Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Satan Said Dance

How'd I arrive in a place like this?
Red right hand as the alligator kiss

My head turns white and my face is green
But my feet are still moving if you know what I mean

Satan, Satan, Satan
Satan, Satan, Satan
Satan, Satan, Satan
Said dance!
Let's go

He says to me to shake around
And don't stop until you hit the the ground

And I know it is not how you thought it would be
No whips, no chains, just dancing, dancing, dancing
Dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing
Dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing

Satan, Satan, Satan
Satan, Satan, Satan
Satan, Satan, Satan
Said dance!

Satan, Satan, Satan
Satan, Satan, Satan
Satan, Satan, Satan
Said dance!

Satan, Satan, Satan
Satan, Satan, Satan
Satan, Satan, Satan
Said dance!
All right



Lyrics submitted by PASSE

Satan Said Dance song meanings
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28 Comments

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  • +3
    General CommentThe only ambiguity in the song seems to lie here:

    "Red right hand as the alligator kiss"

    I also get the sense that it's the promise of a job, promotion, or any goal, etc. being a product of the devil. And that the work for it never ends.

    The only way you can stop dancing is to stop playing. How zen.
    mrgrimmon February 05, 2009   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +1
    My InterpretationI draw a comparison in my mind with several outbreaks of dancing in the 1500's, involving hundreds or just a few people, nearly all in towns and cities close to the River Rhine.
    A poem in the city archives explains what happened: “In their madness, people kept up their dancing until they fell unconscious and many died.” The city councils decided the dancers were suffering from holy wrath, they opted for a period of enforced penance and banned music and dancing in public. Finally, the dancers were taken to a shrine dedicated to St Vitus, located in a musty grotto in the hills above the nearby town of Saverne, where their bloodied feet were placed into red shoes and they were led around a wooden figurine of the saint. In the following weeks, say the chronicles, most ceased their wild movements. The epidemic had come to an end.
    parulritvikon July 06, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti feel it may be "my head turns white" ?
    Method Actingon December 14, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentWhat is there some kind of robo-lyric-o-matic putting these on here? Context, PASSE, context! The lyrics are obviously "No whips, no chains just dancing dancing dancing."

    Anyway, this is a great song, despite unabashadly ripping off Talking Heads more even than any of their previous songs, and that's saying a lot.

    Maybe it's about nutty Christians thinking rock 'n roll is the devil's music. It's pretty funny, and fun to dance around to too!
    DevastatorJr.on December 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThe line is "He says to me to shake around, and don't stop till you hit the ground."
    BooRadon January 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentFirst time I heard this I thought I knew what it was. I see it as like, your boss or whoever standing over you with this great deal. Like a promotion or a bonus. Although his plan is to not give it to you, which makes it as your dancing around, or working your ass off, for this promotion you will never get. Seemed to me like it fit. :/
    MoonAndAntarcticaon January 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentFor me this song refers to Satan being the "Angel Of Music"... He wants us to dance to the music... Straight forward song.

    I love the humour (No whips & chains...) and sing-a-long qualities of the song, but must admit that it is not one of my favourites of CYHSY. Mainly because of the ‘Praise to Satan’ feel of the song...
    pix101on March 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentAnd I know it is not how you thought it would be
    No whips, no chains, just dancingX1937235959327
    stupid_nameon March 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentHe says to me to shake around
    And don't stop till you hit the ground
    stupid_nameon March 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commentpix101, get off your Christian high horse and just enjoy a song with a kickass concept... Sartre said "hell is other people," but now imagine "Hell is dancing for eternity." true, this song is not as substantial as some of the others on the album, but it is a welcome and fun break.
    stupid_nameon March 12, 2007   Link

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