We Dance Alone
Beck Lyrics


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Send a telegram
Tell me your thoughts
I want to live for a day
And the way that we lost
But a unfortunately the train
Got crissed not crossed
Left the keys in the car
So the legs have to walk
Desert terrain and the wayward plain
Waiting for rain
And the dank ain't afraid
Of what pain might be
To the pleasure we knew
Before we had to move on
I did my best for you

Doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo

Darker
We dance alone this way
It's getting darker
We dance alone this way

I waited for a fire
To collide with the planet
Tried to get back on the world
As it was turning around
There's millions of pieces
Crashed
Watching every minute
Of the wreckage go past passed
Cause motions wearing down
All my thoughts
'Til they're all smoothed out
Like rocks were tossed
Ducks and drakes
We descended on the reality
Down below

Darker
We dance alone this way
It's getting darker
We dance alone this way

I'm gonna grab a train
Gonna break the hope
I put the life beating out
Like a stray in a boat
Let the scenery pass
Like a blown-out TV
Thought I saw a ghost
But it might have been me
Might have been the world
That was moving too fast
Caught up in the future
That was coming to pass
Now looking for a place
Where the lights unravel
Last ditch road
Trespassers travel on

Darker
We dance alone this way
It's getting darker
We dance alone this way





We dance alone this way

Overall Meaning

Beck's "We Dance Alone" is a dark, introspective song that speaks of loneliness and the search for something real amidst the chaos of life. The lyrics paint vivid pictures of a desolate landscape and a world in disarray. The song is open to interpretation, but one possible meaning is that it is about the human condition and the struggle to find meaning in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving.


In the first verse, the singer seems to be talking to someone through a telegram, asking for their thoughts and expressing a desire to live for a day. The singer reflects on a past relationship that was lost and laments the fact that they are now forced to walk through a desert, waiting for rain. The imagery of the "dank" not being afraid of pain suggests that the singer will endure whatever hardships come their way, but they still long for the pleasure they once knew. The final line, "I did my best for you," suggests some kind of regret or apology for the way the relationship ended.


The second verse introduces a sense of chaos as the singer describes a planet colliding with a fire and trying to get back on the world as it turns around. The imagery of millions of pieces crashing suggests a sense of destruction and loss. The singer watches as the wreckage passes by and notes that "motions [are] wearing down" their thoughts until they become "smoothed out like rocks were tossed." The phrase "ducks and drakes" means skipping stones on water, a metaphor for the singer's experience of reality being fragmented and disjointed.


The chorus speaks of dancing alone in the dark, suggesting a sense of isolation and loneliness. The line "We dance alone this way" could imply that everyone is alone in their own way and that we are all searching for connection and meaning.


Line by Line Meaning

Send a telegram
Please express your thoughts to me by any means possible


Tell me your thoughts
Please share your opinions and emotions


I want to live for a day
I wish to experience life to the fullest extent, if only for one day


And the way that we lost
The path we took has led us to defeat and failure


But a unfortunately the train
Regrettably, the transportation method intended for our journey did not go smoothly


Got crissed not crossed
The train's route ended up being convoluted and confusing


Left the keys in the car
Some essential items were forgotten or lost


So the legs have to walk
As a result, we must continue on foot


Desert terrain and the wayward plain
We find ourselves in a barren, aimless landscape


Waiting for rain
Hopeful for a change of climate or circumstance


And the dank ain't afraid
Despite the unfavorable situation, we remain unafraid


Of what pain might be
We are aware that there may be hardships, but we are not deterred


To the pleasure we knew
We cling to memories of previous happiness


Before we had to move on
Before we had to leave things behind and continue forward


I did my best for you
I tried my hardest to please you and do what was best


Darker
The situation is becoming bleaker


We dance alone this way
We are facing these challenges solo and persist nonetheless


It's getting darker
The situation is deteriorating further


I waited for a fire
I hoped for an opportunity to start anew, to be passionate and driven once again


To collide with the planet
To feel the force of life and inspiration overpower us


Tried to get back on the world
Attempted to reintegrate ourselves back into society


As it was turning around
But found that the world kept changing, making the challenge greater


There's millions of pieces
So many fragments and broken parts to sift through


Crashed
Everything seems to have descended into chaos and ruin


Watching every minute
Closely observing every moment in detail, perhaps in disbelief


