A key influence on industrial rock, their early music was described by critics Stephen Thomas Erlewine and John Dougan as well as industrial metal and "quasi-metal, dancing to a tune of doom and gloom," which gradually evolved over the years, incorporating elements of electronic music, synth-pop, gothic rock, and alternative rock, though always emphasizing Coleman's "savagely strident vocals."
Finding modest commercial success, Killing Joke have influenced many later bands, such as Nirvana, Ministry, Amen, Lamb of God, Nine Inch Nails, Napalm Death, Amebix, Big Black, Godflesh, Tool, Prong, Metallica, Primus, Jane's Addiction, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Faith No More, Blacklist, Shihad and Korn, all of whom have at some point cited some debt of gratitude to Killing Joke.
Let's All Go
Killing Joke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's all stay on our feet so
In the market here we are then
Sing a song for sixpence oh!
Time keeps ticking - tick tick tock
Can't stop now just keep on pushing
I've got a feeling something's changing
I'm gonna find this feeling somewhere
Take the future in your hands now
Let's do this dance forever
Teacher teach me something new please
Sow the seed god speed the plough
Basic ways to simplify me
Sun is shining in your favour
Push push me till I get there
I'm gonna find the human somewhere
Turn the pages time goes backwards
Pay the piper to play your tune
You and me in a dance forever
Summer nights and music - oh!
Fill your cup and don't say maybe
Sun is shining in our favour
Let's be human - oh so human
On your way to the fire dances
The song "Let's All Go to the Fire Dances" by Killing Joke is about embracing change and finding a sense of purpose in life. The opening lines, "On our way to the fire dances/Let's all stay on our feet," suggests a journey or a march towards an event or a goal. The next lines, "In the market here we are then/Sing a song for sixpence oh!" could be interpreted as a call to celebrate life amid the mundane or everyday struggles.
As the song progresses, the chorus repeats the invitation to go to the fire dances, with an added urgency to take the future in one's hands and do the dance forever. The bridge highlights the desire to learn and grow, with the plea, "Teacher teach me something new please/Sow the seed god speed the plough/Basic ways to simplify me." The tone becomes more hopeful and optimistic, as the sun is shining in one's favor and there's a determination to find the human, the authentic self.
The lyrics evoke a sense of rebellion and liberation, as well as a quest for meaning and self-discovery. The metaphor of fire dances could signify passion, creativity, transformation, or even destruction, and the song invites the listener to join in the dance and embrace change.
Line by Line Meaning
On our way to the fire dances
We're headed to a place where we can be free and express ourselves.
Let's all stay on our feet so
We should be resilient and persevere even when things get tough.
In the market here we are then
We are in this world and must navigate its trials and tribulations.
Sing a song for sixpence oh!
We should find joy in the simplest things, like singing a song or making a small amount of money.
Time keeps ticking - tick tick tock
Time doesn't stop for anyone and we must make the most of it.
Can't stop now just keep on pushing
We must keep moving forward and persevering through life's challenges.
I've got a feeling something's changing
There is a shift happening and we should be open to new experiences and possibilities.
I'm gonna find this feeling somewhere
We should actively seek out experiences that inspire us and make us feel alive.
Let's all go to the fire dances
We should embrace and celebrate our ability to express ourselves and be our true selves.
Take the future in your hands now
We have the power to shape our own destiny and make our dreams a reality.
Let's do this dance forever
We should cherish and hold onto the moments in life that make us feel alive and free.
Teacher teach me something new please
We should always be open to learning and growing, no matter our age or experience.
Sow the seed god speed the plough
We should work hard and persevere in order to reap the rewards of our labor.
Basic ways to simplify me
We should strive to simplify our lives and focus on what's truly important.
Sun is shining in your favour
Things are looking up and we should embrace the good things in life.
Push push me till I get there
We need someone to encourage and motivate us to reach our goals.
I'm gonna find the human somewhere
We should strive to connect with ourselves and our humanity, even in difficult times.
Turn the pages time goes backwards
We can't go back in time, so we should focus on moving forward and making the most of the present.
Pay the piper to play your tune
We should invest in ourselves and our personal development in order to create the life we want.
You and me in a dance forever
We should cherish and hold onto the connections we make with others throughout our lives.
