Moody grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba with her parents and three siblings. She was trained classically from the age of four but unlike her two sisters and brother she did not take to a stringed instrument, and from her mid-teens began to train vocally instead. In 1993 she began to study English and French literature at university with the intent of becoming a teacher like both her parents. She changed her course in 1996 and decided to forge a life out of folk music instead.
Moody's first band was the Juno-nominated roots band Scruj MacDuhk, for whom she was lead singer from 1997 until the group's break up in 2001. After this split Ruth began to focus on her songwriting and picked up the guitar, adding it to her repertoire of piano, bodhran, accordion and banjo. It was also at this time that she started a musical collaboration with Nicky Mehta and Cara Luft. In 2002 the three took to the stage as The Wailin' Jennys. The Jennys (now Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta and New York-based Heather Masse) have won international critical acclaim and numerous awards including a Juno award for their album 40 Days. They have toured in North America, Europe and Australia.
Since 2002 Moody has released two full-length albums and an EP with The Wailin' Jennys, a solo EP called Blue Muse and an album with two ex-members of Scruj MacDuhk, Jeremy Penner and Oliver Swain, called South Bound. She is currently working on a full length solo album.
Dancing In The Dark
Ruth Moody Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I ain't got nothing to say
I come home in the morning
I go to bed feeling the same way
I ain't nothing but tired
Man I'm just tired and bored with myself
Hey there baby, I could use just a little help
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Message keeps getting clearer
Radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place
I check my look in the mirror
I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
Man I ain't getting nowhere
I'm just living in a dump like this
There's something happening somewhere
Baby I just know that there is
You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
You sit around getting older
There's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
Come on baby this laugh's on me
Stay on the streets of this town
And they'll be carving you up alright
They say you gotta stay hungry
Hey baby I'm just about starving tonight
I'm dying for some action
I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book
I need a love reaction
Come on now baby gimme just one look
You can't start a fire sitting 'round crying over a broken heart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
You can't start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Hey baby
The lyrics of "Dancing in the Dark" by Ruth Moody express feelings of exhaustion, frustration, and desperation. The singer is tired of their mundane routine and is longing for change and excitement. The repeated line "you can't start a fire without a spark" serves as a metaphor for the need for inspiration or motivation to incite a change from the singer's stagnant state. The idea of a gun being for hire emphasizes the urge for drastic action.
The singer feels confined and stuck in their current life. They express dissatisfaction with their appearance and their physical surroundings, suggesting a yearning to escape their current circumstances. The line "I'm dying for some action" highlights the singer's desire for anything to break them out of their tedious routine.
The mention of a broken heart suggests that the singer may be feeling unfulfilled in their relationships as well. The song's energetic and upbeat tone provides a sense of determination and hopefulness despite the singer's seeming hopelessness.
Line by Line Meaning
I get up in the evening
I wake up late in the day
And I ain't got nothing to say
I don't feel like I have a lot to offer
I come home in the morning
I stay out all night
I go to bed feeling the same way
I have a sense of unfulfillment
I ain't nothing but tired
I'm drained
Man I'm just tired and bored with myself
I'm exhausted and uninterested in my own life
Hey there baby, I could use just a little help
I need someone to lend me a hand
You can't start a fire
Nothing will change if you do nothing
You can't start a fire without a spark
You need a catalyst to initiate change
This gun's for hire
I'm willing and able to make a change
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if things seem uncertain, we need to take action
Message keeps getting clearer
The situation is becoming more apparent
Radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place
I'm trying to find motivation through the music
I check my look in the mirror
I assess my appearance
I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
I want to makeover my look
Man I ain't getting nowhere
I feel like I'm stuck in a rut
I'm just living in a dump like this
My current reality is unfavorable
There's something happening somewhere
I feel like there is potential for change
Baby I just know that there is
I am confident that things can get better
You sit around getting older
If you don't take action, time will continue to pass
There's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I've made some mistakes
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
I'll let go of my past mistakes
Come on baby this laugh's on me
I'm not taking myself too seriously
Stay on the streets of this town
If you don't make a change, things won't improve
And they'll be carving you up alright
Others will take advantage of you
They say you gotta stay hungry
You need to stay motivated
Hey baby I'm just about starving tonight
I'm desperate for change
I'm dying for some action
I'm eager to take action
I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book
I'm tired of feeling unproductive
I need a love reaction
I'm looking for a positive response to my actions
Come on now baby gimme just one look
I'm seeking validation
You can't start a fire sitting 'round crying over a broken heart
You can't let past disappointments hold you back
You can't start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart
Fearing the worst won't lead to improvement
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if things aren't ideal, we need to take action
This gun's for hire
I'm prepared to make a change
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if things seem uncertain or difficult, we need to try
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if success seems far away, we need to keep trying
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if things don't seem to be working, we should still try
Hey baby
An optimistic and confident call-to-action
Contributed by Adam B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gamenetwork5220
I get up in the evening
And I ain't got nothing to say
I come home in the morning
I go to bed feeling the same way
I ain't nothing but tired
Man I'm just tired and bored with myself
Hey there baby, I could use just a little help
You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Message keeps getting clearer
Radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place
I check my look in the mirror
I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
Man I ain't getting nowhere
I'm just living in a dump like this
There's something happening somewhere
Baby I just know that there is
You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
You sit around getting older
There's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
Come on baby this laugh's on me
Stay on the streets of this town
And they'll be carving you up alright
They say you gotta stay hungry
Hey baby I'm just about starving tonight
I'm dying for some action
I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book
I need a love reaction
Come on now baby gimme just one look
You can't start a fire sitting 'round crying over a broken heart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
You can't start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Hey baby
@horrorplanet2110
I get up in the evening
and I ain't got nothing to say
I come home in the morning
I go to bed feeling the same way
I ain't nothing but tired
Man I'm just tired and bored with myself
Hey there baby, I could use just a little help
You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
even if we're just dancing in the dark
Message keeps getting clearer
radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place
I check my look in the mirror
I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
Man I ain't getting nowhere
I'm just living in a dump like this
There's something happening somewhere
baby I just know that there is
You can't start a fire
you can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
even if we're just dancing in the dark
You sit around getting older
there's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
come on baby this laugh's on me
Stay on the streets of this town
and they'll be carving you up alright
They say you gotta stay hungry
hey baby I'm just about starving tonight
I'm dying for some action
I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book
I need a love reaction
come on now baby gimme just one look
You can't start a fire sitting 'round crying over a broken heart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
You can't start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
Hey baby
@jb6027
Best version of this song ever. Well done.
@rexjamison746
she and her band are a crystal goblet in a pile of plastic cups...what Joy!
@johnlane2069
Spot on!
@rhondawebb7985
LOVE THIS!! Touche...
@3e25
@@johnlane2069 no
@ruffian2952
Waterford at that, Alana pattern.
@rhondawebb7985
What an analogy! She's a hidden treasure!
@johncastellenas1081
Thank you dear Ruth for the song. The song is so beautiful.
@OffBeatTupelo
Just obsessed with this cover. So damn beautiful. And I love that they are the exact same lyrics, but because of how they are presented, they give the song an entirely different meaning....
@clemcovers
obsessed too. I totally agree, the song shines differently, just beautifully...