Human

This is an intriguing track. Although not as strong lyrically as others, still the Killers provoke thought.

I think the imagery speaks of 'dancers' as almost like 'puppets'. Brandon is speaking of letting go, "platform of surrender" "cut the cord" "close your eyes, clear your heart" This "letting go" is to cease to be "Human" because he no longer has life, (eyes closed, cleared heart) and he feels like a "Dancer", a puppet on strings.

The puppet versus human contrast is throughout. To be human is to have life and choice. To be dancer is to be controlled by strings or "cords"

He uses a play on words, instead of "vital signs" his "signs are vital" and "my hands are cold", i.e. lifeless, he is lifeless, and reading his signs are vital in knowing what he really is. He goes on to "say goodbye" to everything (soul and romance, etc), embarking into that "open door"

Like a slouched puppet, he's on his knees. Puppets have no strength in their legs. Yet he wants to "be let go" and to "cut the cord" could refer to losing his strings and being freed from control, no longer being a puppet. Or it could refer to no longer being human. If you "cut the cord", you pull life support on someone. In mythology, The Fates, "cut your cord" and you die, no longer with the life that makes one Human.

The great thing about this song is I can't figure out if he decided he is "human" or "dancer" and maybe he hasn't decided either, "Am I human....or am I dancer."

Great song after a couple of listens, gotta love the Killers.

Interpretation of "Human" performed by The Killers by Matthew W. Tallman

Note of Understanding

My interpretation consists of 3 parts (Lyric Segment, Breakdown, Application) where the lyrics

are quoted, then broke down to find the meaning based on the words or word associations.

Lastly, an attempt will be made to apply the lyrics to real world examples, the actual

interpretation.

General Comment

Firstly, this song caught my attention the first time I heard it and repeated it several

times. It has a dark start and I would classify it as a power ballad. The song contains

conflicting emotions that most people can relate to. The song provokes thought and allows one

to turn inwardly to our inner feelings and struggles. Overall, great song!

Now onto the interpretation...

Lyric Segment #1

"I did my best to notice when the call came down the line, up to the platform of surrender, I

was brought, but I was kind."

Breakdown

The use of the words "call came down the line" seem to suggest a form of Military Cadence

which could mean a highly structured environment where there are rules and obedience. The

words "platform of surrender" seem to suggest a that the artist has come to a place

where he must obey and surrender his own will to the command of another. Much like being

in the military, boot camp, etc. The usage of "was brought, but I was kind" seem to suggest it

was forced upon him, something he didn't want to do, but did it anyway.

Application

We all have structures that we have grown up with. It could be religious, political, or social structures that have caused us to not "question authority" but rather "live with it".

Lyric Segment #2

"Sometimes I get nervous when I see an open door."

Breakdown

This is a very interesting choice of words. It seems to suggest that the artist sometimes has trouble dealing with change because he's been pre-programmed to think a certain way and walking through an "open door" seems scary and unknown.

Application

In a relgious context, these words are highly powerful. Pre-programming happens to alot of us. Most often when we become adults we usually take on the religious beliefs (or closely similar) of our parents. But what if life took you down a completely different path, a different church, something that felt right but scared you to pieces because of how your family may or may not accept you?

Lyric Segment #3

"Cut the cord."

Breakdown

Simply means to remove yourself from the source of power.

Application

In a social or domestic context, perhaps you are a person in a dangerous or controlling relationship that is affecting you emotionally and physically. The artist is telling you to close your eyes and cut the cord. In fact, in the music video you see an eagle fly away. Another way to look at this isn't necessarily as a "bad domestic case" but rather as a child who leaves his parents to persue life on his own. We all have to find our way in life because "Mom and Dad" won't always be there.

Lyric Segment #4

"Are we human or are we dancer?"

Breakdown

These words suggest that the artist is asking us if we are human (full of life, spirit, energy, and a desire to be free) or if we are dancer, much like a puppet is controlled by strings to dance.

Application

Who's controlling you? Back to earlier contexts, are you in a position where you are afraid to be your own person because of what that might mean for you? How you will stand with family or friends?

Lyric Segment #5

"So long to devotion, he taught me everything I know. Wave goodbye, wish me well. You gotta let me go."

