Dead Man Walking
David Bowie/Gail Ann Dorsey/Mike Garson/Reeves Gabrels/Zachary Alford Lyrics
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Tears his eyes from the screen
As his past puts him back in Atlantic City
There's not even a demon in Heaven or Hell
Is it all just human disguise?
As I walk down the aisle
Deadens? my brain falling up through the years
Till I swivel back round then I fly fly fly
Losing breath from the water then I'm gone gone gone
And I'm gone gone gone
Now I'm older than movies
Let me dance away
Now I'm wiser than dreams
Let me fly fly fly
While I'm touching tomorrow
And I know who's there
When silhouettes fall
And I'm gone
Like I'm dancing on angels
And I'm gone through a crack in the past
Like a dead man walking
Like a dead man walking
Three old men dancing under the lamplight
Shaking their sex and their bones
And the boys that we were
An alien nation in therapy
Sliding naked and new
Like a bad tempered child
On a rain slicked street
Gone gone gone spinning slack through the end?
Deadens? my brain falling up through the years
Till I swivel back round then I fly fly fly
Losing breath from the water then I'm gone gone gone
And I'm gone
And I'm gone, like I'm dancing on angels
And I'm gone, through the crack in the past
Like a dead man walking
Like a dead man walking
Like a dead man
Like a dead man walking
And I'm gone gone gone
Let me dance dance dance
And I'm gone gone gone
Let me dance dance dance
And I'm gone, like I'm dancing on angels
And I'm gone, through a crack in the past
And I'm gone, like I'm dancing on angels
And I'm gone, through a crack in the past
Like a dead man walking
Like a dead man walking
Like a dead man
Like a dead man walking
The lyrics in this song are introspective in nature, exploring the concept of mortality and the passage of time. The opening verse describes a man who is pulled away from the present moment by memories of his past in Atlantic City. The repetition of the phrase "gone gone gone" suggests a loss of control or a feeling of being swept away by the passage of time. The singer questions the notion of heaven and hell, wondering if these ideas are just human constructs. The act of walking down an aisle can be interpreted as a metaphor for moving forward in life, as one might do walking down the aisle during a wedding ceremony.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "like a dead man walking," which can be interpreted as feeling like one is merely existing without truly living. The verse describing "three old men dancing under the lamplight" suggests a sense of nostalgia for youth, while the image of an "alien nation in therapy" suggests a feeling of not belonging in one's own body or in society. The final repetition of the phrase "let me dance dance dance" suggests a desire to live life fully in the present moment, despite the inevitability of aging and death.
Line by Line Meaning
He swivels his head
He quickly turns his head to look at something else
Tears his eyes from the screen
He takes his eyes off the screen he was watching
As his past puts him back in Atlantic City
Memories of his past experiences take him back to Atlantic City
There's not even a demon in Heaven or Hell
There is no one, not even a demon in Heaven or Hell
Is it all just human disguise?
Are all people just pretending or wearing masks?
As I walk down the aisle
As I move forward
Gone gone gone spinning slack through the end?
Has everything spun out of control and ended?
Deadens? my brain falling up through the years
Makes my brain numb while reliving the past
Till I swivel back round then I fly fly fly
Until I suddenly turn around and soar away
Losing breath from the water then I'm gone gone gone
Running out of air underwater and disappearing forever
And I'm gone gone gone
I have disappeared and am no longer present
Now I'm older than movies
I am now older than the oldest movies
Let me dance away
Let me dance as a way of expressing myself
Now I'm wiser than dreams
I am now wiser than the wisest dreams
While I'm touching tomorrow
While I am experiencing and living for the future
And I know who's there
I know who is around me
When silhouettes fall
When the shadowy outlines of people disappear and fall
And I'm gone
I am no longer present or visible
Like I'm dancing on angels
As though I am gracefully moving, like a biblical angel
Through a crack in the past
By escaping through a small opening into the past
Like a dead man walking
As though walking around without truly being alive
Three old men dancing under the lamplight
Three elderly men dancing in the light of a lamp post
Shaking their sex and their bones
Trembling while dancing and revealing their true selves
And the boys that we were
The young men we used to be
An alien nation in therapy
A group of people who feel like outsiders, in need of help
Sliding naked and new
Moving forward in life without any pretense and as a new person
Like a bad tempered child
Like an irritable and troubled child
On a rain slicked street
On a wet and slippery street
And I'm gone gone gone
I have completely disappeared without a trace
Let me dance dance dance
Allow me to dance to express myself in a silent form
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN VINCENT JONES, JAIME LEE OLSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind