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.
"Will you walk a little faster?"
Said a whiting to a snail,
"There's a porpoise close behind us,
And he's treading on my tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters
And the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle -
Will you come and join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you,
Won't you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you,
Won't you, won't you join the dance?
"You can really have notion
How delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us,
With the lobsters, out to sea!"
But the snail replied, "Too far, too far!"
And gave a look askance
Said he thanked the whiting kindly,
But he would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not,
Could not, would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not,
Could not, could not join the dance.
"What matters it how far we go?"
His scaly friend replied,
"There is another shore, you know,
Upon the other side.
The further off from England
The nearer is to France -
Then turn not pale, beloved snail,
But come and join the dance.
Will you, won't you, will you,
Won't you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you,
Won't you, won't you join the dance?
Said a whiting to a snail,
"There's a porpoise close behind us,
And he's treading on my tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters
And the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle -
Will you come and join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you,
Won't you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you,
Won't you, won't you join the dance?
"You can really have notion
How delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us,
With the lobsters, out to sea!"
But the snail replied, "Too far, too far!"
And gave a look askance
Said he thanked the whiting kindly,
But he would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not,
Could not, would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not,
Could not, could not join the dance.
"What matters it how far we go?"
His scaly friend replied,
"There is another shore, you know,
Upon the other side.
The further off from England
The nearer is to France -
Then turn not pale, beloved snail,
But come and join the dance.
Will you, won't you, will you,
Won't you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you,
Won't you, won't you join the dance?
Lyrics submitted by thrwmyhrtawy.
The Lobster Quadrille Lyrics as written by Nicholas John Mccarthy Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Anyway, to explain the lyrics/poem: This to me is such a fun creative way to explain and poke fun at normalcy and corporations. Perhaps this isn't supposed to be interpretable but to let me explain verse by verse,
"Will you walk a little faster?" Said a whiting to a snail There's a porpoise close behind us And he's treading on my tail. ^^^^^^^^^^^ This first verse represents the snail as a regular dreamy person of sorts. A whiting is a small fish in the atlantic. To me the idea of the Porpoise on the tail of the Whiting shows the sort of food chain of porpoise eating the whiting eating the snail. The porpoise is on the whitings case about something and the whiting is now angry or questioning the snail. The Whiting is sort of showing this corporate world in a seductive way and making work seem enticing. He is asking the whiting to "join the dance" surrender dreams come to the corporate world welcome to reality sort of thing.
See how eagerly the lobsters And the turtles all advance. They are waiting on the shingle. Will you come and join the dance. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ It is like the Whiting is saying see how everyone else is conforming. Come join the dance. Dances at the time this was written were all perfectly choreographed also so everyone would have been doing the same uniform thing.
Will you, won't you, Will you, won't you, Will you, won't you, join the dance?
Will you, won't you, Will you, won't you, Won't you, will you, join the dance?
"You can really have no notion How delightful it will be When they take us up and throw us, With the lobsters, out to sea!" But the snail replied, "Too far, too far!" And gave a look askance - Said he thanked the whiting kindly, But he would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, Could not, would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, Could not, could not join the dance.
^^^^^^^^^^^^ The beginning is mockery of how the higher up people treat everyone else like scum. He sarcastically explains how it will be great when they are tossed aside and taken advantage of. His look of askance shows he is suspicious of this offer the whiting is giving him. He refuses to conform.
"What matters it how far we go?" His scaly friend replied, "There is another shore, you know, Upon the other side.
The further off from England The nearer is to France - Then turn not pale, beloved snail, But come and join the dance.
^^^^^^^^^^ THese two verses suggest that becoming part of reality is inevitable. He cannot avoid it. Even if he went somewhere else he would have to change. It ends on a sinister and macabre almost note in his voice showing a sort of "haha you're stuck"
Will you, won't you, will you, Won't you, will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, Won't you, won't you join the dance?
This is just what I get from it.