just standing here selling everything
He is standing and selling everything he can


Blue jeans sittin' on the beach
A person in blue jeans is sitting on the beach


Her dog's talking to me, but she's out of reach
The woman's dog is making noise but she is too far away to hear


Mhm, she's got a body under that shirt
The woman has an attractive body


But all she wants to do is rub my face in the dirt
The woman is being mean to him


Oh and checking everything is in place
He is checking that everything is in order


You never know who's lookin' on
He is aware that others might be watching him


Young punk spillin' beer on my shoes
A young person accidentally spilled beer on his shoes


Fat guy's talkin' to me tryin' to steal my blues
An overweight person is talking to him and trying to bring him down


Thick smoke, see her smiling through
There is thick smoke and she can still be seen smiling


I never thought so much could happen just shootin' pool
He is surprised so much can happen while playing pool


No, I can't walk
He cannot walk very well


No, no, no, I can't dance
He really cannot dance


No, I said, I can't sing
He repeated that he cannot sing




Lyrics Β© CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Anthony Banks, Michael Rutherford, Phil Collins

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Rogerio Nuno Correia


on Ripples…

dont u think it as got to do with Peter Gabriel getting out of the Band? im 56.... just a thought...

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