Lyrics for Human as interpreted by poorlilrockstar

Human Lyrics
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

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?

Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Hear my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could

And so long to devotion
It taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye, wish me well
You've gotta let me go

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?

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?

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?

You've gotta let me know

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?

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rbreeze
09-27-2008

Rated +1 
awesome song gotta love the killers waiting for the new album is killing me. Im not sure about the opinion of bringing back the hot fuss kind of sound... i think this is alot different from sams town of course, and seems to be more relaxed and deep than hot fuss, but lets see what the rest of the album is like, im sure i wont be disapointed!

this song for, has been summed up nicely already.
vital signs and hands are cold are obviously references to death or being near death, and asking yourself a question about your being. in this case a little strange, are we humon or are we dancer? im not sure what they mean by dancer, perhaps like above, being a puppet... or maybe dancer, like a dancer, just being free to move your body?

personally i think the killers are asking us to look at our attitudes to life and how we live it.

the line "There is no message we're receiving" is a reference to pink floyd - comfortably numb? maybe thats a clue to the lyrical message in the song?

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Efforts
09-27-2008

Rated +1 
it's are we human, or are we dancer. there is no s at the end of cancer. They're classifying us, making us general. Just like there is no s in human. He isn't asking if we're humans.

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Efforts
09-27-2008

Rated -1 
and i always thought it was:

"Will your sister be alright
When you dream of home tonight
There is no message 'where is she' (it sounds a lot like where is she, not we're receiving)

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xokissesxo
09-28-2008

Rated -1 
the killers are going to be on SNL on oct. 4!!!!

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abb9999999
09-28-2008

Rated -1 
There has been no conformation about whether the lyric is denser or dancer(s) (as of 9/28/08). However, what would be the significance of being denser than human or being dancer(s) compared to being human? After all, defining song meanings is the whole purpose of this site, and the meaning of this lyric is beyond me!

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3xMUSICisLIFEx3
09-30-2008

Rated -1 
there seems to be quite a lot of confusion about whether the lyrics are "dancer" or "denser". i myself believe it is "dancer" but i could be wrong. quite a few people have been arguing that "dancer" makes no sense and that "denser" is more logical, but i'm beginning to wonder if the meaning behind "dancer" could be revealed and explained in another song from the album?? its just my theory but it certainly wouldn't be the first time the Killers have used multiple tracks on the same album (and sometimes different albums) to explain some of their songs' meanings (for example, the "murder triology")

i also just wanted to clarify my last comment...i dont think that the new album will be exactly like Hot Fuss. im not completely certain but i believe i read an interview somewhere and Brandon said that the new album would be more similar to Hot Fuss than Sam's Town, or something along those lines. i have no idea where i found the interview (or statement) and i'm by no means quoting Brandon, so i'm in no way 100% sure that this is true. Human does, however, sound much more similar to Hot Fuss than it does Sam's Town in my opinion.

i'm still very excited to buy the single tomorrow (acutally, it would be today now, hahaha) and i'm looking forward to the album's release :D

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Shane1
09-30-2008

Rated +1 
I've never heard anything but "dancer" for the lyric, and it fits the song and what's going on in the words when it's experienced as a spiritual song, questioning the relationship between our physical existence and our spiritual existence.

In many Native and mystical traditions, life is seen as a dance, and the living of life is dancing to its rhythms. Humans are seen as instruments played by the Divine, and our human lives are our unique expressions of the Divine dance. If we look at our lives as purely human, the "dance" makes no sense. If we look at our lives as an expression of something greater, we can easily all be dancers, dancing in an intensly choreographed stage called Earth. It's a great song (and really, my introduction to The Killers!

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odanata
10-01-2008

Rated +1 
I think its interesting how this is such an upbeat song (reminds me of DDR a lil bit) and it makes me wonder if they made it this way since they ask if we are DANCER....

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S0ulseeker
10-02-2008

Rated -1 
I have to admit, the first time I herd this song I thought it said "dancer" too instead of "Denser". So I thought about it long and hard and I've come up with a conclusion. That maybe he picked these words for a double meaning. Denser makes sense, but after looking at it closely so does dancer. Dancers follow steps, the lead of another person. No control what they do really, the dances are already made. So Denser could work, but so could Dancer explaining how he's living, but not quite. Just moving day from day following the same routines.

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Kew
10-03-2008

Rated -1 
Here's a crazy idea. . .
The style of this song is just odd. It sounds like some housy/trancey pop anthem.
"Are we human, or are we dancer?" seems like it could be aimed at all the kids going to clubs and getting messed up on E.
Thus it's meant to ironic, kind of like Indie Rock n' Roll?
I don't know, just a thought.