Summer nights and music - oh!
We should find joy and connection in the simple things in life, like summer nights and music.
Fill your cup and don't say maybe
We should embrace life and all its possibilities, without hesitation or doubt.
Let's be human - oh so human
We should embrace our humanity, with all its beauty and flaws.
On your way to the fire dances
We should be true to ourselves and embrace the journey of self-discovery.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEREMY COLEMAN, KEVIN WALKER, PAUL FERGUSON, PAUL VINCENT RAVEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Glenn Barr
@Teddy N Pssyche/Turn to Red EP Single
Killing Joke
What's THIS For????
Revelations
Fire Dances
HA!!! (Live at Larry's Hideaway)
Night Time
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
Outside the Gate
Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions
Pandemonium
Democracy
Killing Joke (2003)
XXV: The Gathering Live (2005)
Hosannas From the Basements of Hell (2006)
Absolute Dissent
MMXII (2012)
Pylon (2015)
Martin Willis
On our way to the fire dances
Let's all stay on our feet so
In the market here we are then
Sing a song for sixpence oh!
Time keeps ticking - tick tick tock
Can't stop now just keep on pushing
I've got a feeling something's changing
I'm gonna find this feeling somewhere
Let's all go to the fire dances
Take the future in your hands now
Let's do this dance forever
Teacher teach me something new please
Sow the seed god speed the plough
Basic ways to simplify me
Sun is shining in your favour
Push push me till I get there
I'm gonna find the human somewhere
Turn the pages time goes backwards
Pay the piper to play your tune
You and me in a dance forever
Summer nights and music - oh!
Fill your cup and don't say maybe
Sun is shining in our favour
Let's be human - oh so human
On your way to the fire dances
Gabriel Monje
On our way to the fire dances
Let's all stay on our feet so
In the market here we are then
Sing a song for sixpence oh!
Time keeps ticking - tick tick tock
Can't stop now just keep on pushing
I've got a feeling something's changing
I'm gonna find this feeling somewhere
Let's all go to the fire dances
Take the future in your hands now
Let's do this dance forever
Teacher teach me something new please
Sow the seed god speed the plough
Basic ways to simplify me
Sun is shining in your favour
Push push me till I get there
I'm gonna find the human somewhere
Turn the pages time goes backwards
Pay the piper to play your tune
You and me in a dance forever
Summer nights and music - oh!
Fill your cup and don't say maybe
Sun is shining in our favour
Let's be human - oh so human
On your way to the fire dances
Beelzebubbbbles
I think Geordie's sound in the Fire Dances era is my favourite, even if the album itself only ranks 4th highest in my list of Joke albums. There has never been a more distinctive guitarist than Geordie, you can hear any song by them and immediately recognise it as the Joke the second his guitar chimes in. Absolute genius.
Grégory Delisle
You’re So right ! That‘s what I was thinking !
Teddy N
Hey, mate, can you write you list of Joke's albums? Just curious 😊
Glenn Barr
@Teddy N Pssyche/Turn to Red EP Single
Killing Joke
What's THIS For????
Revelations
Fire Dances
HA!!! (Live at Larry's Hideaway)
Night Time
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
Outside the Gate
Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions
Pandemonium
Democracy
Killing Joke (2003)
XXV: The Gathering Live (2005)
Hosannas From the Basements of Hell (2006)
Absolute Dissent
MMXII (2012)
Pylon (2015)
Michael Piquet
Fun & Games guitar sound is my fave of all time. Have never heard a guitar howl like that before. Sounds fucking amazing.
Christopher Ruppel
Not just another 80's band. Enlightened group of people removing the blinders from peoples eyes.
Christopher West
Amen to that,opening people’s eyes and minds to the truth.
felix vargas
I finally got the opportunity to see them live (sept. 2018) and Celebrating 40 years and let me tell you, the energy they had in this music video, they STILL have. It would've been great to see Paul Raven (rip) but it was just a treat to see the original line up with Youth. Cheers to 40 years!
Mark1138
Jaz is head lining Ministry these days..june 22'
zen babaloo
Jaz never looked cooler than he does in this video and you can't help but be impressed with the absolute glee and conviction with which the drummer throws himself into spinning that top at 1:32. That's commitment to craft, kiddies!