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Dancin' In The Ruins Lyrics

Tomorrow soon turns into yesterday.
Everything we see just fades away.
There's sky and sand where mountains used to be.
Time drops by a second to eternity.
It doesn't matter if we turn to dust;
Turn and turn and turn we must!
I guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight!
Dancin' in the ruins!
Guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight!

There's laughter where I used to see your tears.
It's all done with mirrors, have no fears.
There's nothing pure or sacred in our time.
The nights we spent together are no crime.
It doesn't matter if we turn to dust;
Turn and turn and turn we must!
I guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight!
Dancin' in the ruins!
Guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight!

Like marble statues always flowing lay,
From castles built in silence, let us play.
Even though our skulls rot in our flesh.
We can build a laser, tear the mesh.
It doesn't matter if we turn to dust;
Turn and turn and turn we must.
I guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight! Dancin' in the ruins!
Guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight! Dancin' in the ruins!
Guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight! Dancin' in the ruins!
Guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight!
Dancin' in the ruins!
Song Info
Submitted by
shut On Dec 18, 2001
7 Meanings

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Cover art for Dancin' In The Ruins lyrics by Blue Öyster Cult

I used to think this song was of an apocolyptic future after a nuclear holocaust and that we should just live for everyday and have fun, but as re-read the lyrics I am wondering if they don't refer to a ruin in europe and the statuary there depicting dancing lords and ladies; also how things may change but these statues last for eternity.

Cover art for Dancin' In The Ruins lyrics by Blue Öyster Cult

The line, "We can build a laser, tear the mesh," is actually, "We can build a maze of tenderness."

This fits better and keeps us from having to add post-apocalyptic connotations to the song. The statues, castles and mazes are all parallel elements from medieval times.

Lyric Correction

@vilewrench You are right about The line, "We can build a laser, tear the mesh," is actually, "We can build a maze of tenderness.".

Cover art for Dancin' In The Ruins lyrics by Blue Öyster Cult

a great song from my favorite record, Club Ninja.

Cover art for Dancin' In The Ruins lyrics by Blue Öyster Cult

My take on this: Its about losing someone you love, but being happy and how everything changes. Another idea is how he'll be happy when the world ends. Wash away the rain, there's nothing pure and sacred about our time and life.

Cover art for Dancin' In The Ruins lyrics by Blue Öyster Cult

While watching the 1979 version of the film Nosferatu The Vampyre, there is a scene involving several people that had contracted the plaque. It's called "The Dance Macabre" If you look it up on youtube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcm1DYtGPNE, and start playing it at the same time as the beginning of BOC's song, when the heroin walks in and looks at the coffins the song says "everything we see just fades away" then the chorus sings the first "Dancin In The Ruins" and they are dancing in the scene. B.O.C. also has a song titled Nosferatu as well. Spooky connection.

Cover art for Dancin' In The Ruins lyrics by Blue Öyster Cult

The apocalyptic imagery in the lyrics is a metaphor for getting older. Take into account that the band members were approaching their 40s by 1985 when this album dropped.

"It doesn't matter if we turn to dust; Turn and turn and turn we must! I guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight! Dancin' in the ruins!"

It's a bummer that we're experiencing the worst side of aging but let's have fun all the same. All in all, it's a very optimistic song about getting closer to the grave.

Song Meaning
Cover art for Dancin' In The Ruins lyrics by Blue Öyster Cult

This song is BOC's version of 'dust in the wind' and that is all it is saying

 
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