His first album, Marshall Crenshaw, was acclaimed as a pop masterpiece upon release, proving Crenshaw a first-rate songwriter, singer and guitarist. His second album, Field Day, sported a somewhat heavier sound which displeased some listeners, but Field Day is regarded by many critics as Crenshaw's best album, and one of the classic power pop statements, although Crenshaw's work, like Alex Chilton's, transcends the genre. "Some of the stuff I've done you could call power pop," he told an interviewer. "But the term does have sort of a dodgy connotation."
Although Marshall Crenshaw has never sold enormous numbers of records, he enjoys a reputation as one of the finest songwriters of the era, with roots in classic soul music, British Invasion songcraft, Burt Bacharach and Buddy Holly -- to whom Crenshaw was often compared in the early days of his career, and whom he portrayed in the 1987 film La Bamba. In 1989 he compiled a collection of Capitol Records country performers of the '50s and '60s called Hillbilly Music...Thank God, Vol. 1, which was extremely well-received. In 1993 he made an appearance in the cult TV show The Adventures of Pete and Pete, in the role of a guitar-playing meter reader. In 1994 he published a book, Hollywood Rock: A Guide to Rock 'n' Roll in the Movies. He continues to record, and in 1999 released the critically acclaimed #447.
Crenshaw has recently been playing guitar with the reunited members of the MC5.
She Can't Dance
Marshall Crenshaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Body and soul
She got to cut loose living only for the sound
Of the baddest sounds around
And baby's spent all of her dough
On countin' on clothes
Every look every fashion that comes on strong
Baby just wants to belong
She can't sing
But she's got to be part of that pop music thing
Well now baby's only trying to lose
All of her blues
Down in her heart 'cause she's only seventeen
And she means to cause a scene
She can't dance, she can't sing
She can't dance, she can't sing
But she's got to part of that bang bang head bang music
She moves to the radio
Every night and day I can hear her say
The song "She Can't Dance" by Marshall Crenshaw is an interesting piece with multiple layers of meaning. At its surface, the song is about a young girl who is chasing the latest fashion trends and spending all of her money to belong in the world of pop music. She feels like she needs to be part of the scene even though she can't dance or sing. She is trying to lose her blues, and at age seventeen, she is determined to cause a scene. The song highlights the struggle of young people trying to find their place in the world and the lengths they will go to fit in.
However, as the lyrics progress, the song takes on a deeper tone. It becomes clear that the young girl is using the pop music scene as a way to escape her troubles. The line "Down in her heart 'cause she's only seventeen" implies that she's dealing with some difficult issues that she can't quite shake. The music becomes her therapy, and the only way to deal with her problems is to lose herself in the rhythm. The lyrics are powerful in that they tap into the universal experience of using music as a form of escape and expression.
In conclusion, "She Can't Dance" is a poignant song that captures the struggle of young people trying to find their place in the world. It highlights the lengths people will go to fit in, and the power of music to heal and provide an escape from the troubles of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Well now baby's gone out of control
The girl in question is no longer behaving in a predictable way
Body and soul
This doesn't refer to anything specific, just emphasizing how much the girl has changed
She got to cut loose living only for the sound
The girl has become obsessed with pop music and prioritizes it above all else
Of the baddest sounds around
The pop music she's into is edgy and rebellious
And baby's spent all of her dough
She's spent all of her money
On countin' on clothes
She's using her money to keep up with fashion trends
Every look every fashion that comes on strong
She's attracted to bold and attention-grabbing styles
Baby just wants to belong
She feels a sense of identity and belonging in the pop music scene
She can't dance
Despite her obsession with pop music, she's not actually good at dancing
She can't sing
Despite her obsession with pop music, she's not actually a good singer either
But she's got to be part of that pop music thing
Despite her lack of talent, she's determined to be involved in the pop music scene
Well now baby's only trying to lose
The girl is trying to escape from her problems
All of her blues
She's feeling down and depressed
Down in her heart 'cause she's only seventeen
The girl is still young and naive
And she means to cause a scene
She wants to be noticed and make a big impression
She can't dance, she can't sing
Reiterating the fact that the girl has no musical talent
But she's got to part of that bang bang head bang music
She's still determined to be involved in the pop music scene in any way she can
She moves to the radio
The girl dances to the music she hears on the radio
Every night and day I can hear her say
The girl is constantly listening to music and expressing her love for it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CIOFFI TODD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind