I heard the truth was built to bend
A mechanism to suspend
The guilt is what you will require
And still you've got to dance little liar

Just like those fibs to pop and fizz
And you'll be forced to take that awful quiz
And you're bound to trip
And she'll detect the fiction on your lips and dig a contradiction up

And the clean coming will hurt
And you can never get it spotless
When there's dirt beneath the dirt
The liar take a lot less time

I'm sure it's clear and plain to read
It's not an alibi you need just yet
Oh, no, it's something for those beads of sweat
Yes, that will get you back to normal

And after you have dabbed the patch
You'll breathe and then proceed to scratch
The varnish off that newly added calmness
So as not to raise any alarms too soon

And the clean coming will hurt
And you can never get it spotless
When there's dirt beneath the dirt

The liar takes a lot less time to decide on his saunter
Have you got itchy bones?
And in all your time alone
Can you hack your mind being riddled
With the wrong memories?

And the clean coming will hurt
And you can never get it spotless
When there's dirt between the dirt


Lyrics submitted by life_aint_chess

Dance Little Liar Lyrics as written by Alex Turner

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Dance Little Liar song meanings
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  • +12
    Song Meaning

    Look, i don't want to sound cocky but this is exactly what it means. Basicaly, it describes lying to your partner and infidelity.

    "I heard the truth was built to bend A mechanism to suspend the guilt Is what you are requiring still You've got to dance little liar"

    He's saying that lies are a way in which he can delay inevitable guilt that will arise when his partner finds out about his wrongdoings. Despite knowing that, he can't help lying. Dance Little Liar being coming up with all sort of excuses to get out of trouble.

    "Just like those fibbs to pop and fizz And you'll be forced to take that awful quiz And you're bound to trip And she'll detect the fiction on Your lips and dig a contradicion up"

    The lies will continue to be told and build up (pop and fizz) and soon there will be so much that the partner will suspect and ask questions (awful quiz). Because the lies are so plentiful and therefore complex, he will eventually contradict himself in some way. The partner will detect the dishonestly and realise the contradiction.

    "And the clean coming will hurt And you can never get it spotless When theres dirt beneth the dirt The liar take a lot less time"

    The inevitable need to go back to square one and tell the truth (come clean) will be painful and damaging to them both. You can never tell a perfect set of lies (spotless) when there is so much of them. The dirt beneath the dirt is lies upon lies. Lying is easier than the truth (the liar takes a lot less time) "Im sure its clear and plain to me Its not an alibi you need just yet Oh no its something for those beads of sweat Yes that we'll get you back to normal"

    He wonders whether she has figured his lies out yet, and decides she doesn't and he can manage to evade any "quiz" and an "alibi" isn't needed yet. Its just a false alarm for the time being, the lies may have been discussed but she hasn't yet realised them, and the little panic (beads of sweat) is over (back to normal).

    "And after you have dabbed the patch you’ll grieve And then proceed to scratch the varnish off That newly added calmness So as not to raise any alarms too soon"

    After you evade the "quiz" you'll feel guilty, and try to ensure that she won't ask any more questions in the near future.

    "The liar takes a lot less Time to decide on this saunter Have you got itchy bones? And in all your time alone Can you hack your mind being riddled with the wrong memories?"

    He wonders whether he should just tell the truth and come clean (decide on this saunter), because of the constant worry of her finding out and constantly trying to avoid the truth (itchy bones). Can you handle the guilt of all the "wrong memories" (cheating/infidelity) and continue to hide the truth, or will you come clean?

    "And the clean coming will hurt And you can never get it spotless When theres dirt between the dirt"

    Same as above, except the difference between beneath and between means metaphorically more layers (of lies) than before. Beneath meaning at least 2, between meaning at least 3.

    I doubt this is not what the lyrics mean

    warrenatoron July 22, 2010   Link

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