Breakdown

This is probably the most powerful line in the song. The artist sings a series of "parting words" to various forms of qualities and characteristics of humanity. Essentially, I don't believe the artist is suggesting that we should just stop trying to attain these traits, rather we need to realize that no form of goodness or virtue can truly make us happy. It is the pursuit of freedom, to live our lives without interference that allow us to experience goodness.

Application

Maybe you are a devoted to your job, but that job is interfering with your life or the ability for you to expand your career. While its ok to be devoted, you have to do what you feel is best. Changing jobs could be the best thing you ever did and may bring you that fulfillment you need.

Summary

All in all, this song is about freedom. It's about breaking free from what is holding you back. The human spirit longs to be released and deep down we are untamed (much as the tiger and cougar in the music video are). I don't mean to suggest we are animals at heart, but rather we are a species that are not to be caged or boxed in by religious dogma, oppressive relationships, a dead end job, the fear of achieving the unthinkable, you name it. The song challenges you to go to that next level, to not be a lemming and follow others. Rather, you lead the way and become everything you want to be.

it's "dancer" they've said it in an interview.

I don't know about being a puppet, but when I think of dancers, I think that they just do... If that makes sense. When someone is dancing, that's all they're doing, they're content with that, it's kind of almost... animal in a way? I'm not sure if that makes sense in the way I'm explaining it, but when I think about it, I think that if you're human, you're warm, you're subjective, but dancers are almost mechanical and focused only on dancing (I did ballet for 6 years when I was younger and I hated this!)

"My sign is vital/My hands are cold" sounds to me like he knows he's still alive, but he thinks he's lost what makes a human being a human being. The same goes for the second verse.

As opposed to the puppet imagery, I feel that "And I'm on my knees looking for the answer" is more about questioning if this is all there is to life, like, if there's a God or not. I think that a big difference between normal animals and human beings is that humans search for things greater than themselves, and somehow, if there isn't a God, it makes us feel a little less human. He's praying maybe over whether he is human or not? The line "There is no message we're receiving" makes me think of this too.

Yay for disjointed analysis, if you can even call it that :P

Ok, I'm going to attempt to give you a concise answer to the interpretation and meaning of this song. First let me state that it's a very poetic and beautiful song, and that my interpretation and meaning may be correct, but it obviously has an amazing artistic duality that broadens it's lyrics to great depths.

Let's start with the main line "Are we human or are we dancer?" (yes it's definitely dancer) Are we dancer was inspired by Hunter S Thompson in which he stated he was concerned that America was raising a generation of dancers. What Thompson meant by that was that people are not stepping out of place and following their own beat. He was saying that people were only following the steps they were taught, and were also taught not to change them.

I did my best to notice When the call came down the line Up to the platform of surrender I was brought but I was kind

Here in the beginning of the song you get two elements of the songs main expression. The first half makes the case that he did his best to notice, when the call, meaning the call of life, to make your own beat too, came down the line. Showing a sign of human quality. But the latter half is that of a dancer, where he is surrendering and being brought (guided) rather then going to the call.

And sometimes I get nervous When I see an open door Close your eyes, clear your heart Cut the cord

Here being nervous when seeing an open door is being afraid of trying new things. Again if you here what Thompson was saying about Americans just dancing to the beat, you see how this line makes sense.
the next lines i believe he is attempting to give an answer to the problem. Cut the chord of you trained ideals, and open up.

Are we human or are we dancer? My sign is vital, my hands are cold And I'm on my knees looking for the answer Are we human or are we dancer?

This is self explanatory, and his sign is vital and hands are cold could mean a number of different things that are better left to your imagination.

Pay my respects to grace and virtue Send my condolences to good Hear my regards to soul and romance They always did the best they could

And so long to devotion It taught me everything I know Wave goodbye, wish me well You've gotta let me go

here he is throwing a out a great level of cynicism. This part is expressing everything human, this is what humanism is. And he's waving goodbye to it. cleverly, at this point of the song, the beat picks up, and yes, becomes danceable! so the cynicism is that you are dancing to this idea without recognizing what your dancing to. Capturing the true essense of dancer. But the act of not noticing, which was expressed in the beginning of the song, is in its form, expressing a human quality. All which begs the question, Are we human? Or are we dancer?

