Dance Song '97 Lyrics

Lyric discussion by salvo 

Cover art for Dance Song '97 lyrics by Sleater-Kinney

I think it might be about coming out; about being gay and knowing it no matter how much you try to run away from it.

well you know there ain't no doubt when the feeling finds you out you know you can try to run i tell you it still will come

It's pretty clear, you have no doubt and you can feel it. And when you really feel it, no matter how much you try to run, it's not going anywhere.

when you feel your body shake trip and fall you can't walk straight baby then you know it's done you can feel your heart is stung

This part is about falling in love.

you're the one that i saw you're the one that i want

Ok there're 2 explanations for this one:

1: corin is still talking about how falling in love feels (general) 2: the narrator/singer has a crush on this person she's talking about. So she states self-confidently that this person is the one she wants. (personal)

well you can try to keep it down try not to let the words come out but i tell you it's no use in your eyes they see right through

Most people find it hard to even say they are gay at first. so you might try to keep it inside, not let it out. But it's no use, it's part of who you are, like a visible part of you (not sure about this last one)

if you're going way too hard if you're feeling way too much but inside you can't stop desire she eats you up

It's hard with all the emotions and feelings kept inside and all the fear. You try to keep your true desires down, but you know what you really want, "desire, she eats you up" I think this impersonation of desire as a "she" also might be reflecting both the sex of this person and the sex of the person she wants, meaning it's a female and she's a lesbian, so she wants girls/women.

Finally the song is called Dance Song '97 because it's obviously very suitable for dancing.

OR

the whole song is about falling in love and dealing with it.