Prior to crossing paths, Goldsworthy had worked alongside James Lavelle in the pre-DJ Shadow U.N.K.L.E., and Murphy had played in Pony and Speedking and engineered on records by the likes of Six Finger Satellite and June of 44. The two met in New York in 1999 while working on David Holmes' Bow Down to the Exit Sign; at the time, Goldsworthy was doing programming for Holmes and Murphy was an engineer at the New York studio where the record was being made.
Goldsworthy and Murphy began working as a unit shortly thereafter, and they worked on several records in various capacities. By the end of 2001, the duo had racked up mixing, engineering, programming, and production credits for Turing Machine's A New Machine for Living, BS 2000's Simply Mortified, Zero Zero's AM Gold, and the Rapture's Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks. Perhaps the best indicator of where the duo would take their sound is "Blood Money," a track that the duo worked on with David Holmes and a host of others for Primal Scream's XTRMNTR. Full of rumbling bass and a mass of noise that chewed up and spat out post-punk, no wave, garage rock, dub, and proto-house, the track seemed to forecast some of the early releases on DFA, the label Goldsworthy and Murphy launched in 2002.
While they continued their work in 2002 for bands like Radio 4, often using Murphy's New York City-based Plantain Studios as their lab, DFA was initiated the same year with a quartet of 12" releases that also featured the duo's production work. The Rapture's "House of Jealous Lovers" was the first release and turned a decent but sloppy indie band into one worthy of inclusion in a DJ set between A Certain Ratio and PiL. Two robo-disco releases from ex-Six Finger Satellite member John Maclean — as the Juan Maclean — also caught some notice. But the biggest ripple of all was created by LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge," the A-side of which played out like a "You might be a redneck if..." routine for music snobs, set to a bottom-heavy electro/rock fusion. Primarily the work of Murphy, the 12" generated both love and hate/denial among music snobs.
Biography by Andy Kellman
Dare
The DFA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up
It's dare
It's dare
You've got to press it on you
You've just been thinking
Hold it down, dare
Jump with them all and move it
Jump back and forth
It feels like you were there yourself, work it out
Never did no harm
Never did no harm
It's dare
It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up
It's coming up, it's coming up
It's dare
It's dare
You've got to press it on you
You've just been thinking
That's what you do, baby
Hold it down, dare
Jump with the moon and move it
Jump back and forth
It feels like you were there yourself work it out
Never did no harm
Never did no harm
It's dare
It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up
It's coming up, it's coming up
It's DARE
Never did no harm
Never did no harm
It's dare
It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up
It's coming up, it's coming up
It's dare
You've got to press it on you
You've just been thinking
That's what you do, baby
Hold it down, dare
Jump with the moon and move it
Jump back and forth
It feels like you were there yourself work it out
You've got to press it on you
You've just been thinking
That's what you do, baby
Hold it down, dare
Jump with the moon and move it
Jump back and forth
It feels like you were there yourself work it out
The DFA's song "Dare" is a dance/electronic track that encourages the listener to "dare" themselves to let loose and enjoy the moment. The lyrics repeat the phrase "It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up" to build anticipation for the chorus, where the word "dare" is repeated in a chant. The song encourages the listener to "press it on you" and let loose, "jump with them all and move it" and "jump back and forth." The lyrics express that letting go and enjoying oneself has "never done no harm."
The repetition of the word "dare" throughout the song suggests the importance of taking risks and challenges, especially in the context of dance and movement. The line "It feels like you were there yourself work it out" suggests that dancing can be a way to connect with others and experience a sense of shared energy.
Overall, the lyrics to "Dare" are simple but effective in conveying a message of freedom, release, and enjoyment. The song provides an upbeat and energetic soundtrack for dancing and letting go.
Line by Line Meaning
It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up
The anticipation and excitement is building up
It's dare
This is a challenge, an opportunity to take a risk
You've got to press it on you
You need to exert yourself and take control
You've just been thinking
You've been hesitating, mulling over your options
That's what you do, baby
That's your usual response, defaulting to overthinking
Hold it down, dare
Stay focused and committed to the challenge
Jump with them all and move it
Join in with others and get into the flow of things
Jump back and forth
Move dynamically and enjoyably
It feels like you were there yourself, work it out
Fully immerse yourself and let your body and mind figure it out
Never did no harm
This is a harmless experiment or challenge
It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up
The anticipation is still building up
It's dare
It's still a challenge, still an opportunity to take a risk
You've got to press it on you
The onus is still on you to make it happen
Jump with the moon and move it
Join in with the larger-than-life vibe and groove
You've just been thinking
You've been lingering in your head but it's time to snap out of it
That's what you do, baby
That's your usual response but you can break out of it
Hold it down, dare
Keep your cool and stay committed
It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up
The excitement is still building up
It's DARE
It's a bold challenge and an invitation to take a leap
You've got to press it on you
It's up to you to make it happen
Jump with the moon and move it
Embrace the energy and vibes that's in the air
Jump back and forth
Keep the motion going and keep dancing
It feels like you were there yourself work it out
Get lost in the moment and figure it out as you go
You've got to press it on you
Remind yourself that it's your challenge and your adventure
You've just been thinking
Acknowledge that you've been overthinking but move on from it
That's what you do, baby
That's how you usually react but it's time to shake it up
Hold it down, dare
Stay determined and focused on your challenge
Jump with the moon and move it
Stay in tune with the energy and vibe of your surroundings
Jump back and forth
Keep moving and don't stop grooving
It feels like you were there yourself work it out
Immerse yourself and let your instincts guide you along the way
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Albarn, Damon / Hewlett, Jamie / Burton, Brian Joseph
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind