Dust Bowl Dance
Mumford & Sons Lyrics

The young man stands on the edge of his porch
In this moment, this young man seems stuck and uncertain about his present circumstances.

The days were short and the father was gone
Times were tough--both in terms of the length of each day and the fact that this young man's father was no longer present in his life.

There was no one in the town and no one in the field
This young man was surrounded by a vast, barren landscape without anyone else around--no community, no way to connect with others.

This dusty barren land had given all it could yield
This place, while once fertile, had been overworked and overused until there was nothing more that could be gotten from it.

I've been kicked off my land at the age of sixteen
This young man had experienced a great loss at a very young age--he had been forced off of the land that had formerly been his home.

And I have no idea where else my heart could have been
Now, he is unsure of where he belongs or what his next steps should be.

I placed all my trust at the foot of this hill
This young man once trusted in the land, working hard and giving his all to make it fruitful once again.

And now I am sure my heart can never be still
However, that sense of trust and security has now been destroyed and he doesn't think he'll ever be able to find that sense of calm or stability again.

So collect your courage and collect your horse
This is a call to action--to gather one's strength and resources, to be bold in the face of challenge and adversity.

And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse
Despite the difficult things this young man has faced, he doesn't want anyone else to have to experience the same kind of pain or loss.

Seal my heart and break my pride
This is a cry for help--he wants someone to help heal his broken heart and take away his sense of pride, which has been shattered.

I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide
He feels vulnerable and exposed, with no place to go to find safety or shelter.

Align my heart, my body, my mind
This is a plea for wholeness--to find internal harmony and balance once again.

To face what I've done and do my time
He knows there are difficult things he must confront and take responsibility for, and he is ready to do the time and work to set things right.

Well you are my accuser, now look in my face
This is an invitation to confrontation--he wants to face whoever is coming against him directly.

Your oppression reeks of your greed and disgrace
This is a powerful indictment of someone else's negative actions and motivations. This person is accused of being greedy and causing harm to others.

So one man has and another has not
This is a demonstration of the ways in which the world is unequal--some people have power and resources, while others have very little.

How can you love what it is you have got
This is a question of ethics--is it right to love and value what you have, even when others are suffering and lacking?

When you took it all from the weak hands of the poor?
This is a pointed accusation--someone else is accused of exploiting and taking from those who are most vulnerable.

Liars and thieves you know not what is in store
Those who have taken from others are warned of the consequences they will ultimately face if they don't change their ways.

There will come a time I will look in your eye
This is a statement of confidence and determination--he knows that he will eventually have an opportunity to make things right.

You will pray to the God that you always denied
This suggests that the person in question doesn't currently believe in or value a higher power, but will later call out to that power for help and guidance.

Then I'll go out back and I'll get my gun
This is a foreshadowing or warning of violent conflict--he's prepared to defend himself and take matters into his own hands if necessary.

I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"
This is a declaration of personal power and identity--he is unique, powerful, and capable of standing up for himself.

Well yes sir, yes sir, yes it was me
This is an admission of guilt--he acknowledges that he is responsible for something negative that has happened.

I know what I've done, 'cause I know what I've seen
This is a statement of self-awareness--he knows what he's done wrong because he's seen the negative impact of his actions.

I went out back and I got my gun
This is a repeat of an earlier line, with the same implications--he's ready for conflict and may take violent action if necessary.

I said, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"
This is a powerful declaration of identity and personal power--once again, he is unique and has strength that others may not expect or understand.