Of the wreckage go past passed
The aftermath of our endeavors leaving plenty of destruction in its wake


Cause motions wearing down
Exhausted from the constant turmoil and instability


All my thoughts
Even my thoughts and beliefs are becoming increasingly smoothed out and less complicated


'Til they're all smoothed out
Until they are all dulled and reduced to a simple form


Like rocks were tossed
Metaphorical rocks that were once sharp and defined are now smoothed and unremarkable


Ducks and drakes
Everything is unstable and unpredictable, like playing the game of skipping rocks across water


We descended on the reality
We are coming to grips and facing harsh, real-life situations


Down below
Descending into the hardships and challenges that are below the surface


I'm gonna grab a train
I intend to catch the train of opportunity and fortune


Gonna break the hope
Unfortunately, it seems like these hopes and aspirations may not come to fruition after all


I put the life beating out
I feel as though the vibrancy and excitement in my life has slowly diminished and disappeared


Like a stray in a boat
Feeling lost and adrift, without direction or purpose


Let the scenery pass
Allowing the surroundings and situations to unfold naturally without interference


Like a blown-out TV
Experiencing a lack of stimulation and excitement from these surroundings, leaving only emptiness and frustration


Thought I saw a ghost
A fleeting moment of hope or inspiration that quickly dissipated, leaving only confusion and doubt


But it might have been me
Perhaps it was only me imagining or projecting this glimmer of light


Might have been the world
Or it could have been something in the environment happening outside of my control


That was moving too fast
Overwhelming us with too many changes and difficulties too quickly


Caught up in the future
Obsessed with what is to come, and struggling to manage the present


That was coming to pass
The future events that we envisioned are now beginning to become a reality


Now looking for a place
We search for a new and better environment and situation to inhabit


Where the lights unravel
A world where opportunities and good fortune shine and unravel before our eyes


Last ditch road
The final opportunity to succeed that we are taking


Trespassers travel on
We are venturing off the beaten path in search of something different and new




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: HANSEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@roiybenkel682

Send a telegram
Tell me your thoughts
I wanna live for a day
In the way that we lost

But unfortunately the twain
Got crissed not crossed
Left the keys in the car
So the legs have to walked

On a desert terrain
We were wayward and plain
Waiting for rain
In a decade afraid

Of what pain might do
To the pleasure we knew
Before we had to move on
I did my best for you

Darker
We dance alone this way
It's getting darker
We dance alone this way

I waited for a fire
To come out of the ground
I tried to get back on the world
As it was turning around

Splinters and pieces
From a life that crashed
Watching every minute
Of the wreckage go past

'Cause motions wearing down
All my thoughts
Till they're all smoothed out
Like rocks we tossed

Ducks and drakes over
Water we go
Where we see there's only memories
Drowning below

Darker
We dance alone this way
It's getting darker
We dance alone this way

On a gravel train
We were waiting for hope
I was a light fading out
Like a stray on a rope

I let the scenery pass
Like a blown-out TV
Thought I saw a ghost
But it might have been me

Might have been the world
That was moving too fast
Caught up in the future
That was drunk on the past

Now, looking for a place
Where the nights unravel
Last ditch road
Trespassers travel on

Darker
We dance alone this way
It's getting darker
We dance alone this way

We dance alone this way



All comments from YouTube:

@nickeynickers

Beck has the best music videos. Ever.

@pixelshmixel5369

Umm..... Gorillaz?

@WmJoseSinclair

THIS one is certainly visually one of the best I've seen.. check out Ron Fricke's films Baraka & Sensara, he also worked on Planet Earth.. some of the best visual stuff ever made, he also worked on Planet Earth, those are his time lapse camperas

@pixelshmixel5369

Beck's videos are great, but Gorillaz literally have the best video ever, they are an animated band!

@VandergriftMoefies

They are not even comparable. They are trying to achieve completely different things. Dumb thing to even bring up Gorillaz.

@placeholdername5559

Well of course. Who else has bears making their videos?

1 More Replies...

@WiloPolis03

I love how Beck is known for being an incredibly goofy and off-kilter musician but can actually spit bars when he feels like doing so

@carmenishere

My mom got me "The Information" christmas 2006 XD really surprised me! still one of my favorite albums

@getitstandswithukraine6637

What about now? :>

@MixyTape

Cool mom

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