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jtodap
10-03-2008

Rated -2 
sorry to burst everyones bubble, but it's denser, not dancer. But the Brandon Flowers has not officially addressed what he is exactly saying. Denser makes absolute sense, dancer would be really obvious and weak. Don't think too deep to make dancer the word.

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Kew
10-04-2008

Rated +2 
He definitely, without any doubt says dancer. The vowel sound is definitely a long a, furthermore dancer rhymes with "answer."
Anyway, denser does not make absolute sense at all. Are we human or are we denser? Denser than what? Denser than human? Does that make sense? No, it doesn't. Dancer makes much more sense and last I checked, denser has zero long a sounds in it so anyone who actually thinks it's denser needs to work on their English skills.

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vivalavida
10-04-2008

Rated 0 
I think this song is reffering to Death itself.Where the singer is wondering did they live their life as a righteous person ( a human ) or lived his life on the spur of the moment living for each moments satisfaction without any regard for the consequences of his actions like a dancer.
"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"
I think the platform of surrender is the pearly gates of heaven and he is afraid to enter maybe in fear of rejection and being sent to hell.
"Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Hear my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
It taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye, wish me well
You've gotta let me go"
Here he says goodbye to grace and virtue which make him a human and he sends his condolences to good meaning he could have done better in his life suggestin he thinks of himself as a "dancer". He also wants to let go of his life on earth.
"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?"
Now this was a pickle for me to understand...but after scratching my head here is what I came up with.
Here he is checking up on his life body seeing if his heart is still beating for him to go back since he is scared cause here he got no message whether he is going to heaven or hell and he is wondering which he will go to. Whether he is a human who goes to heaven or a "dancer" who goes to hell.
In the end, I have high expectations for their new album coming up in Nov 25. This is an awesome song from their new album a good start I guess. I just hope they make an album as good as Sam's Town. The killers prove day by day to be an awesome and a really deep band and I hope they stay this way.The killers rule all and I have high expectations for their new album.

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personmanthingguy
10-05-2008

Rated 0 
I hear Denser in the last chorus, but Dancer in the rest.

I'm going with Dancer for this one.

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pressrewind
10-05-2008

Rated -2 
it's most likely denser because in the next line he sings the word answer and if it was dancer it would sound the same, but it doesn't. and also, denser makes more sense.

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dagrim
10-06-2008

Rated -2 
this song is so hilariously eighties. "Are we human or are we dancers?" soooooo much better then that sam's town shit.

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oz22
10-06-2008

Rated +1 
Here is my shot in the Dark...

I believe "Human" is about the thought/theory of living with God or a Higher Power prior to this life, than experiencing lonliness and isolation from that Source, and questioning the very existence of it, even though we feel something/someone is there. For those God believing people we always talk of dieing and going back to Heaven, if we are going BACK...that means we may have been there before. Let's look at the lyrics.

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
(IT WAS HIS TURN TO LEAVE AND BE BORN. HE IS DESCRIBING THE MOMENT OF BEING BROUGHT TO THAT DOOR AND STEPPING THROUGH AND LEAVING THAT PRE-EARTH LIFE, THAT COMFORTABLE LIFE LINE)

Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Hear my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could

And so long to devotion
It taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye, wish me well
You've gotta let me go
(IT'S NATURAL FOR US TO TRY TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, BUT WHEN WE ARE NOT EMOTIONALLY/PHYSICALLY REWARDED FOR TRYING WE BEGIN TO TURN AWAY FROM WHAT WE THINK IS GOOD. HE IS SAYING "SO LONG TO GRACE, VIRTUE, DEVOTION." HE IS NOT FEELING THE CONNECTION TO THE GOD OR HIGHER POWER ANY MORE)

(HE'S ON HIS KNEES, SEEKING SOME COMMUNICATION. HE IS ALIVE AND FEELING, BUT NOT FEELING IN THE SPIRITUAL SENSE THAT THERE IS MORE THAN JUST THIS LIFE, AND HE ASKS...)
Are we human or are we dancers?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we dancers?

