Their sound was frequently compared to The Unicorns, Weezer, Grandaddy, and The Beach Boys. Most of their songs are about death and dying.
They disbanded citing life changes. They toured several times and have played from New York to Los Angeles.
Dance on
Asleep in the Sea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey man, I'm sorry to hear that.
It's cool, sometimes I just gotta vent.
Hey man, that's what I'm here for.
You're a pal.
You deserve it.
I fucked up.
Forget about it.
Why not?
I just can't.
All right.
Let's go.
Where we headed?
To a party.
Where's it at?
Who knows.
Not me.
We could tie him up to his tree, we could build wood up to his knees.
(ahh)
That kid can be a chatty pile of shit.
Hey man, I'm sorry to hear that.
It's cool, sometimes I just gotta vent.
Hey man, that's what I'm here for.
You're a pal.
You deserve it.
I fucked up.
Forget about it.
I can't.
Why not?
I just can't.
All right.
Let's go.
Where we headed?
To the party?
Where's it at?
Who knows.
Not me.
We could tie him up to his tree, we could build wood up to his knees.
(ahh)
(knees)
(ahh)
Dance on a dead man's ashes,
Dance on a dead man's ashes.
Dance on (dance on) (repeated)
(Verse in background)
We could build wood up to his knees.
(ahh)
(knees)
(ahh)
The lyrics of "Dance On" by Asleep in the Sea reveal a conversation between two friends, one of whom has apparently been hurt by someone else, referred to as "that kid." The first verse suggests that this person is capable of violence, and the singer may be struggling to get over a negative experience they had with them. The friend responds with sympathy and offers support, assuring them that he is there to listen and help them through their pain. However, the conversation eventually turns to the idea of getting revenge on the person who hurt them, with the suggestion of tying him up and building wood around him up to his knees. The second verse again repeats the formula of the first, with the friend offering support and the singer unsure if they can get over the hurt they've experienced. The song then shifts to a repeating refrain of "Dance on a dead man's ashes," suggesting perhaps that the only way to move on from pain is to embrace it and turn the negative into something creative and positive.
The tone of the song is somewhat ambiguous, with the back-and-forth between the two friends suggesting a mix of sympathy and darker impulses. The suggestion of revenge could be seen as just that - a cathartic fantasy to help deal with pain - or as something more serious. It's also not clear who the "dead man" the song refers to is; it could be the person who hurt them, or a metaphorical representation of the pain itself.
Line by Line Meaning
That kid can be a violent son of a bitch
The singer expresses concern about someone's behavior, and the listener sympathizes and offers a listening ear.
Hey man, I'm sorry to hear that.
The listener responds with empathy to the singer's concern.
It's cool, sometimes I just gotta vent.
The singer acknowledges that they just need to express their frustration, and not necessarily find a solution.
Hey man, that's what I'm here for.
The listener reassures the artist that they are available to listen and support them.
You're a pal.
The artist expresses gratitude for the listener's support.
You deserve it.
The listener acknowledges that they are happy to help and pleased to be recognized for their efforts.
I fucked up.
The singer admits to making a mistake or error in judgment.
Forget about it.
The listener tries to help the artist move past their mistake and focus on the present moment.
I can't.
The artist expresses difficulty in letting go of their mistake.
Why not?
The listener asks a question to help the artist explore their feelings and thoughts further.
I just can't.
The singer reiterates that they are struggling to let go of their mistake, despite wanting to.
All right.
The listener accepts the artist's response and doesn't push further.
Let's go.
The singer suggests a change of activity to shift the focus away from their mistake and onto something else.
Where we headed?
The listener asks for clarification about where they're going next.
To a party.
The singer reveals their next activity - attending a social gathering or event.
Where's it at?
The listener asks for more specifics about the party's location.
Who knows.
The artist admits uncertainty about the party's exact location.
Not me.
The listener also admits to not knowing the location of the party.
We could tie him up to his tree, we could build wood up to his knees.
The singer describes a violent and harmful plan for someone they dislike or wish to hurt. The listener doesn't respond, leaving the meaning ambiguous.
Dance on a dead man's ashes,
The artist suggests something macabre and twisted as a form of celebration or entertainment.
(Verse in background)
A line indicating background music or vocals, not directly related to the conversation.
Dance on (dance on) (repeated)
The artist repeats their suggestion for the listener to dance on the ashes of a deceased person, as a form of release or enjoyment.
We could build wood up to his knees. (ahh) (knees) (ahh)
The singer repeats their violent and harmful plan for someone they dislike, with added sound effects for emphasis. The listener remains silent.
Contributed by Katherine L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.