Tom Paine's Bones
The Young'Uns Lyrics


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Dance to Tom Paine′s Bones
As I dropped out one evening
By a river of discontent
I bumped straight into old Tom Paine
As running down the road he went.
He said I can't talk now son
King George is if after me
And he′ll have a rope around my throat
And hang me on the liberty tree

But I'll dance to Tom Paine's bones
Dance to Tom Paine′s bones
Dance in the oldest boots I own
To the rhythmn of Tom Paine′s bones.

I already talked about freedom
And justice for everyone
But ever since the very first word I spoke
I've been lookin down the barrel of a gun
They say I preached revolution
Let me say in my defence
That all I did wherever I went
Was talk a lot of common sense

Old Tom Paine he ran so fast
He left me standing still
And then I was, a piece of paper in my hands,
Standing at the top of a hill.
It said ′This is the age of reason
These are the rights of Man
No religion, no monarchy
It was all in Tom Paine's plans

Old Tom Paine where does he lie?
No one laughs and no one cries




Where he′s gone and how he fares
No one knows and no one cares

Overall Meaning

The song "Tom Paine's Bones" by The Young'uns is about Thomas Paine, a political activist, philosopher, and revolutionary who played an important role in the American and French Revolutions. The song describes an encounter with Paine who is going into hiding from King George III. He talks about the ideas of freedom, justice, and common sense, which he championed in his work. The singer of the song states, that despite the dangers, he will dance to Tom Paine's bones in defiance of the oppression that the revolutionary fought against.


As the song progresses, the singer sings about the piece of paper that he was given by Paine, which outlines his beliefs and ideas. The paper emphasizes that the age of reason had begun and outlines the rights of man, focusing on the elimination of religion and monarchy in favor of a rational society. The song concludes with a reflection on Paine's legacy, noting that he is largely ignored and forgotten in popular history, with no one knowing where he was buried.


The song provides a powerful portrayal of Tom Paine, who was an incredibly influential figure in the development of democratic and republican ideas that would shape the modern world. It highlights the bravery of Paine and those who fought against tyranny and oppression, emphasizing the long-lasting legacy of these ideas. The song also emphasizes the importance of remembering figures like Paine, whose work laid the foundation for the ideas of freedom and democracy.


Line by Line Meaning

Dance to Tom Paine's Bones
Let's celebrate Tom Paine and his beliefs


As I dropped out one evening
It all started one evening


By a river of discontent
I was feeling dissatisfied with the state of things


I bumped straight into old Tom Paine
I met Tom Paine unexpectedly


As running down the road he went.
As he hurried down the road


He said I can't talk now son
Tom Paine was in a hurry and couldn't talk


King George is if after me
King George is after him


And he'll have a rope around my throat
He's afraid he'll be hung by King George


And hang me on the liberty tree
He's afraid he'll be executed in public


But I'll dance to Tom Paine's bones
Despite the danger, we will still celebrate Tom Paine's life


Dance in the oldest boots I own
Despite our poor condition, we'll still celebrate Tom Paine


To the rhythm of Tom Paine's bones
We'll dance to the sound of his beliefs


I already talked about freedom
Tom Paine had already been vocal about freedom


And justice for everyone
He believed in justice for all


But ever since the very first word I spoke
But since he first spoke up


I've been looking down the barrel of a gun
He's been in danger ever since


They say I preached revolution
Tom Paine was accused of promoting revolution


Let me say in my defence
He wanted to defend himself


That all I did wherever I went
He claims all he did was talk sense


Was talk a lot of common sense
His speeches were logical and made sense


Old Tom Paine he ran so fast
Tom Paine was a fast runner


He left me standing still
He left me behind


And then I was, a piece of paper in my hands, Standing at the top of a hill.
I found a paper that outlined Tom Paine's beliefs


It said 'This is the age of reason
The paper declared an era of logic


These are the rights of Man
It listed human rights


No religion, no monarchy
It opposed religion and monarchy


It was all in Tom Paine's plans
The paper's contents were influenced by Tom Paine's ideas


Old Tom Paine where does he lie?
Tom Paine's burial place is a mystery


No one laughs and no one cries
No one remembers Tom Paine


Where he's gone and how he fares
No one knows where he is or how he's doing


No one knows and no one cares
People have forgotten about Tom Paine




Writer(s): graham moore

Contributed by Amelia G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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