Dance Me Outside
Craig Cardiff Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

this indian girl walks out into traffic
the traffic stops then she's causing havok and
baby won't you roll up the windows dial up on the cellphone
get the cops to get out here i just want to get home

she says do you remember buffalo?
the dumb white people they all say do you mean neil young springfield?
she says no, and cleveland ain't the home of indians
not even eskimos it feels like you just don't want to know

she says take me around dance me outside
show me a place where we might hide
what i want then i'm afraid
that you can't afford to buy
to buy

this indian girl spinning like a toy top
her hair spreads out like fire and
its like she just can't stop and then the cops come

donut guard state car rolling up along the side
with the fire lanterns burning the sirens opened wide
and they say "excuse me little miss i'm afraid it's time to take this home"
and they try to get her address she says sorry i got none its only
me and these feeding fields look where you are
then she kicks at the hem of her skirt and on go the cars

she says take me around and dance me outside
show me a place where we might hide
what i want then i'm afraid that you can't afford to buy
that you can't afford to buy

this indian girl feeling cold and tired
wouldn't mind some help then but the cars go by its no wonder
why 'cause all they want to do is go and get away from here
all i wanna do is get away from here she says
and so she builds a fire all through the hair and them bones
do remind her that she's alive that she's never at home

she says take me around and dance me outside
show me a place where we might hide
what i want and i'm afraid that you can't afford
that you can't afford to buy

she says take me around and dance me outside
show me a place where we might hide
what i want and i'm afraid that you can't afford to buy

bruce and diamond she says no and juliette she says
bruce and darling she says everything will be ok




and everything will be ok
and everything will be ok

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Craig Cardiff’s song “Dance Me Outside” tells a story of an Indian girl who walks out into traffic and causes chaos. The singer in the song implores his companion to roll up the windows and call the cops to manage the situation. The Indian girl seems to be distressed, and in her distress, she asks if her companion remembers Buffalo. Although they mistake her to mean Neil Young Springfield, she insists that she means something else. She says that Cleveland isn’t the home of the Indians, nor is it the home of Eskimos, and they don't seem to want to know. The Indian girl wants her companion to take her to a place where they can hide and dance outside with her. She believes that her companion can't buy what she really wants. The girl is lost and alone, and she builds a fire to remind herself that she is still alive, and that she can never be truly at home.


The lyrics of the song describe the girl as a symbol of cultural displacement and loss. She is longing for a sense of belonging, and for a place where she can be truly at home, but she cannot seem to find it. Her companion represents a majority culture that does not understand, nor cares to understand her culture. There is a sense of alienation and isolation in the lyrics, as the Indian girl is portrayed as being displaced from both her own culture and the majority culture. The chorus becomes a plea from the girl to be taken to a safe place where she can dance outside and hide from the world that is not willing to accept her.


Line by Line Meaning

this indian girl walks out into traffic
An Indigenous girl steps into the street.


the traffic stops then she's causing havok and
Cars come to a stop, and she causes a stir.


baby won't you roll up the windows dial up on the cellphone
The singer pleads for someone to roll up the windows and call the police.


get the cops to get out here i just want to get home
The artist wants to go, and the police need to come fast.


she says do you remember buffalo?
The girl asks if they remember the city of Buffalo.


the dumb white people they all say do you mean neil young springfield?
White people mistake Buffalo for other places.


she says no, and cleveland ain't the home of indians
The girl asserts that Cleveland is not the home of the Indigenous.


not even eskimos it feels like you just don't want to know
No city is Indigenous people's home, and it seems like others don't care.


she says take me around dance me outside
The girl asks to be shown a hidden, outdoor place.


show me a place where we might hide
She wants a secluded spot where they can go unnoticed.


what i want then i'm afraid that you can't afford to buy
She desires something that is beyond their financial means.


this indian girl spinning like a toy top
The girl spins around like a top toy.


her hair spreads out like fire and
Her hair fans out akin to a blazing fire.


its like she just can't stop and then the cops come
She seems unable to halt her movements but is interrupted by the arrival of the police.


donut guard state car rolling up along the side
A police car with doughnut-eating officers pulls up beside them.


with the fire lanterns burning the sirens opened wide
The cops have their lights and sirens on and arrive menacingly.


and they say "excuse me little miss i'm afraid it's time to take this home"
The police try to send her home.


and they try to get her address she says sorry i got none its only
They try to obtain her address, but she has none to share.


me and these feeding fields look where you are
The girl indicates that they are in the middle of nowhere.


then she kicks at the hem of her skirt and on go the cars
She recklessly waves goodbye as the cars drive away.


this indian girl feeling cold and tired
The girl is feeling drained.


wouldn't mind some help then but the cars go by its no wonder
She wishes for some assistance, but the cars keep passing by without stopping.


why 'cause all they want to do is go and get away from here
They don't want to be near her or the area.


all i wanna do is get away from here she says
The girl expresses a similar sentiment.


and so she builds a fire all through the hair and them bones
She builds a fire to keep warm.


do remind her that she's alive that she's never at home
The flame serves as a reminder that she's alive but that being at home is a foreign concept.


bruce and diamond she says no and juliette she says
The girl disagrees with the singer on song selections.


bruce and darling she says everything will be ok
The girl eventually agrees with the artist and has faith that everything will work out.


and everything will be ok
The girl believes that things will work out for the best.




Contributed by Scarlett S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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