In 1970, he moved to Los Angeles to record an album with his early band, Shiloh. Shiloh's album was produced by fellow Texan Kenny Rogers. Shortly thereafter, Henley met Glenn Frey. They both became members of Linda Ronstadt's backup band. Touring with her was the catalyst for forming the group. As a result, two months later they, along with Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, became their own act, Eagles.
Henley's music is often social commentary. One of his more famous songs is "Dirty Laundry" (from his I Can't Stand Still album, released in 1982). Its origins date back to 1980, when Henley was put on probation for possession of a narcotic and fined for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The ensuing media circus and on-air pundits claiming that his career was over led to the writing of the song, which continues to be an indictment against the broadcast news media. Similarly, "Johhny Can't Read" (also from the Can't Stand Still album), continues to resound as a commentary on the educational system.
All She Wants To Do Is Dance
Don Henley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And puttin 'em in a pen
And all she wants to do is dance, dance
Rebels been rebels
Since I don't know when
And all she wants to do is dance
Molotov cocktail, the local drink
They mix 'em up right
In the kitchen sink
And all she wants to do is dance
Crazy people walkin' round with blood in their eyes
And all she wants to do is dance, dance, dance
Wild-eyed pistols wavers who ain't afraid to die
And all she wants to do is
And all she wants to do is dance
And make romance
She can't feel the heat
Comin' off the street
She wants to party
She wants to get down
All she wants to do is
All she wants to do is dance
Well the government bugged the men's room
In the local disco lounge
And all she wants to do is dance, dance
To keep the boys from sellin'
All the weapons they could scrounge
And all she wants to do is dance
Yeah, but that don't keep the boys from makin' a buck or two
And all she wants to do is dance, dance
The still can sell the army
All the drugs that they can do
And all she wants to do is
All she wants to do is dance
And make romance
Well we barely make the airport
For the last plane out
As we taxied down the runway
I could hear the people shout
They said, "don't come back here Yankee"
But if I ever do
I'll bring more money
'Cause all she wants to do is dance
And make romance
Never mind the heat
Comin' off the street
She wants to party
She wants to get down
All she wants to do is
All she wants to do is dance
And make romance
All she wants to do is dance
The lyrics of Don Henley's "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" are a social commentary on the political and social unrest of the 1980s. The song is particularly critical of America's involvement in Central American conflicts, and the lyrics are central to this criticism. The prisoners who get put in pens are political prisoners, and the rebels who have been rebelling since "I don't know when," refer to the leftist guerilla movements in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The Molotov cocktail, the local drink that's mixed in the kitchen sink, is a reference to the violence and unrest that was plaguing Central America at the time.
The song also criticizes the U.S. government for bugging the men's room in a local disco lounge. The government's surveillance of people in the name of national security is condemned in the song. The boy's selling weapons and drugs is also called out, as is the complicity of the government in these activities. Henley's lyrics suggest that while the government claims to be working to stop the conflict, it is also involved in the illicit activities that are driving it.
Overall, "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" is a powerful and cynical look at the political and social landscape of the 1980s. The song calls out the government, the rebels, and the people for their roles in the conflict, and it suggests that the only way to survive is to forget about the heat and the violence and just dance.
Line by Line Meaning
They're pickin’ up the prisoners
And puttin 'em in a pen
And all she wants to do is dance, dance
Rebels been rebels
Since I don't know when
And all she wants to do is dance
Authorities are arresting people and imprisoning them, but she's unaffected and wants to dance. She acknowledges that rebels have been fighting this oppressive regime for a while, but she chooses not to be involved and instead focuses on dancing.
Molotov cocktail, the local drink
And all she wants to do is dance, dance
They mix 'em up right
In the kitchen sink
And all she wants to do is dance
The local drink, Molotov cocktail, is being prepared in the kitchen sink, but she doesn't care and continues to dance. She recognizes the aggressiveness of the drink and the violent nature of its preparation, but still insists on avoiding the issue and dancing.
Crazy people walkin' round with blood in their eyes
And all she wants to do is dance, dance, dance
Wild-eyed pistols wavers who ain't afraid to die
And all she wants to
And all she wants to do is dance
And make romance
The situation is dire, where people are walking around with violent intentions, even with blood visible in their eyes. To that, she acknowledges their wild and fearless nature, but chooses to divert from these scary thoughts, and all she wants to do is dance and make romantic connections.
She can't feel the heat
Comin' off the street
She wants to party
She wants to get down
All she wants to do is
All she wants to do is dance
She is oblivious to the dangers and tensions around her as she just wants to party and get down. She doesn't feel any danger coming off the street and insists on dancing since that's all she wants to do.
Well the government bugged the men's room
In the local disco lounge
And all she wants to do is dance, dance
To keep the boys from sellin'
All the weapons they could scrounge
And all she wants to do is dance
The government has set up surveillance in the restroom of the local disco lounge, to prevent the sale of weapons that were scavenged. She doesn't want to be bothered with this and would rather dance, as she insists on constantly.
Yeah, but that don't keep the boys from makin' a buck or two
And all she wants to do is dance, dance
The still can sell the army
All the drugs that they can do
And all she wants to do is
All she wants to do is dance
And make romance
Even with increased surveillance, the boys are still finding ways to make money, selling drugs to the army. She pays no heed and wants to continue dancing and making romantic connections.
Well, we barely make the airport
For the last plane out
As we taxied down the runway
I could hear the people shout
They said, 'don't come back here Yankee'
But if I ever do
I'll bring more money
'Cause all she wants to do is dance
And make romance
Never mind the heat
Comin' off the street
She wants to party
She wants to get down
All she wants to do is
All she wants to do is dance
And make romance
All she wants to do is dance
She is so fixated on dancing and making romantic connections that she ignores the dangers around her, even if that means leaving the country, and thinking of ways she can make more money to fund her habits. She finds comfort only in dancing and making romance.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANNY KORTCHMAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@OliviaDI
I’m listening to this in 2024!! Still ROCKS!!
@glenkonrad
Yeah
@htdgz
Absolutely!! If doesn't get you moving, nothing will!
@preciouswillams2037
Yesss!!!
@whiterabbit75
This is criminally underrated.
@blh1949
This song will never grow old!
@gustavfringdelapolloshermanos
this song is absolutely legendary
@farrahlynne7121
🥰Nope!!!! Neither shall WE!!!! Always young in SPIRIT & at HEART♥!🤪
🎸And this music makes sure of it🤘😉📻🎶🎶🎶
@adawg3032
If you are reading this, it means you have great taste in music.
@FrankMuchnok
I like how all of the studio musicians got their time on camera. It shows what kind of guy Don Henley is. An American treasure.