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Dance Little Liar Lyrics

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

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
Yr lips and dig a contradicion up

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

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

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

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

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Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

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

Song Meaning

very precise interpretation, totally agreed.

Not Valid
Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

This is the best song that the Arctic Monkeys have ever written. I know that it's early to call this one, but this is it. The war is over, this song has won.

Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

OK im going to put forward a rather odd interpretaton here, but i believe it to make sense.

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

This song is about how different members of the public will react to the arctic monkeys change in direction. the lyrics above basically translate to me as "you are going to lie about liking our new direction and youre going to dance away, feeling guilty that you dont like our new tracks."

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 Yr lips and dig a contradicion up

When people ask you if you like Humbug, you will feel awkward and claim you like it, feeling ashamed that you dont.

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

You will like this album a lot eventually, (i believe it to be a grower) however the liars claim to like it instantly

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

the liar cant cope with the change the monkeys have undergone, he wants more of the happy, poppy, earlier stuff.

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

Critics of the album will diss it fairly quickly so as not to raise any alarm that after a few listens, humbug becomes an amazing album.

And the clean coming will hurt And you can never get it spotless When theres 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?

"can you cope with our change from the way we once were?" :)

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

you will always find fault with humbug, noone ever copes with such a drastic change in musical direction.

I have seen these situations amongst my friends that have humbug, some hated it, it grew on some, some loved it instantly (little liars... heh heh)

Well it sounded like i was dissing Humbug in my interpretation and ill be honest its nowhere near as good as favourite worst nightmare or whatever people say, but after a few listens i loved i and im going to see arctic monkeys live for the second time next month :)

My Interpretation

lmao, like it. i got the album soon as it came out and it did take a few listens but wow what a album, my brother still disagrees but as i play it more around him i can see it growing on him. lol

Not Valid
Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

Lyrically speaking, Dance Little Liar is one of their better songs. One of the better songs from Humbug.

My Opinion
Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

Again some amazing lyrics. Too abstract to really tell what it's about though.

what are "itchy bones"?

Not Valid

I belive itchy bones refers to something that bothers you thats just below the surface that you can't quite satisfy.. ties in with the line "dirt between the dirt"

Not Valid

yep ur spot on lingeron

Not Valid
Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

Love this phrase:

Can you hack your mind being riddled with the wrong memories?

Lying so ingrained that they don't even know what's true anymore. Memories are now distorted with the lies.

Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

Sounds a lot like a song about cheating/infidelity and trying to keep it a secret…although it will inevitably surface.

Great lyrics and an even better song.

Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

I think tht the lyrics is obviously about a liar and how it's like in the liar's mind. i love the part...

"Have you got itchy bones? And in all your time alone Can you hack your mind being riddled with the wrong memories?" it shows how a compulsive liar lies so much tht he/she becomes unable to differentiates a true memory wit one they themselves made up.

Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

Out of all the songs, this ones popping out at me the most. Certain lyrics are grabbing me more than others, the best I can come up with its about someone putting a façade for the world. They're lying because its an escape or something.. or perhaps lying about being happy... but the guilt is consuming. I don't know, I'm still going to be listening to this track for a while

-- 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 theres dirt between the dirt

Cover art for Dance Little Liar lyrics by Arctic Monkeys

This song explains the inside of a liars mind perfectly!

I love this, Alex Turner is brilliant.

Once you understand his style of writing and can get what hes talking about all his songs are just genius!