Breaking Benjamin – Dance With The Devil

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  My Interpretation:As soon as I heard the song and really started thinking about its meaning I saw a man dancing in a ball room with a beautiful woman in a red dress. While slowly dancing the woman whispers something in the man’s ear. The woman is seducing the man to come back to her place and sleep with her, the only problem with that is the man happens to be married. Unfortunately the marriage isn’t going well and there is a lot of stress and disappointment in the man’s life which leads to depression. To deal with this the man has been drinking, doing drugs, going out to parties, steeling, gambling, flirting, basically all the sinful habits of the meaningless bachelor life. He’s so deep in shame from all of this and all of the lies he tells his wife he decides there is absolutely no chance of going back to the good honest life he used to have. So here he is dancing in the ball room, thinking about committing one the greatest sins of all, adultery…
  The person talking in the song is the man, only it’s his inner conscience talking to him.
  “Close your eyes so many days go by”. I think he’s been keeping his eyes closed while life goes by, almost like he’s avoiding it for some reason; maybe because he is ashamed or afraid of what he has to face.
  “Easy to find what’s wrong, harder to find what’s right”. I think he’s realizing that because it’s so easy to fall into temptations and doing these things that wrong, doing the right thing is starting to become difficult.
  “I believe in you I can show you I can see right through all your empty lies”. He’s telling himself that there is still good in him. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to keep on lying. They are not you’re your answers. Remember how it was before all of this. I can show you that again.
  “I won't stay long, in this world so wrong”. Again his conscience is talking to him, telling him that the good in wont last much longer if he keeps living like this.
  “Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight. Don't you dare look at him in the eye, as we dance with the devil tonight”. His conscience is warning him, “This is it, you’re about to make a choice that will change your life forever. Don’t look him in the eye, don’t even think about it, don’t fall for her! Your dancing with the devil here, you need to stop!”
  “Trembling, crawling across my skin, feeling your cold dead eyes stealing the life of mine”. He is nervous and scared as the temptation rises. I can imagine the woman pushing her body up to his. She is like a mythical siren, sucking him into her trap. The temptation is staring right at him and the more he looks at it the more tempting it is to him. It is stealing his life away, almost as if he’s turning into a zombie or caught in a trance.
  Then it comes to the last part, “Hold on, Hold on”. This part is obvious, His conscience is screaming at him, begging him to hold on, stop, to think about this.
  
  Well this is just how I see it. Hope it painted a picture for you like it did for me.

  Flag Vivialon May 05, 2013   Link

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  My Interpretation:I hear this as one person (the singer) and his friend/love/something (you) both suffering from something (substance abuse, depression, etc), and the singer is trying to get both of you through it and end it tonight. Both are suffering from it, but the other person is worse than he is, and relying on him.
  
  "Here I stand
  Helpless and left for dead"
  He's not being helped, he feels alone and helpless.
  
  "I believe in you, I can show you that
  I can see right through all your empty lies"
  This other person is depressed over their issue, and makes empty lies, like "this will last forever" or "it's all hopeless." He doesn't believe it, and wants to prove them wrong.
  
  Everybody else has already analyzed the chorus: He and the other person are giving up or getting over the issue, even if it takes some drastic measure. "Don't you dare look at him in the eye" is his warning to this other person not to give into whatever temptation. Like, he's concerned the other person won't be strong-willed enough.
  
  "Trembling, crawling across my skin
  Feeling your cold, dead eyes
  Stealing the life of mine"
  It's horribly draining for him to try to take care of this person while helping himself as well.
  
  Gah, I can't explain it well, hopefully I got my meaning across well enough.

  Flag Thigarktemon February 26, 2013   Link

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  My Interpretation:This one's pretty evident to me. The devil is addiction, and the lyrics appear to indicate one last bender before getting sober (goodbye). Anyone who's had an addiction and overcame it can relate. As an addict, you lie to yourself, rationalize even to feed the monkey. "Don't you dare look at him in the eye" probably refers to being around whatever the addiction may be while in recovery (temptation). He's talking to himself here:
  
  I believe in you, I can show you that
  I can see right through all your empty lies
  I won't stay long, in this world so wrong
  
  Say goodbye
  As we dance with the devil tonight
  Don't you dare look at him in the eye
  As we dance with the devil tonight
  
  
  
  I've found a lot of Ben's lyrics to be self-directed. I love his lyrical style!

  Flag sheldoncoon January 30, 2013   Link

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  My Interpretation:My interpretation is it's about pain or sickness. Or more, dealing with it. Pain is the "devil" you are fighting.
  
  "Here I stand
  Helpless and left for dead"
  
  Left for dead is a feeling you feel when you are sick and in pain..
  
  "Close your eyes
  So many days go by
  Easy to find what's wrong
  Harder to file what's right"
  
  Hours feel like like days, and days feel like weeks. It's harder to focus on the good.
  
  "I believe in you, I can show you that
  I can see right through all your empty lies
  I won't stay long, in this world so wrong"
  
  I can see a time when I'm not in pain. But it seems distant/
  
  "Say goodbye
  As we dance with the devil tonight
  Don't you dare look at him in the eye
  As we dance with the devil tonight"
  
  You are fighting, holding on.
  
  
  "Trembling, crawling across my skin
  Feeling your cold, dead eyes
  Stealing the life of mine"
  
  You sometimes shake. You sometimes feel cold. You feel like crap.
  
