The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
She's all that I see and all that I breathe
Take a breath and hold her in as the shadows whispering
I can hear the laughter, knowing what they're after
And while she flies beside me, a man with broken wings
Take, take a look around, she's a pretty good dancer
She dances on my grave
Every time it goes down, every time she comes down
Every time we fall down, she dances all over me
She's the world in my feet, the sun that gives see
Take a rest and hold her near or she'll float away from here
'Cause I'm knowing what you fearing, an unsentimental jury
And every mile I guide you, I watch over everything
Take, take a look around, she's a pretty good dancer
She dances on my grave
Every time it goes down, every time she comes down
Every time we fall down, she dances all over me
And every time that we fail is just another long wasted night
And the dance that we do is just another way for you to roll over me
And the bed that we're sharing is the home that I wanna bring you
Wanna feel you, oh, I don't wanna hear you
Take, take a look around, she's a pretty good dancer
She dances on my grave
Every time it goes down, every time she comes down
Every time we fall down, she dances all over me
She dances all over me, she dances all over me
She's a pretty good dancer
Take, take, take a look around, she's a pretty good dancer
Pretty, pretty, pretty dancer
Every time she comes down, she comes down, comes down
Take a breath and hold her in as the shadows whispering
I can hear the laughter, knowing what they're after
And while she flies beside me, a man with broken wings
Take, take a look around, she's a pretty good dancer
She dances on my grave
Every time it goes down, every time she comes down
Every time we fall down, she dances all over me
She's the world in my feet, the sun that gives see
Take a rest and hold her near or she'll float away from here
'Cause I'm knowing what you fearing, an unsentimental jury
And every mile I guide you, I watch over everything
Take, take a look around, she's a pretty good dancer
She dances on my grave
Every time it goes down, every time she comes down
Every time we fall down, she dances all over me
And every time that we fail is just another long wasted night
And the dance that we do is just another way for you to roll over me
And the bed that we're sharing is the home that I wanna bring you
Wanna feel you, oh, I don't wanna hear you
Take, take a look around, she's a pretty good dancer
She dances on my grave
Every time it goes down, every time she comes down
Every time we fall down, she dances all over me
She dances all over me, she dances all over me
She's a pretty good dancer
Take, take, take a look around, she's a pretty good dancer
Pretty, pretty, pretty dancer
Every time she comes down, she comes down, comes down
Lyrics submitted by voodoochile207
Gravedancer Lyrics as written by Duff Rose Mc Kagan David G Kushner
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I believe this song is about his feeling about his drug. 'She' is the drug. 'Everytime we fall down, she dances all over me' is a statement referring to everytime something happens, 'she' is the drug that dances all over him. 'she' is a good dancer and she will probably be the death of him hence 'she dances on my grave'. It's basically the 'feeling' he experiences while he's high, like she's his companion and her doesn't want her to float away, or be far from 'her'