Dance Dance Dance
The Backyard: Mumford and Sons Lyrics

The young man stands on the edge of his porch
The singer is standing on his porch in a state of limbo, unsure of where to go next.

The days were short and the father was gone
It's a time of hardship for the singer, with short days and his father no longer around.

There was no one in the town and no one in the field
The singer finds himself alone in a desolate place, with nobody around.

This dusty barren land had given all it could yield
The land that the artist is on has been drained of all its resources and has nothing left to give.

I've been kicked off my land at the age of sixteen
The artist was forced off his land when he was just a teenager, with no other options available.

And I have no idea where else my heart could have been
The singer is lost and doesn't know where he belongs or what he wants to do.

I placed all my trust at the foot of this hill
The singer has invested all his efforts and hopes in one place or idea, represented by the hill.

And now I am sure my heart can never be still
The artist knows that he can never fully relax or settle down after all he's been through.

So collect your courage and collect your horse
The artist is urging himself (and perhaps the listener) to gather their strength and resources to keep moving forward.

And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse
The artist is warning the listener not to end up in the same regretful state as he is in.

Seal my heart and break my pride
The singer wants to protect his heart from further hurt while admitting his own flaws and weaknesses.

I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide
The artist has nothing left to hold onto and is exposed and vulnerable.

Align my heart, my body, my mind
The singer wants to find a sense of harmony and purpose by bringing all aspects of himself together.

To face what I've done and do my time
The singer is resolved to take responsibility for his actions and accept the consequences.

Well you are my accuser, now look in my face
The singer is confronting his accuser and demanding a face-to-face confrontation.

Your oppression reeks of your greed and disgrace
The artist accuses his accuser of being selfish and immoral.

So one man has and another has not
The artist observes the vast injustices and inequalities present in the world.

How can you love what it is you have got
The singer questions how someone can be content and happy with what they have when others suffer and struggle.

When you took it all from the weak hands of the poor?
The singer accuses his accuser of taking advantage of the helpless and impoverishing them further.

Liars and thieves you know not what is in store
The artist warns his accuser that they will face the consequences of their actions, and perhaps implies a divine retribution.

There will come a time I will look in your eye
The artist envisions a moment when he will finally confront his accuser face-to-face.

You will pray to the God that you always denied
The artist predicts that his accuser will beg for mercy or forgiveness from a higher power they previously ignored or denied.

Then I'll go out back and I'll get my gun
The singer is ready to take matters into his own hands and seek revenge on his accuser.

I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"
The artist asserts his own identity and power, taking control of the situation.

Well yes sir, yes sir, yes it was me
The singer admits guilt or responsibility for something, perhaps referring to something specific or general.

I know what I've done, 'cause I know what I've seen
The singer is aware of his actions and experiences, and doesn't shy away from acknowledging them.

I went out back and I got my gun
The singer is ready to take action and perhaps exact revenge on someone or something.

I said, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"
The artist is asserting his own power and identity, taking control of the situation and making sure he's not underestimated or dismissed.