  
  "Hold on
  Hold on"
  
  Just hold on. It'll be okay.

  Flag Poweruton January 08, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:(Yes, I am writing in 2012 XD)
  
  Okay, I really think this song is about facing your sins.
  "here I stand, helpless and left for dead"
  It's near the end for you. You've done wrongs in your life, and there's not much time left to correct it.
  "Close your eyes
  So many days go by
  Easy to find what's wrong
  Harder to find what's right"
  Basically saying 'face the fact that you did wrong' and you think you can't change it, nor do you know what you did right.
  "I believe in you, I can show you that
  I can see right through all your empty lies
  I won't stay long, in this world so wrong"
  Saying you believe in yourself, and you think you might be able to correct your wrongs, because you know you won't last much longer.
  *chorus*
  "Say goodbye
  As we dance with the devil tonight
  Don't you dare look at him in the eye
  As we dance with the devil tonight"
  You know you're going to die soon, so you're telling yourself that you're not going to fall for the devil and listen to him. "Don't you dare look at him in the eye" meaning that he is a frightening liar and if you were to look at him, he'll think he has a chance of pulling you into his trap.
  "Trembling, crawling across my skin
  Feeling you cold, dead eyes
  Stealing the life of mine"
  Meaning you are scared to death that you might be pulled into the dark, and knowing that the devil is trying to bring you into his trap. You're doubting yourself, because, again, you remember your sins, and you don't even think about simply asking God for forgiveness to wash it all away and save yourself.
  "Hold on
  Hold on"
  Telling yourself to not fall into the pits of hell, and to hold on to what you believe might be right. (relating back to the beginning "Easy to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right")
  
  
  Okay, so that's basically my interpretation of the song. It's one of Breaking Benjamin's best, and a kick-butt song. Love it. First time I heard it, I loved it. ♥ ;)
  Hope my interpretation made sense to you.

  Flagged Pokemonchickon May 25, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I feel like this song is about a man going insane, and feeling alone. "Dance with the devil" may refer to giving into his insanity.
  I don't know, that's the feel I get from the video XD

  Flag TheMorticiansDaughter90on May 03, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I don't think the song is very complicated. I think it's about a guy or girl who knows that s/he is going to sin in some way. There appears to be some internal struggle, but from the lyrics I believe s/he feels s/he will cave. Good song. Expected ending. No biggie.

  Flag swishswishboomon February 09, 2012   Link

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    Good song. :)

    Flag bellababyon February 09, 2012  

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    Yes, it is. Enjoy your evening out, Bella. Since you're single you have all the freedom in the world. And so do I.

    Flag swishswishboomon February 09, 2012  
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  Song Meaning:I believe this song could be tied into Christianity. Probably not what it was intended for, but it sounds like this person is battling with temptations of the flesh, and while he dances with the devil (could be taken as a struggle, battle, skirmish, etc.)for his life. He is trying not to look into the Devil's eyes(giving into the temptation)"I believe in you, I can show you that
  I can see right through all your empty lies" I take it as he is struggling not to look, because he knows who the Devil is, and knows that he will try to trick him to doing what he knows is wrong. so he resists the urge to look into The Devil's eyes so it is easier to deny him.
  The "say goodbye" could be taken as he is saying goodbye because he knows that before this dance is over he will die.
  "Trembling, crawling across my skin. Feeling your cold, dead eyes, Stealing the life of mine".
  "Trembling, crawling across my skin. Feeling your cold,dead eyes" this part shows that even though he isn't looking at the Devil, he can feel his eyes on him, and they scare him making him tremble.
  "Stealing the life of mine" shows that this dance is killing him slowly, and to reiterate he knows at the end of this dance (the battle of his life) he will be dead, and be free

  Flag X3827on February 09, 2012   Link

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    sorry, I noticed I posted this as a general comment

    Flag X3827on February 09, 2012  
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  General Comment:I believe this song could be tied into Christianity. Probably not what it was intended for, but it sounds like this person is battling with temptations of the flesh, and while he dances with the devil (could be taken as a struggle, battle, skirmish, etc.)for his life. He is trying not to look into the Devil's eyes(giving into the temptation)"I believe in you, I can show you that
  I can see right through all your empty lies" I take it as he is struggling not to look, because he knows who the Devil is, and knows that he will try to trick him to doing what he knows is wrong. so he resists the urge to look into The Devil's eyes so it is easier to deny him.
  The "say goodbye" could be taken as he is saying goodbye because he knows that before this dance is over he will die.
  "Trembling, crawling across my skin. Feeling your cold, dead eyes, Stealing the life of mine".
  "Trembling, crawling across my skin. Feeling your cold,dead eyes" this part shows that even though he isn't looking at the Devil, he can feel his eyes on him, and they scare him making him tremble.
  "Stealing the life of mine" shows that this dance is killing him slowly, and to reiterate he knows at the end of this dance (the battle of his life) he will be dead, and be free

  Flagged X3827on January 30, 2012   Link

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  Song Meaning:the meaning seems to b a bit complex, as it has several different interpretations. if you were to look deep within the context, u'll notice when he says "dance" he actually means sparing/fighting. also, when he says devil hes refering to sin (drug addiction, etc). so to paraphrase hes fighting off some sin.

  Flag vividimaginationon December 19, 2011   Link

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    ^^innovative^^... thts y i like bb.... every single line (from ANY of their songs) tell a thousand stories..

    Flag vividimaginationon December 24, 2011  

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