Slave to the Rhythm
Michael Jackson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

She dances in these sheets at nights
She dances to his needs
She dances 'til he feels just right
Until he falls asleep
She dances at the crack of dawn
And quickly cooks his food
She can't be late, can't take too long
The kids must get to school

She's a slave to the rhythm
She's a slave to the rhythm of
She's a slave to the rhythm
A slave to the rhythm of
The rhythm of love, the rhythm of love

She's a slave to the rhythm
She's a slave to the rhythm of
She's a slave to the rhythm
A slave to the rhythm of
The rhythm of love, the rhythm of love

She dances for the man at work
Who works her overtime
She can't be rude as she says
"Sir, I must be home tonight"
She dances to the kitchen stove
Dinner is served by nine
He says his food's an hour late
She must be outta her mind

She's a slave to the rhythm
She's a slave to the rhythm of
She's a slave to the rhythm
A slave to the rhythm of
The rhythm of love, the rhythm of love

She's a slave to the rhythm
She's a slave to the rhythm of
She's a slave to the rhythm
A slave to the rhythm of
The rhythm of love, the rhythm of love

She works so hard, just to make her way
For a man who just don't appreciate
And though he takes her love in vain
Still she could not stop, couldn't break his chains
She danced the night that they fell out
She swore she'd dance no more
But then she did, he did not quit as she ran out the door

She danced through the night in fear of her life
She danced to a beat of her own
She let out a cry and swallowed her pride
She knew she was needed back home, home

She's a slave to the rhythm
She's a slave to the rhythm of
She's a slave to the rhythm
A slave to the rhythm of
The rhythm of love, the rhythm of love

She's a slave to the rhythm
She's a slave to the rhythm of
She's a slave to the rhythm




A slave to the rhythm of
The rhythm of love, the rhythm of love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Michael Jackson's "Slave to the Rhythm" tell the story of a woman who is completely devoted to her husband and family. She fulfills her roles as a wife and mother by dancing through the night to make sure everything is perfect for her loved ones. She is always on time, never rude, and makes sure everything runs smoothly despite being exhausted from her non-stop dance routine. Unfortunately, her spouse does not appreciate the sacrifices she makes for him and often takes her for granted. Despite this, she continues dancing to the rhythm of love, meaning she dances to show her love and dedication to her family and husband.


The song highlights themes of gender roles, love, and sacrifice. The woman in the song is expected to perform traditional women's roles, such as cooking and cleaning, while also putting on a show for her husband. She embodies the idea that women are expected to fulfill many roles and work tirelessly while men are expected to work outside the home. Additionally, the song shows how love can make people do things they wouldn't normally do, such as the woman's unrelenting dance routine, as she tries to show her husband how much she loves him. Ultimately, the song is about sacrifices, the sacrifices one makes to maintain or improve their love and relationship with their partner and family.


Line by Line Meaning

She dances in these sheets at nights
She performs a ritual dance at night, perhaps to give her strength to go through what she has to, tomorrow.


She dances to his needs
She performs her dance moves according to the demands of her husband.


She dances 'til he feels just right
She continues to dance, possibly even when she's tired, until her husband is satisfied and perhaps falls asleep.


Until he falls asleep
Her dancing seems to put her husband to sleep; this task being part of her wifely duties.


She dances at the crack of dawn
She starts dancing at dawn, right when light appears, so that she can complete what she has to do before the sun is up.


And quickly cooks his food
Once her dance is over, she hurriedly prepares the food, hoping to leave early to start her day.


She can't be late, can't take too long
Time is vital for the woman, and if she arrives late at work or school, things could go wrong.


The kids must get to school
As a mother, she has to make sure that her children catch their school bus on time every day.


She's a slave to the rhythm
The woman's routine has become too monotonous and predictable, and she can't see any changes anytime soon.


The rhythm of love, the rhythm of love
The rhythm of our daily lives, often dictated by love or duty, has become the woman's controlling entity.


She dances for the man at work
She has to put in long hours of work to provide for herself and her husband


Who works her overtime
Her boss demands her to work extra hours beyond her routine schedule.


She can't be rude as she says
She has to be polite with her boss, even when he's not treating her well.


"Sir, I must be home tonight"
She has to request politely to leave work at a reasonable time to ensure that things are in place at home.


She dances to the kitchen stove
As a housewife, she has to cook food for her husband and make sure that it's served on time.


Dinner is served by nine
Her routine for dinner preparation is predictable and fixed at her home.


He says his food's an hour late
Her husband isn't satisfied with her serving of dinner, despite her having it ready on time.


She must be outta her mind
Her husband regards her as insane, stressing the fact that his needs come above hers.


She works so hard, just to make her way
She has to work hard to make ends meet and ensure that her family's financial issues are taken care of.


For a man who just don't appreciate
Her husband fails to appreciate her and the hard work that she puts in, adding more problems to her predicament.


And though he takes her love in vain
He takes her care and affection as something that he deserves, never reciprocating or showing love back.


Still she could not stop, couldn't break his chains
She is enslaved by the routine and can't seem to break free from the grasp of running a house and working for a living.


She danced the night that they fell out
Her only escape from servitude and routine seems to be the expression through dance.


She swore she'd dance no more
Dancing was therapeutic and an escape route for her, and when she knows it, she finds herself reluctantly returning to it.


But then she did, he did not quit as she ran out the door
As much as she tries to escape or break free, her environment and circumstances continue to prevent her from gaining any sense of freedom.


She danced through the night in fear of her life
She fears for herself and her mental wellbeing and dances her worries away to get peace of mind.


She danced to a beat of her own
She continues to dance to beat her own problems and finds solace in her rhythm and routine.


She let out a cry and swallowed her pride
Amidst her problems, she realizes that crying and being weak is not an option, and instead decides to face her routine with vigor.


She knew she was needed back home, home
Regardless of what happens in her life, she knows that the rhythm of life (home) inevitably needs to go on.




Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTONIO REID, KENNETH BABYFACE EDMONDS, ROBERSON KEVIN, DARYL SIMMONS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@LOL-cringe

A message to the future generations:
"Don't let Michael Jackson's songs die"

@glitched_out8380

STOP PUTTING THESE COMMENTS EVERYWHERE ON HIS VIDEOS TO GET SUBS

@ksienekde6225

stop commenting

@ppeechee

That's why I introduced my 5 yo old son to MJ and now he watch his videos everyday ❤

@melissaclark1128

I have successfully made all 4 of my kids huge fans 🥰

@CamilaLopezmalo-mk3is

please don't!! he is a legend!! the true king of pop

8 More Replies...

@LOL-cringe

They do not applaud the hologram, they applaud the spirit of the artist it represents. A legend.

@isaidwhatIsaid86

No it was a hologram 🙄

@glitched_out8380

STOP PUTTING THESE COMMENTS EVERYWHERE ON HIS VIDEOS TO GET SUBS

@ojaman7144

@@isaidwhatIsaid86It was a theatrical illusion technique used all the way back in 1862 called a “Pepper’s Ghost”. The image is usually reflected off of a glass pane or other reflective surface !y a projector to cast the image onto the surface, and has been used to put Michael, Elvis, and Tupac on the stage.

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