"Stolen Dance" strikes me as a complex song, which could mean many things. At first sight, it's simply a love story, where the narrator can't live without his second half, constantly "needs [her] by [his] side" and "feels lonely" if deprived of her presence. But then several questions arise. Who are the people, who were kind at first but separated the two lovers later? And why shouldn't they "talk about it"?
Amongst the interpretations I read here, I found the drug one most convincing, but it is my personal opinion. What justifies it, is the word "stoned", whose meaning is sometimes drug-related.
I also have my own interpretation, but you might not agree with me. The love between the narrator and "her" could be a criminal one, in case she is not eighteen yet, for instance. In which case, the aforementioned people could be the girl's parents or even his own ones. Age is just one possible interpretation. There could be more. But developing the first one, the narrator could even be criminally obsessed with children, and this would make the unclear lyrics of the song clearer. If the girl speaks about what they do together (I doubt the "dancing" in the song should be taken literally), he'll go to court and will probably never see her again. Something in the narrator's voice, when he sings about his separation tells me that it is not pure love he is experiencing.
But I'm painting everything in dark colors, it seems. Of course, the song could be something a lot more positive (not a whole lot though, considering the narrator's sufferings) and the drug interpretation (the first one) sounds as reasonable.
@A199 I actually came to this conclusion the first time I heard the song. Then I heard the drug analysis and thought I was just creepy, but we're not, our's actually makes more sense. They actually say in an interview it has to do with a relationship, and I'm sure flat out saying "it's about pedophilia" wouldn't go over too well, so I'd say our conclusion is fairly safe. The drug analysis actually makes a lot of sense until the like "you've never danced like that before." The only logical way to turn with the dancing metaphor as pertaining...
@A199 I actually came to this conclusion the first time I heard the song. Then I heard the drug analysis and thought I was just creepy, but we're not, our's actually makes more sense. They actually say in an interview it has to do with a relationship, and I'm sure flat out saying "it's about pedophilia" wouldn't go over too well, so I'd say our conclusion is fairly safe. The drug analysis actually makes a lot of sense until the like "you've never danced like that before." The only logical way to turn with the dancing metaphor as pertaining to drugs is a seizure "never dance'd like this before" would make sense in that instance, but the drug can't really dance.
"I want you by my side
so that I never feel alone again."
This is pretty straight forward. It's exactly as said.
"They've always been so kind,
but now they've brought you away from here."
Like you said, he could be referring to the girls parents. When he says "they've brought you away." He could also be referring to authorities in an offhand way to hint at the parents reaction early on, as he jumps a little deeper into later on.
"I hope they didn't get your mind."
He's hoping that the FBI, counselors, ect don't essentially "brain wash" her into not loving him any more (as he clearly feels about it). He wants her to continue loving him.
"Your heart is too strong anyway."
He convinces himself that she loves him too much or "her heart is too strong" to be convinced otherwise.
"We need to fetch back the time
they have stolen from us"
He's planning on being with her again after this is all over.
"And I want you.
We can bring it on the floor.
You've never danced like this before"
This is obviously a metaphor for sex. They start 'dancing on the floor" in a way she "[hasn't] danced ... before" The fact that she hasn't "danced like [that] before" sets up that she's young enough not to have had sex before, and defining it as dancing sets up both an innocents within her and a deceit within him.
"We don’t talk about it."
This furthers the deceit and creates a sense of dread and plainly being careful about having sex with her.
"Dancin' on. Do the boogie all night long.
Stoned in paradise. Shouldn't talk about it."
He now sets a time for their "dancing": night time. Furthering the sexual innuendo. Then comes the like about being stoned. This could mean to things, it could refer to weed, or it could refer to the punishment of stoning as to further the dread aspect of it. I prefer the ladder. It creates a sort of oxymoron that works very well in the setting of the song. He creates the evil aspect of it, showing it as something to be punished, then follows it by stating he's in paradise.
"Coldest winter for me.
No sun is shining anymore.
The only thing I feel is pain."
This sets up the emotional aspect. It's meant to make you feel for him, as strange as that may sound. It does it's job well considering, however. These lines hold no mention of the legality aspect of the relationship and strictly pertain to the feeling that anyone who loses anyone they love suddenly and tragically would feel. You could totally forget her age in this moment if you weren't thinking about it and really feel that emotion. He's counting on people not paying enough attention, and that's the best he could do. It's a great use of forgetfulness.
"Caused by absence of you."
Then he brings us back with a subtle reminder of who we're talking about.
"Suspense is controlling my mind.
I cannot find the way out of here."
And so we're given setting. A setting of custody. He's been arrested, imprisoned, and is awaiting trial, which is creating "suspense" and "is controlling [his] mind." It's a desperate setting of which he "cannot find the way out."
"I want you by my side.
So that I never feel alone again."
This is probably the saddest line of the song for me. Yes, I actually feel bad for the main character here; we're meant to. It's written in a way that victimizes him. I don't know what the writer is going through, but he wrote it like this. An entire aspect of the song is not unintentional. Why is this line so sad? It's the opening line given context. An old trick perfected... You start the song being made to feel alone and needing someone, and now you know who that person is and why exactly you feel that way. And what does he do long after you've likely forgotten the line and have formed your opinion on the main character? He dumps it on you as a stark reminder that like it or not, the feeling exists. It's like saying "That feeling you felt at the opening of this song -- this is where it came from."