(HE THEN ASKS HIMSELF AN INTERNAL QUESTION, I THINK WE ALL ASK OURSELVES FROM TIME TO TIME. WHAT IF THERE ISN'T A HIGHER POWER OR A HEAVEN ARE WE OK WITH THAT? HE FOLLOWS UP WITH A HOPEFUL QUESTION TO GOD...LET ME KNOW, IS YOUR HEART STILL BEATING?)
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?
(I LOVE THAT DESCRIPTION OF STRUGGLE...HE SAYS LOOK YOU'RE NOT REAL, YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING TO ME...BUT HE STILL PLEADS...LET ME KNOW, IS YOUR HEART STILL BEATING? AND PRAYS AGAIN...ARE WE HUMAN (WITH HOPE OF SOMETHING MORE), OR ARE WE DANCER (ARE WE JUST HERE MOVING ABOUT, WITH NO PARTICULAR DIRECTION, WHERE LIFE AND EXPERIENCE DICTATES ARE MOVEMENTS)?

GREAT INTROSPECTIVE SONG!!!!

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cc24
10-07-2008

Rated +2 
I dunno why...but the minute I heard this song I felt like he was singing out his newborn son...
The song sounds "happy" and very melodic...and some of the lyrics like "cut the cord" could possibly be referring to cutting the umbilical cord of his child?
Well...I could be really far off...but this is the first thing that I thought he was singing about....
O well....i still really like this song....it makes me feel happy...

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Clap Your Hands
10-08-2008

Rated -1 
It's gotta be "denser," it actually makes sense. I don't hear an "s" at the end, so "are we dancer?" sounds pretty silly. I hope the album booklet has lyrics.

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calvindw
10-08-2008

Rated +1 
I think we're focusing a little too much on the lyrics here. Taking a broader look at the song, and specifically the arrangement itself we get a picture of the songwriter himself.

The song is about struggling to make music. On one hand he has his romance, soul, grace, etc. which he has been writing songs about his whole life. But on the other hand there is a need to express himself by pure emotion not linked to those intangible ideas; to express himself in a way that makes someone simply want to move rather than understand a deeper meaning.

It could almost in that way be interpreted as an inner dialogue on making music in the style more of hot fuss or sam's town. But i think that might be a stretch.

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Cest-La-Vie
10-08-2008

Rated -1 
I really like this song, i dont know what it means, but i do believe it is "Dancer" Like its been said, just because theres no S doesnt mean anything. Does Human have an S? We are humans, but also human. Human is like an adjective, i think, it describes more of Who we are. Same goes with Dancers or Dancer. Although im not sure what it means, personally. Up until now though, i thought he said "Hear my regards to fallen Romans, they always did the best they could" lol

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Unpredictable
10-09-2008

Rated +1 
On my knees looking for the answer" is a neat line - you might be on your knees searching for something on the floor, or begging for help to understand.
(Which is as much use as trying to interpret this song.)

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x2
10-09-2008

Rated -1 
Try this one on for size. What if the word were "denser", but the word is being used in a different way than everyone here is assuming.

I.e. The comments so far have assumed the Killers are using the word denser to indicate stupidity. However, what if we use the alternate definition of denser? Specifically: something that has more substance.

Then the song becomes:

Are we Human?
[I'm thinking a possible negative connotation. Frail, petty, selfish, mortal]

Or are we Denser?
[More than that. Eternal beings??]

It would be an interesting twist, as we are all assuming being human is the positive option and denser the negative.

Applying it to the song, I picture a man nearing the end of his life. Death is the "open door" and he doesn't know what's on the other side of it (if anything) but he's hopeful.

And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door
Close your eyes, clear your heart
Cut the cord

As death approaches, he is asking very spiritual questions about whether this will be the end, or whether there is more. Whether we are merely humans who spend a brief time on earth and then are gone, or whether our spirit survives.

Comments?

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srsh
10-10-2008

Rated +2 
it is "dancer". Check this From Amazon.com:

"Those familiar with the band’s oeuvre will recognize their signature in the synth-heavy “Human,” four minutes of sweeping, epic rock, on which Flowers sings: “My sign is vital/ My hands are cold/ And I’m on knees, looking for the answer/ Are we human, or are we dancer?” He says the lyrics were inspired by a disparaging comment made by Hunter S. Thompson about how America was raising a generation of dancers. But the song also had some help from album producer Stuart Price (aka Jacques LuCont), known for his work with Madonna and Missy Elliot, and who’d previously remixed “Mr. Brightside.” “He was the icing on the cake,” says Stoermer."

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mgfootballer07
10-10-2008

Rated +1 
srsh is right... i went on the killers official website at islandrecords.com and in it, it says that brandon flowers (the lead singer) was saying 'dancer' in the song, referring to the comments by Hunter S. Thompson.

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