This song has haunted me for a few months now. I love it -- for so many reasons. But I always wondered -- am I human or am I dancer?
My son and I used to dance to this song at home. We would jump (or well, he would jump, I was recovering from knee surgery after all) and I would pick him up and twirl him around and around and around during the chorus. He would lean back and smile, arms free behind him. It was a beautiful moment for us. Those are the thoughts I have when I hear this song. But then there is more.
Am I human or am I dancer? it all hit me today when I got sucked in to the loveliness that is YouTube plus some help from Yahoo Answers. Now it just makes sense. Indulge me, I used to be an English major. This analysis shit is like second nature.
I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door
Close your eyes
Clear your heart...
Cut the cord
We all try to fight becoming a puppet (a dancer). We hold on to the things that make us human, our heart, our minds, our individuality. But in the end we are all called to give up on those selfish childhood dreams to stay free or die young. We all are called to the platform (adulthood, responsibility). We are are called to surrender (to stop fighting the inevitable).
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
When we are called to surrender I think we all drop to our knees looking for answers. Whether those answers come from God or yourself or the Universe in general is up for interpretation. But the answer does come whether we like the answer or not is another question.
Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance,
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye
Wish me well..
You've gotta let me go
When we step up and surrender to following the "should's" and the "musts" we are often asked to say good bye to what we value the most. Our longing to be good, to be kind, to be full of love. The world asks us to side step these things because well they aren't measurable or regulated. Even the most religious people I know are tortured (my words) by their longing for possessions and acceptance. Human nature is to be like the Joneses.
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
At this point you are probably thinking ... I'm dancer. I'm not going to give in. But the fact is, you probably already have. We all do. Our sign is vital. We lose our individuality with the trips to Walmart/Target/Pottery Barn/Crate & Barrel/Saks Fifth Avenue, etc. etc. etc. We all think we are unique but really, we aren't. We are all looking for answers are realizing that our hands are cold.
Will your system be alright
When you dream of home tonight?
There is no message we're receiving
Let me know is your heart still beating
Here in lies the crux of the song. All along I think people think it's a good idea to confirm, to be like everyone else. Even those that say they don't, that they value uniqueness, they are lying. They value uniqueness in the box that they have created and labelled unique. But if that uniqueness is outside of that box it is rejected. But even with a rejected human we stop and ask ... are you ok? your heart, the one we killed with our need for you to conform to our rules and regulations, we can't tell if it's alive or not. you know the reason why it stopped beating, because you told them to conform and kill their spirit to be like you so you could feel safe within their uniqueness.
Ah yes, Are we human or are we dancer? I think I just wrote someone's thesis statement.
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