Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Mama stood cryin' at the dockside
Sayin' "Please son, don't take this trip"
I said "Mama, sweet Mama, don't you worry none"
"Even God couldn't sink this ship"

Well, the whistle blew and they turned the screws
It turned the water into foam
Destination sweet salvation
Goodbye home sweet home

I'm in the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

There was a trombone and a saxophone
The bass and drums were cookin' up the bandstand
And I was strummin' in the middle with this dude on the fiddle
And we were three days out from land

And now the foghorn's jammed and moanin'
Hear it groanin' through the misty night
I heard the lookout shout down "There's icebergs around"
"But still everything's all right"

Oh, the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

They were burnin' all the flares for candles
In the banquet they were throwin' in first class
And we were blowin' waltzes in the barroom
When the universe went CRASH!

"There's no way that this could happen"
I could hear the old captain curse
He ordered lifeboats away, that's when I heard the chaplain say
"Women and children and chaplains first"

Well, they soon used up all of the lifeboats
But there were a lot of us left on board
I heard the drummer sayin' "Boys, just keep playin'"
"Now we're doin' this gig for the Lord"

I heard the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

There's a wild-eyed boy in the radio shack
He's the last remaining guest
He was tappin' in a Morse code frenzy
Tappin' "Please God, S.O.S."

Jesus Christ can walk on the water
But a music man will drown
They say that Nero fiddled while Rome burned up
Well, I was strummin' as the ship go down

I'm in the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me


Lyrics submitted by kevin

Dance Band on the Titanic Lyrics as written by Harry F. Chapin

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Dance Band on the Titanic song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    Parable protest song detailing how the American Government is like the danceband on the Titantic. . .playing aimlessly as the ship is sinking.

    sammyblueon June 20, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Actually Harry said on the Rockpalast Live DVD that it was how the "Dance Band on the Titanic" entertained the passengers to entertain them and calm them even though they were in danger (The iceberg's on the starboard bow, won't you dance with me). And because of that Harry thought he and his band were like that, playing away and trying to calm/entertain people during troubled times.

    Armoon May 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Always heard it was about the corrupt recording industry...just keep playing and pretend you are oblivious to craziness going on around you...

    ltienkeon November 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is actually about his life and how he feels about playing music and being a star. He wants to play it out till the end, and go down with the ship.

    sjceon October 28, 2011   Link

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