Dead Man's Party
A Thorn For Every Heart Lyrics
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Walking with a dead man over my shoulder
All dressed up with nowhere to go
Walking with a dead man over my shoulder
Waiting for an invitation to arrive
Going to a party where no one's still alive
All dressed up with nowhere to go
I was struck by lighting
Walking down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
Leave your body and soul at the door
Don't run away it's only me
Don't be afraid of what you can't see
Got my best suit and my tie
Shiny silver dollar on either eye
I hear the chauffeur coming to the door
Says there's room for maybe just one more
I was struck by lighting
Walking down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
Leave your body and soul at the door
Don't run away it's only me
Don't be afraid of what you can't see
I was struck by lighting
Walking down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
I was struck by lighting
Walking down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
The lyrics of A Thorn For Every Heart's song Dead Man's Party present a strange and eerie scenario. The singer is dressed for a party and carrying a dead man over their shoulder. They are waiting for an invitation to arrive, but it's not clear whether this invitation is for the same party they are already attending or if it's for something else entirely. The song includes the refrain "It's a dead man's party, who could ask for more," which suggests that the singer and their companions are not altogether disturbed by the presence of the dead man.
The second verse reveals that the singer was struck by lightning and hit by something while asleep, which might explain the bizarre situation they find themselves in. The final verse reinforces the idea that the dead man's party is a surreal experience, with the singer wearing their best suit and tie and a silver dollar on each eye, and a chauffeur announcing that there is room for one more.
Overall, the song presents a haunting and unsettling picture of a party that is both creepy and alluring, with the singer seeming to revel in the strangeness of it all. The lyrics leave a lot of questions unanswered, such as who the dead man is, how the singer came to be at the party, and what the ultimate purpose of the party might be.
Line by Line Meaning
All dressed up with nowhere to go
I am ready to go out and enjoy myself, but I have no specific destination or purpose.
Walking with a dead man over my shoulder
I am carrying a burden of having experienced the loss of a loved one or a traumatic experience, which weighs me down wherever I go.
Waiting for an invitation to arrive
I am longing to be included in an event or a gathering, and I am counting on someone else's invitation instead of taking the initiative myself.
Going to a party where no one's still alive
I am going to a social situation where everyone seems emotionally dead or disconnected, as if they are just going through the motions of living.
I was struck by lighting, Walking down the street, I was hit by something last night in my sleep
I have suffered a sudden shock or a traumatic experience that has left me feeling numb and disoriented, even when I am awake or asleep.
It's a dead man's party, Who could ask for more, Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
The party I am attending or contemplating going to is a metaphor for a meaningless or soulless experience, where people pretend to be alive but are really just going through the motions of socializing and living.
Leave your body and soul at the door
I am being advised or advising others to suspend or forget their authentic selves in order to fit in or conform to the expectations of a particular group or culture.
Don't run away it's only me, Don't be afraid of what you can't see
I am reassuring someone who is hesitant or scared of venturing into an unknown or uncertain situation that they need not fear me or the aspects of life that are beyond their control or understanding.
Got my best suit and my tie, Shiny silver dollar on either eye
I am making a superficial effort to appear stylish or formal, but I am also hinting at the possibility of death or the afterlife, represented by the coins on my closed eyes.
I hear the chauffeur coming to the door, Says there's room for maybe just one more
I am anticipating that a symbolic or literal vehicle of death or change is about to take me or someone else away, and I am anxious about who else might be joining me on this ride.
Contributed by Maria J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rennydoyle
As a hard core Oingo Boingo Fan, I gotta say this is a solid version!
@EmoMetalPunkXD
All dressed up with nowhere to go
Walking with a dead man over my shoulder
All dressed up with nowhere to go
Walking with a dead man over my shoulder
Waiting for an invitation to arrive
Going to a party where no one's still alive
All dressed up with nowhere to go
(Walking with a dead man over my shoulder)
I was struck by lighting
Walking down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
Leave your body and soul at the door
Don't run away it's only me
Don't be afraid of what you can't see
Got my best suit and my tie
Shiny silver dollar on either eye
I hear the chauffeur coming to the door
Says there's room for maybe just one more
I was struck by lighting
Walking down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
Leave your body and soul at the door
Don't run away it's only me
Don't be afraid of what you can't see
I was struck by lighting
Walking down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
I was struck by lighting
Walking down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door
@DaltonSetToKill
I used to love this band. Haven't heard this song in ages either. I think I like the song more now.
@sleepingwithpanicatthedisc7740
Good news they just got back together in 2014/15 but sadly they haven't released new material since they reunited. But I'm just glad to hear they've gotten back together again. I freakin' loved ATFEH back in the day I still have their album the one with the song "February" on it. IDK the name of it but I have that album.
@3XPYRE
best cover ive ever heard
@amfthehedgehog1234
Awesome
@mariaclucky13me
❤️❤️❤️😍😘💐❤️❤️❤️
@JoshTobaquero
Are these guys still together? Haven't heard from ATFEH in forever
@sleepingwithpanicatthedisc7740
Yes they got back together in 2014/15 they have a FB page if you wanna hear all about what they're doing check them out and follow them on social media. IDK if they have a Twitter or other social media since I don't do any other media but FB. But I don't think they've released any new material since they reunited. But I'm very happy to have heard they reformed. I've been ATFEH fan since this album came out and I have their album the one with the song "February" on it.
@siyah-siyah
nice