"Stolen Dance" strikes me as a complex song, which could mean many things. At first sight, it's simply a love story, where the narrator can't live without his second half, constantly "needs [her] by [his] side" and "feels lonely" if deprived of her presence. But then several questions arise. Who are the people, who were kind at first but separated the two lovers later? And why shouldn't they "talk about it"?
Amongst the interpretations I read here, I found the drug one most convincing, but it is my personal opinion. What justifies it, is the word "stoned", whose meaning is sometimes drug-related.
I also have my own interpretation, but you might not agree with me. The love between the narrator and "her" could be a criminal one, in case she is not eighteen yet, for instance. In which case, the aforementioned people could be the girl's parents or even his own ones. Age is just one possible interpretation. There could be more. But developing the first one, the narrator could even be criminally obsessed with children, and this would make the unclear lyrics of the song clearer. If the girl speaks about what they do together (I doubt the "dancing" in the song should be taken literally), he'll go to court and will probably never see her again. Something in the narrator's voice, when he sings about his separation tells me that it is not pure love he is experiencing.
But I'm painting everything in dark colors, it seems. Of course, the song could be something a lot more positive (not a whole lot though, considering the narrator's sufferings) and the drug interpretation (the first one) sounds as reasonable.
@A199 I actually came to this conclusion the first time I heard the song. Then I heard the drug analysis and thought I was just creepy, but we're not, our's actually makes more sense. They actually say in an interview it has to do with a relationship, and I'm sure flat out saying "it's about pedophilia" wouldn't go over too well, so I'd say our conclusion is fairly safe. The drug analysis actually makes a lot of sense until the like "you've never danced like that before." The only logical way to turn with the dancing metaphor as pertaining...
@A199 I actually came to this conclusion the first time I heard the song. Then I heard the drug analysis and thought I was just creepy, but we're not, our's actually makes more sense. They actually say in an interview it has to do with a relationship, and I'm sure flat out saying "it's about pedophilia" wouldn't go over too well, so I'd say our conclusion is fairly safe. The drug analysis actually makes a lot of sense until the like "you've never danced like that before." The only logical way to turn with the dancing metaphor as pertaining to drugs is a seizure "never dance'd like this before" would make sense in that instance, but the drug can't really dance.
"I want you by my side so that I never feel alone again." This is pretty straight forward. It's exactly as said.
"They've always been so kind, but now they've brought you away from here." Like you said, he could be referring to the girls parents. When he says "they've brought you away." He could also be referring to authorities in an offhand way to hint at the parents reaction early on, as he jumps a little deeper into later on.
"I hope they didn't get your mind." He's hoping that the FBI, counselors, ect don't essentially "brain wash" her into not loving him any more (as he clearly feels about it). He wants her to continue loving him.
"Your heart is too strong anyway." He convinces himself that she loves him too much or "her heart is too strong" to be convinced otherwise.
"We need to fetch back the time they have stolen from us" He's planning on being with her again after this is all over.
"And I want you. We can bring it on the floor. You've never danced like this before" This is obviously a metaphor for sex. They start 'dancing on the floor" in a way she "[hasn't] danced ... before" The fact that she hasn't "danced like [that] before" sets up that she's young enough not to have had sex before, and defining it as dancing sets up both an innocents within her and a deceit within him.
"We don’t talk about it." This furthers the deceit and creates a sense of dread and plainly being careful about having sex with her.
"Dancin' on. Do the boogie all night long. Stoned in paradise. Shouldn't talk about it." He now sets a time for their "dancing": night time. Furthering the sexual innuendo. Then comes the like about being stoned. This could mean to things, it could refer to weed, or it could refer to the punishment of stoning as to further the dread aspect of it. I prefer the ladder. It creates a sort of oxymoron that works very well in the setting of the song. He creates the evil aspect of it, showing it as something to be punished, then follows it by stating he's in paradise.
"Coldest winter for me. No sun is shining anymore. The only thing I feel is pain." This sets up the emotional aspect. It's meant to make you feel for him, as strange as that may sound. It does it's job well considering, however. These lines hold no mention of the legality aspect of the relationship and strictly pertain to the feeling that anyone who loses anyone they love suddenly and tragically would feel. You could totally forget her age in this moment if you weren't thinking about it and really feel that emotion. He's counting on people not paying enough attention, and that's the best he could do. It's a great use of forgetfulness.
"Caused by absence of you." Then he brings us back with a subtle reminder of who we're talking about.
"Suspense is controlling my mind. I cannot find the way out of here." And so we're given setting. A setting of custody. He's been arrested, imprisoned, and is awaiting trial, which is creating "suspense" and "is controlling [his] mind." It's a desperate setting of which he "cannot find the way out."
"I want you by my side. So that I never feel alone again." This is probably the saddest line of the song for me. Yes, I actually feel bad for the main character here; we're meant to. It's written in a way that victimizes him. I don't know what the writer is going through, but he wrote it like this. An entire aspect of the song is not unintentional. Why is this line so sad? It's the opening line given context. An old trick perfected... You start the song being made to feel alone and needing someone, and now you know who that person is and why exactly you feel that way. And what does he do long after you've likely forgotten the line and have formed your opinion on the main character? He dumps it on you as a stark reminder that like it or not, the feeling exists. It's like saying "That feeling you felt at the opening of this song -- this is where it came from."
@A199 dudes, that's just creepy!
@A199 dudes, that's just creepy!
@A199 stoned is always intoxicated, unless it means beaten with stones, lol
@A199 stoned is always intoxicated, unless it means beaten with stones, lol