Dance Apocalyptic
Janelle Monáe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bands that make her dance
Apocalyptic now
Bands that make her dance
Apocalyptic
Bands that make her dance
Apocalyptic now
Bands that make her dance
You're goin' crazy
The hitmen always spy you
Do that dance!
Smokin' in the girls' room
Kissin' friends
It's over like a power book
It's floatin' in the bathroom stall
You're so freaked out!
Worried about the market
You bought a house!
But I'm allergic to the house bitch
Credit card
They bought a new wife
Poor shattered little lonely men
But I really really wanna thank you
For dancing till the end
You found a way to break up
You're not afraid to break out
But I need to know
If the world says it's time to go
Tell me should you break up
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
But I need to know
If the world says it's time to go
Tell me we should break up
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
You got a life
But there's zombie in the front yard
Take a bath
But nothing gets the funk off
You're on TV
Rockin' and a roller coaster
Dangers love that rock and roll
Sick and tired
Of bubble tasting plastic
You want to cry
But real bitch
You're asking why
The pain is always equal
But enjoy this never spread around
But I really really wanna thank you
For dancing till the end
You found a way to break up
You're not afraid to break out
But I need to know
If the world says it's time to go
Tell me will you break up
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
But I need to know
If the world says it's time to go
Tell me will you break up
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
You're goin' crazy
The hitmen always spy you
Do that dance!
Smokin' in the girls' room
Kissin' friends
Keep a rockin' and a rollin'
Cause' the dangers love that rock and roll
You're so freaked out!
Worried about the bomb threats
You bought a house!
But I'm allergic to the house bitch
Credit card
You're forking down the luggage
Just to make enough to pay your rent
But I really really wanna thank you
For dancing till the end
You found a way to break up
You're not afraid to break out
But I need to know
If the world says it's time to go
Tell me will you break up
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
But I need to know
If the world says it's time to go
Tell me will you break up
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Don't stop!
Chalanga-langa-lang!
The lyrics of Janelle Monáe's "Dance Apocalyptic" song are a mix of social commentary and an invitation to dance in the face of despair. The song speaks about different societal issues such as hitmen, bomb threats, credit card debts, and other fears that plague people's minds. The line "The hitmen always spy you" represents the paranoia that people have about their safety due to societal issues. The line "Smokin' in the girls' room, Kissin' friends" implies that people are tired of the rules society has put on them, and they just want to live in the moment and have fun for once. The mention of zombies in the front yard indicates the apocalyptic nature of the song.
The phrase "Bands that make her dance" symbolizes the escape from the grim reality by dancing to the beat, forgetting everything else. The chorus, "But I need to know if the world says it's time to go, Tell me should you break up," signifies the urgency of the present moment to live and enjoy. It also implies the inevitability of life, which can end at any moment, and we should enjoy it before it's too late. The use of 'Smash, smash, bang, bang, Don't stop!' and 'Chalanga-langa-lang!' in the chorus represents the celebratory moments and the eagerness of letting go of one's worries and just enjoying life.
Line by Line Meaning
Dance Apocalyptic
Let's dance through the end of the world!
Bands that make her dance
Dancing is so important to her that she'll dance to anything
Apocalyptic now
Let's dance to the end of the world right now!
You're goin' crazy
You're feeling overwhelmed and stressed out
The hitmen always spy you
You feel like you're constantly being watched and followed
Do that dance!
Dancing is the perfect way to forget about everything else
Smokin' in the girls' room
You're rebelling and breaking rules
Kissin' friends
You're exploring your feelings and relationships
It's over like a power book
Things come and go quickly
It's floatin' in the bathroom stall
Things may seem meaningless or unimportant at the moment
You're so freaked out!
You're extremely scared and anxious
Worried about the market
You're concerned about economic stability and financial security
You bought a house!
You made a big investment but it may not have been the right choice
But I'm allergic to the house bitch
You're unhappy with the house or the person who sold it to you
Credit card
You're in debt and struggling to make payments
They bought a new wife
Someone you know has moved on to a new partner
Poor shattered little lonely men
You feel sorry for men who may be unhappy or unfulfilled
But I really really wanna thank you
Thank you for dancing and enjoying life despite everything
For dancing till the end
Dancing is a way to cope and find joy in the midst of turmoil
You found a way to break up
You've found a way to break free from negative patterns or situations
You're not afraid to break out
You're willing to take risks and try new things
If the world says it's time to go
If the world is ending or changing dramatically
Tell me should you break up
Should you let go of the past and start anew?
Smash, smash, bang, bang
Make noise, make an impact
Don't stop!
Keep going and don't give up
Chalanga-langa-lang!
A nonsense phrase to express excitement and freedom
You got a life
You have a life to live and enjoy
But there's zombie in the front yard
There's something or someone that's dragging you down
Take a bath
Cleanse yourself physically or emotionally
But nothing gets the funk off
Nothing seems to help you feel better or get rid of negative feelings
Rockin' and a roller coaster
Life is exciting and unpredictable
Dangers love that rock and roll
Chaos and challenging situations can make you feel alive
Sick and tired
You're fed up
Of bubble tasting plastic
You're tired of superficial things and experiences
You want to cry
You're emotional and overwhelmed
But real bitch
Something is really bothering you
You're asking why
You're questioning the purpose and meaning of life
The pain is always equal
Everyone experiences pain and hardships
But joy is never spread around
Joy is not always shared or experienced by everyone
If the world says it's time to go
If the world is ending or changing dramatically
Tell me will you break up
Will you let go of the past and start anew?
You're forking down the luggage
You're doing whatever it takes to survive and make ends meet
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Janelle Monae
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fuckenps3
Sorry to be the one to warn you but...
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@RyanStorey1231
She's like a musical hybrid of Prince, David Bowie, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, and Janet Jackson. All combined into one bombastic musical entity.
These are the elements to create the being known as Janelle Monae.
@iguessitsokyungrichbaby2813
With the passing of Prince I'm starting to notice all my favorite singers and performers are influenced by Prince he will be missed but thank god for singers like her 😩😫
@stephenrobert338
RyanX1231 and erkyah badu
@lecherouslibrarian9924
Yeah, that sums it up
@princessmelodiesofficial2467
Y’all need to stop comparing people. She’s her own person.
@crappybassist96
"Smash smash/bang bang/don't stop/cha-lang-a-lang-a-lang" is my favorite thing ever.
@wolandthemagician
"What style of song is good for lyrics about a horrifying, violent and murderous apocalypse? Hmm, how about a bright, 50s bubblegum pop tune?" This is why I love Janelle Monae.
@exitpursued6690
The thing about Monae (apart from being a superb signer, composer, dancer and performer) is that she's a total sci-fi nerd at heart. She's had invented a new genre: Sci-fi hip-hop.
@michaelashbrook5807
Yes! I love her Metropolis reference in her previous album
@mychemcure
Hendrix was also a scifi nerd, carried a case of scifi books w him on tour. purple haze was inspired by a scifi book he read :)