human
♫ The Killers Lyrics
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When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was broad but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door
Close your eyes
Clear your heart
Cut the cord
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye
Wish me well
You got to let me go
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
Will your system be alright
When you dream of home tonight?
There is no message we're receiving
Let me know is your heart still beating?
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
You got to let me know
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
Are we human
Or are we dancer?
"The Killers'" song "Human" is about the complexity of human identity and the duality that exists within each individual. The lyrics start with the singer admitting that he sometimes gets nervous when he sees an open door because he's not sure if he's making the right decisions in life. He then asks the question: are we human or are we dancer? This line is based on a quote by the writer Hunter S. Thompson, who described America as "raising a generation of dancers" instead of individual thinkers. The singer's sign feels vital but his hands are cold, referring to the disconnect between his physical body and his sense of self.
The lyrics then move to a chorus where the singer pays his respects to grace, virtue, soul, and romance, understanding they did their best but may have fallen short. He bids farewell to devotion, which has taught him everything he knows, and asks to be let go. This chorus captures the singer's feelings of confusion and questioning about his own identity, and his search for answers.
The final verse asks the question of whether the singer's system, or his sense of self, will be alright when he dreams of home tonight. The song ends with an open-ended question, asking the listener to decide for themselves whether they are human or dancer.
Line by Line Meaning
I did my best to notice
I put in effort to pay attention
When the call came down the line
When I received the message
Up to the platform of surrender
To the point of giving up control
I was broad but I was kind
I was open-minded and compassionate
And sometimes I get nervous
Occasionally, I feel anxious
When I see an open door
When I have new opportunities
Close your eyes
Relax and stop overthinking
Clear your heart
Eliminate negative emotions
Cut the cord
Letting go of past attachments
Are we human?
Are we emotional beings?
Or are we dancer?
Or are we trained to follow orders without question?
My sign is vital
My identity is important
My hands are cold
I am scared or unsure
And I'm on my knees
I am humble and vulnerable
Looking for the answer
Searching for understanding
Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Recognizing and appreciating goodness
Send my condolences to good
Honoring the loss of goodness in the world
Give my regards to soul and romance
Acknowledging the power of love and passion
They always did the best they could
Despite challenges, they tried their hardest
And so long to devotion
Saying farewell to dedication
You taught me everything I know
You have educated me greatly
Wave goodbye
Bidding farewell
Wish me well
Hope for good outcomes
You got to let me go
You need to release me
Will your system be alright
Will you be okay?
When you dream of home tonight?
When you sleep tonight?
There is no message we're receiving
We're not hearing anything useful
Let me know, is your heart still beating?
Communicate if you're still alive and feeling
You got to let me know
You need to inform me
Are we human?
Are we capable of feeling compassion and empathy?
Or are we dancer?
Or are we programmed to follow instructions blindly?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRANDON FLOWERS, DAVE BRENT KEUNING, MARK AUGUST STOERMER, RONNIE JR. VANNUCCI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind