Jon released his debut solo album, "Psycho Jukebox" in June 2011, having already released a free EP "The Magic Hour" on his website in February 2011. The album has spawned two singles, "Santo Domingo" and "Baby, We're Refugees!"
His second album, "Bright Night Flowers" is being recorded and due to be released in 2012.
Rhythm Doesn't Make You A Dancer
Jon Fratelli Lyrics
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I was the last of the believers in the cause ah ha
They tried to sell me jacob's glory and the answers to the story and the rhythm of the laughable applause
And so i buried my belief and road the train ah ha
I sang your lover is a liar in the rain
And though a man he has to eat he's always drowning in defeat only a fool would think the world is round anyway
Don't go deaf or blind just to find this
One plus one don't equal an answer
Rhythm doesn't make you a dancer
There was a message in the herald ttribune aha
About a house of misrepute the couldn't ruin aha
And though the medicine they chose was dedicated to the rose it sucked the life from this ridiculous cartoon
And so i made some old excuse and i declined a ha
To be a joker and a poacher of the mind aha
And through the window in the gate i spied the dagger on the plate and left every desperate one of them behind
Put your money right where your mouth is
Don't go deaf or blind just to find this
One plus one don't equal an answer
Rhythm doesn't make you a dancer
Feel the fever burn down the headlines
Everybody loses it sometimes
One plus one don't equal an answer
Rhythm doesn't make you a dancer
The lyrics of Jon Fratelli’s “Rhythm Doesn’t Make You A Dancer” is a commentary on the vanity of human behavior that dismiss intellect and reason just to blend with the crowd. It speaks about how society has lost touch with its rationality and embraced the irrationality of the collective. The song talks about the singer's finest hour being the time when he was the last of the believers in a cause. This could be interpreted as him being the last among the people he knows who were still holding on to their logical reasoning.
The song then talks about how he was sold a false idea which led him to bury his belief and ride the train with the crowd. He rejected the idea and sang “your lover is a liar in the rain," which talks about how people easily embrace irrational ideas and swallow lies without any attempt to justify them. The song crafts a metanarrative about how society is drowning in the defeat of petty thoughts, and how it only takes a fool to believe that the world is round. The song uses this to highlight the need for people to think outside of the box.
The chorus of the song reiterates the idea of self-deception and the age-long human tendency to go with the flow without questioning. The phrase “Put your money right where your mouth is” means that one should walk the talk and not deceive oneself by following the crowd blindly. In conclusion, the song challenges the listener to take a critical view of themselves and their beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it was my finest hour yes it was ah ha
He reminisces on a moment when he was a passionate believer in a cause.
I was the last of the believers in the cause ah ha
He felt like he was the only one who still believed in the cause.
They tried to sell me jacob's glory and the answers to the story and the rhythm of the laughable applause
Others attempted to convince him to follow their own beliefs with empty promises.
And so i buried my belief and road the train ah ha
He gave up his belief and followed the common path.
I sang your lover is a liar in the rain
He sang about betrayal and mistrust in the world.
And though a man he has to eat he's always drowning in defeat only a fool would think the world is round anyway
He expresses the idea that people are often defeated despite their efforts and that the world is not what it seems.
Put your money right where your mouth is
This is a call to action. Put your actions where your beliefs are.
Don't go deaf or blind just to find this
Don't ignore the truth even if it is unpleasant.
One plus one don't equal an answer
There is no simple solution to the problems of life.
Rhythm doesn't make you a dancer
Having a sense of rhythm does not make you successful in life.
There was a message in the herald ttribune aha
There was a message in the newspaper.
About a house of misrepute the couldn't ruin aha
The message was about a business that could not be destroyed despite negative consequences.
And though the medicine they chose was dedicated to the rose it sucked the life from this ridiculous cartoon
The medicine they chose had negative effects on the business and brought more problems instead of solving them.
And so i made some old excuse and i declined a ha
He refused to participate and chose to remove himself from the situation.
To be a joker and a poacher of the mind aha
He did not want to be someone who misled or exploited others.
And through the window in the gate i spied the dagger on the plate and left every desperate one of them behind
He saw the danger in the situation and decided to leave it behind.
Feel the fever burn down the headlines
People often get caught up in sensational news stories, but these do not reflect the truth of reality.
Everybody loses it sometimes
Everyone struggles at times in their lives.
One plus one don't equal an answer
There is no easy or straightforward solution to life's problems.
Rhythm doesn't make you a dancer
Success in life cannot be achieved simply by having a sense of rhythm.
Writer(s): Jon Fratelli
Contributed by Riley A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tamasgyory565
This is one of my favourite all time song.I hope they will appreciate and this clip perfect. I start my morning with this and wake me up better than a coffee
@linlovesthedoctor
Amazing melody as usual. You just can't go wrong with Jon Fratelli.
@archstanton9073
I wish this song made John and the band a hit...because they're awesome.
@TheStbb
that is fucking incredible.
@DrRobert01
Great tune as usual from Jon! And I happen to think the video is pretty funny as well!
@StrugglingActorBlog
This would make a hilarious music video if it was ever released as a single. xD
@MorgenSelmer
Hypnotic!
@MsLissy09
Great music, Jon!
@TheRidiculousSublime
priceless! thank you! :)
@bboydasit
He's doing a freeze (breaking term for a "pose"), but it's in a "bendy" or "circus" (terms we use) style. Basically, circus-style is a LOT of impossibly/incredible/difficult freezes strung together with amazing agility and flexibility. The drawback is that you're never really dancing because there's a lot of set-up involved (for the most part), but there are those out there that can mix it into their dance on beat and make it look amazing.