Will your system be alright When you dream of home tonight There is no message we're receiving Let me know, is your heart still beating?

Your system is your system of trained beliefs that you've been dancing to for so long. And he's saying were not getting anything beautiful from this, no message. So tell me, are you human ??

it is "dancer". Check this From Amazon.com:

"Those familiar with the band’s oeuvre will recognize their signature in the synth-heavy “Human,” four minutes of sweeping, epic rock, on which Flowers sings: “My sign is vital/ My hands are cold/ And I’m on knees, looking for the answer/ Are we human, or are we dancer?” He says the lyrics were inspired by a disparaging comment made by Hunter S. Thompson about how America was raising a generation of dancers. But the song also had some help from album producer Stuart Price (aka Jacques LuCont), known for his work with Madonna and Missy Elliot, and who’d previously remixed “Mr. Brightside.” “He was the icing on the cake,” says Stoermer."

I think the enunciation of the chorus would be different if the word was "denser." If you listen carefully, Brandon is singing a higher pitched "annn," not a lower "ehhh" that would exist if the word was "dense" instead of "dance." There's probably a more technical way to describe that, but I'm not a music expert.

I think lostfanatic84 makes a very good point, too.

I've never heard anything but "dancer" for the lyric, and it fits the song and what's going on in the words when it's experienced as a spiritual song, questioning the relationship between our physical existence and our spiritual existence.

In many Native and mystical traditions, life is seen as a dance, and the living of life is dancing to its rhythms. Humans are seen as instruments played by the Divine, and our human lives are our unique expressions of the Divine dance. If we look at our lives as purely human, the "dance" makes no sense. If we look at our lives as an expression of something greater, we can easily all be dancers, dancing in an intensly choreographed stage called Earth. It's a great song (and really, my introduction to The Killers!

I think this song is about Brandon's struggle with his faith. I think he's questioning if there's a God or not. I also agree with hollyoh, the Hunter S Thompson quote sounds right.

"And I'm on my knees, looking for the answer" He's praying. Praying to god, trying to figure out if there is a god or not?

"Are we human, or are we dancer?" Are we human, did god put all of us here for a purpose? Or is there no god, and we're all just here on the earth, dancing?

"YOU'VE GOTTA LET ME KNOW" God, please give me a sign! Tell me you exist, tell me we're all here for a reason!

That's how I interpret it.

ok, so heres what i think on the whole thing

I did my best to notice, when the call came down the line Up to the platform of surrender, I was brought but I was kind -i think hes describing an epifany that he got when he was contemplating the world and life in general

And sometimes I get nervous when I see an open door Close your eyes, clear your heart... and cut the cord -this is something that as humans we all feel when we start a new stage in our life and hes just saying dive in! dont be a dancer...

Are we human, or are we dancer -when we were created (not evolutionized, hes mormon) God made us with a freewill, dancers dont really have a free will, we follow our choreographers steps and wear what they tell us to wear and even make ourselves look like what they want us to look like, our only purpose is to perform, thats what the human race has turned into, everyone has become dancers

My sign is vital, my hands are cold And I'm on my knees looking for the answer Are we human, or are we dancer -hes describing the desperation and the heart ache realizing what we have become

Pay my respects to grace and virtue, send my condolences to good Give my regards to soul and romance, they always did the best they could -these are things we are taught in our youth, these things are supposed to help us when we grow up and i'm thinking hes saying you need more than that to make it

And so long to devotion you taught me everything I know Wave good bye, wish me well, you gotta let me go -devotion is dedication or attachment to something or someone, pretty much love, hes learned alot from love, but hes going to let go of all those things hes listed

Will your system be alright? When you dream of home tonight There is no message we're receiving Let me know, is your heart still beating? -i think hes talking about when youve gotten so far that it about kills you to look back at your youth and what you used to be

Are we human, or are we dancer My sign is vital, my hands are cold And I'm on my knees looking for the answer... You've gotta let me know

Are we human, or are we dancer My sign is vital my hands are cold And I'm on my knees looking for the answer Are we human... or are we dancer

Are we human, or are we dancer Are we human, or are we dancer