Shall we dance?
Or maybe just limp around?
These feet are cold and beat
And strangers to the ground

The sound of the kick is arousing.
The couples are sweet in their love
Tonight we'll stagger up from the basement
Or fall to our deaths from above

You've got those moves and those eyes
I've got these shakes and bad breath
Ew...

I've never tried that
I've never tried that
I've never tried that
But I know I don't like it

Or maybe I do I'm just too weak to fight it
Maybe I do I'm just too weak to fight it
Maybe I do I'm just too weak to fight it
Where are you? Where are you?
I hate to let em see me crying

I'm gonna zip on my party suit and show y'all something
There ain't no such thing as strumpin'
for nothing
You can fly with us or hang on to the
walls
But the devil's takin' names when the last curtain falls

I got a deep sick worry and I don't know why
Where are you? Where are you? What are you doing tonight?
Laughing and crying are almost the same
They just show everyone how much attention you're paying

I've never tried that
I've never tried that
I've never tried that
But I know I don't like it

Or maybe I do I'm just too weak to fight it
Maybe I do I'm just too weak to fight it
Maybe I do I'm just too weak to fight it
Where are you? Where are you?
I hate to let em see me crying

So dry them eyes
Everyone else went back inside
Laughing and crying are almost the same
They just show everyone how much attention you're paying

So dry them eyes
Everyone else went back inside



Lyrics submitted by punkpirate

Track duration: 02:00


The Devil's Takin' Names song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:At there bristol show recently they said this song was about "drinking a pitcher of diaroea" doubt it actualy is but was a great way to start a great song. ^^
    Flag deathhereticon March 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"I've never tried that
    But I know I don't like it"

    What has he never tried??
    Flag ikickedagirlon December 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:SEX this song is definatley about sex or at least mebe anal, or liking it but not admiting it. haha nah i dunno really
    but yeah
    chris-strumpin
    neil-devils

    i play this in a band and it is imposibl to sing the lead then the strumpin bit and espicially hard to sing devil tkin names then go right back into the deep sick worry bit
    and they would have wrote it to play live and party suit line starts just before brendan stops singin

    and yeah listen to sundowner deffo chris

    plus i love this "singing cleanly" like brendan has a stomp box hooked up to is esophagus lol
    Flag zed-zon August 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's definitely Brendan.

    Splooie have you ever heard Brendan sing cleanly? It is him, listen to Another Boring Story.
    Flag WayToShakeIton January 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:bingo EJohns.

    Especially with the release of the Sundowner CD you can really tell that the strumpin' part is sung by Chris..

    Have you guys ever even heard Brendan's voice? It just doesn't sound like that, even clean. Look up some live videos/interviews/anything and you will see.
    Flag splooieon November 27, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Is it just me or does anyone else think that it's actually Neil singing "But the devil's taking names / When the last curtain calls"
    Flag EJohns88on September 13, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ok, I feel the need to set things straight here:

    Brendan sings: I'm gonna zip on my party suit and show y'all something There ain't no such thing as strumpin' for nothing
    You can fly with us or hang on to the walls

    Then Chris sings: But the devil's takin' names when the last curtain falls

    That's how it is in the video as well (nothing to do with cinematics), it's just accurate as to who sings what!

    I can't really see how anyone who's a Lawrence Arms fan could get this wrong. Sure, Brendan sings "clean" in his part, but it's still him.
    Flag Abracadaveron August 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:R2k, I totally agree with everything you said. My point was that this discussion had degraded into something much lower than what you're talking about. I just wanted to redirect everyone's attention to more important things.
    Flag SicK*of*it*Allon July 21, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think which singer sings which part does pertain to the meaning of the songs on this album. In the past there was a definitive line between Brendans songs and Chris's songs. Not just in the sound of the voice, but in the songwriting as well. Each had a distinctive sound. On this album, it feels more collaborative. As if it's no longer just Brendan and Chris, but now it's The Lawrence Arms.
    Brendan sings alot slower and in a lower key at parts, in a way sings more like Chris. And Chris is way more aggressive on this album. It's as if they have met each other half way, to form one new unique voice. I love it.

    Just because the name of the website is "songmeanings.net" doesn't mean that every post has to be: "this song is about getting your heart broken" or "this song is about drugs." There's a whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears that go into all of these songs that can effect the meanings for different people in many different ways. So, if you don't like the way people post, ignore them, write your own the way you want them to be written, and maybe people who agree your line of reasoning will respond to you. Just as the people who want to hear what I have to say can respond to me.
    Flag R2kon June 30, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Honestly, who gives a fuck who sings "ew" and "strumpin.'" Like aaronsuspect said, this message board is for discussing song meanings (as the name of the bloody site so subtly suggests).
    Flag SicK*of*it*Allon June 22, 2006   Link

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