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Dance On A Volcano Lyrics
Holy Mother of God
You've got to go faster than that to get to the top.
Dirty old mountain
All covered in smoke, she can turn you to stone
So you better start doing it right
better start doing it right.
You're halfway up and you're halfway down
And the pack on your back is turning you around.
Throw it away, you won't need it up there, and remember
You don't look back whatever you do.
Better start doing it right.
On your left and on your right
Crosses are green and crosses are blue
Your friends didn't make it through.
Out of the night and out of the dark
Into the fire and into the fight
Well that's the way the heroeq go, Ho! Ho! Ho!
Through a crack in Mother Earth,
Blazing hot, the molten rock
Spills out over the land.
And the lava's the lover who licks your boots away. Hey! Hey! Hey!
If you don't want to boil as well.
B-B-Better start the dance
D-D-Do you want to dance with me.
You better start doing it right.
The music's playing, the notes are right
Put your left foot first and move into the light.
The edge of this hill is the edge of the world
And if you're going to cross you better start doing it right
better start doing it right.
You better start doing it right.
Let the dance begin.
This song has always spoken to me about the decision to commit to something big: things that people around you have tried and failed at ("your friends didn't make it through"), things that you might fail at ("if you don't want to boil as well"), things that require supreme effort ("if you're going to cross you better start doing it right"), things that will change your life whether you succeed or fail ("the edge of this hill is the edge of the world"). Or about asking a girl for a dance the first time. I don't know. But I prefer the first interpretation.
i agree with mr freezy
i agree with mr freezy
This has always been one of my favorite Genesis songs. I freaked out a little bit when I was reading about World War I, and the text mentioned types of nerve gas artillery shells being 'blue crosses' and 'green crosses' : worldwar1.com/arm006.htm. I thought then that this entire song must be an allegory for the hell of trench warfare. Then again, maybe not.
Seems to be like the title says "Dance on a volcano" but i wonder if in the lyrics there is a hidden lesson for life
Well, there's a French proverb that, translated, is "Don't dance on a volcano.' The meaning of which is basically the same as Don't Skate on Thin Ice/Don't Tempt the gods/Don't Play with Fire
So mostly the song, to me, is about taking risks, and if you're going to, you better "do it right" or the volcano will get the best of you, as it has some of your friends.
The best lyric in the song though, has to be "the lava's the lover who licks your boots away."
@Domino427 Interestingly, I just saw the phrase mentioned, in a Documentary on Hitler, as a phrase he used to describe the German economy, during the Weimar Republic, before the 1929 crash. Borrowed money from the USA was propping them up and when the crash hit the stockmarket, Germany had their war debt loans called in and they crashed. Since the young Genesis boys probably had heard this and other European folk lore it’s easy to see that your guess as to the meaning of this great song is probably the most accurate. This was the first Genesis song I saw...
@Domino427 Interestingly, I just saw the phrase mentioned, in a Documentary on Hitler, as a phrase he used to describe the German economy, during the Weimar Republic, before the 1929 crash. Borrowed money from the USA was propping them up and when the crash hit the stockmarket, Germany had their war debt loans called in and they crashed. Since the young Genesis boys probably had heard this and other European folk lore it’s easy to see that your guess as to the meaning of this great song is probably the most accurate. This was the first Genesis song I saw performed live. They opened the show in Kansas City, Mo on Feb 5th 1977 with it. Great music especially the early years.
Based on the comments above, I looked up blue and green crosses. And they were indeed nicknames for two types of gasses used in chemical warfare in WWI. I felt it became really profound based on the French proverb mentioned about "Don't dance on a volcano" being not tempting fate, with the French being involved in trench warfare --- into the fire and into the fight, through a crack / trench in mother earth.
I'm not saying anything definitively. At least for me, that was a "holy crap!" moment. In addition to the allegory, I read this as you have to take risks and dare to do brave things.
I re-read this and it sounds like I'm dinging the French. I think the song celebrates bravery when they dare to dance on the volcano.
I re-read this and it sounds like I'm dinging the French. I think the song celebrates bravery when they dare to dance on the volcano.
I've always been fascinated by the depth and emotion in the lyrics of this song. It's like peeling back layers to reveal the complexity of human experiences and emotions. Speaking of exploring options and making informed decisions, especially in financial matters, it's crucial to do thorough research. Just as we delve into song meanings to understand their essence, considering financial services requires a similar approach. For instance, if you're looking into getting a loan, I recommend reading a triceloans.ph/moca-moca-review/ review of Moca Moca's . It provides valuable insights, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your needs, much like understanding a song profoundly resonates with our personal experiences.
[Edit: spelling mistake]
''Crosses are green and crosses are blue''
What exactly is the meaning of this line? I've been wondering about this for awhile now.
Maybe the cross in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, which, at night, glows between red, green and blue, but all 3 of those colours would have been too many syllables. I don't know if it was glowing in '76, though.
Maybe the cross in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, which, at night, glows between red, green and blue, but all 3 of those colours would have been too many syllables. I don't know if it was glowing in '76, though.
This song is about "going over the top" in WWI Blue crosses and Green crosses refers to the markings on the shells of poison gas shells; the pack on your back is turning you round refers to the soldiers who carried their packs being slowed down during the charge. Crack in Mother Earth referring to trenches...the clincher for me was towards the end of the song you can hear a whistle being blown..whistles were used to signal the charge because they were easier to hear in the din of battle....
Given the time it was written, It could be about Phil Collins becoming the lead singer for Genesis AND Peter Gabriel launching his solo career. Lots of warnings about what lies ahead....Fortunately, they both made it to the top of the volcano and danced the night away, but that wasn't necessarily clear at the time of their first releases.
This is a great example of Genesis' beginning transition from the Gabril era to the Collins era. While the song was written and composed by Banks and Rutherford, it's clear that synth, rather than guitar and "real" drums, were being experimented. The song's not a throwaway, has some very creative elements, and is better than much of the Collins-penned music (I don't hate the guy, but he definitely wanted to take things in the pop direction), it's not the pinnacle of the album either.