i honestly think it should be

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 cancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we cancer?

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 cancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we cancer?

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 cancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we cancer?

You've gotta let me know

Are we human or are we cancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we cancer?

It makes more since that way to me

Initially there was confusion and debate over the line "Are we human, or are we dancer?" in the song's chorus. Debate raged across the internet over whether the lyrics said "denser" or "dancer", a misunderstanding which invoked conflicting interpretations of the song's meaning. Entertainment Weekly's Pop Watch section called this line the "silliest lyrics of the week". They were puzzled by the interpretation, stating "most dancers are generally human". On the band's official website, the biography section states that Flowers is singing "Are we human, or are we dancer?" and also says that the lyrics were inspired by a disparaging comment made by Hunter S. Thompson, where he stated America was raising "a generation of dancers". In an interview with Rolling Stone, Flowers said that he was irritated over the confusion about the lyrics and also that fans were unhappy with the song's dance beat: "It's supposed to be a dance song, [the beat] goes with the chorus...If you can't put that together, you're an idiot. I just don't get why there's a confusion about it."

I would like to put in my interpretation. I neglected to read all nine pages of comments left about the interpretation of the song so if I my comments prove redundant I do apologize in advance.

Initially I was just curious as to the lyrics of the song, but I got caught up in reading the "dancer"-"denser" debate and I have to say that I agree that it is "dancer".

I agree that this song is about a higher entity, and while I could maybe see the validity of the "denser"-soul argument, I believe that the word dancer fits just as well with this interpretation, if not better.

The word dancer in combination with "cut the cord" seems to imply a marionette type of puppet. Movements of the dancer are predetermined, choreographed, which seems to imply a sense of fate or destiny with this predestination. We are controlled by the a cord, possibly the hand of God, who controls everything we do.

In another sense (or the same sense, in the means that religion and society are sometimes synonymous), this idea also just goes along with the idea that society controls us. We "dance" to the rules that society creates for us. Instead of thinking for ourselves, we are stuck in the same routine, following the predetermined rules that society has set for us. "Cut the cord" seems to imply a call to break free of the mundane rules that bind us and to be and act as individuals. We must not blindly accept faith, but constantly question whether or not it makes sense.


The idea of a dancer brings to mind the plastic spinning dancer of a music or jewelry box. In contrast to a human, the plastic dancer is lifeless and stuck. Are we human or dancer, implies that we can blindly follow societal/religious rules or we can choose the life vitality and freedom that comes with humanity. This is why the quote mentioned above me, that we are raising a "generation of dancers" seems so intriguing to me. It is our generation's choice whether or not to rise above the tendency to follow along blindly. This is truly what is vital.

"Sometimes I get nervous, when I see an open door," is, to me, a beautiful phrase. Open door, of course, is indicative of opportunity. In the context of my interpretation it may be the opportunity to cut the cord of society. You may be nervous because it is a big decision, but you just have to "clear your heart" and just do it.

"And I'm on my knees looking for the answer," losing faith or having the strength to break free may be difficult. On my knees also implies prayer. In a last moment of desperation we turn to God to answer our questions and to guide us.

"So long to devotion" also goes along with the religious interpretation. Until now religion has served you well, but it is time to use reason and move forward.

Humanity is chalk full of vitality and spirit, emotion and goodness; it is up to us to choose these virtues over the religious values we are blindly taught. Not in any way to say however that religion is necessarily bad, "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". Many wonderful things have come about as a result of religion. Moral values and community service to name a few. But while these things may be good, I believe this song is telling us to cut the cord in which we blindly follow these values. We should question our beliefs so that we can understand why we have them and have a foundation for them or else we should reject them if they are unfounded.

Well, I know that was long but I started writing and I felt I had to keep explaining my opinion.
The more I understand this song, the more I love it.

:)

I think the song is about finding who you are or going through live/ growing up.
FINDING YOURSELF--
Everyone wants to fit it, Sometimes people try to mock their peers instead of being who they are.
The peers/The world are the humans
The individual is the dancer
or
Human- A figure that shares common features/motives/ideas/abilities- Humans walk, have no rhythm(Cold)
Dancer- Moves differently than a human- Expressive, Lively, Has rhythm(beating heart)


LIFE/GROWING UP
Leaving the protection and leadership of your parents- becoming an adult/ your own person
Going through and out the different stages- getting accustom to the changes it brings
-loosing your identity, friends, loved ones
-leaving places(your parent's home,going from elementary school to middle school to high school to college, moving to a new neighborhood)
Everyone gets scared of experiencing new things

Holy Shit! I can't believe that I'm just now learning that Flowers is Mormon.. I've been listening to these guys since their debut (but not so much these days). Even my roommate confirmed it. Wow. Seriously now, if he's a devout LDS I highly doubt that the human/dancer thing represents free will versus fate or determinism. Come on. I've never met even a "bad Mormon" who hadn't already made that decision. I've worked with MANY Mormons in my job (including both my current and last boss), and also, my ex-girlfriend and I went to her friend's church to satisfy my curiosity, so that just doesn't really make sense to me.

I think what he means when saying dancer, singular not plural, is that are we set to do exactly what, like dancers, and not make any mistakes, or are we human and make mistakes and go wherever we happen to want to go. For those saying he is saying dancers or denser, it would not make any sense to have one singular and the other plural. that is my idea on what he is saying thank you

I'm thinking the "Are we Human? Or are we Dancer?" line might mean this:
Human- Humans make mistakes, we are selfish and have loads of problems but at the same time... we are full of love, empathy and kindness. Humans (generally speaking) have aspirations and are full of life. They set a path for themselves and follow it on their own and don't let outside influences make them move onto something else. They believe that "anything is possible"
Dancer- Sort of a reference to mindlessly following the movements set out in front of you without questioning, following the crowd, listening to what you are told, don't break the mold, follow the path set for you, do what is the "normal" thing to do.

(I'm not totally sure...I'll have to listen to it a few more times (it's been on repeat for a while now)
but that is my initial reaction to the song)
P.S. all the people for the DENSER line...I've seen interviews where the band says that they don't really like the fact that people misinterpret that line because it changes the songs meaning completely.

At the expense of offending anyone, I think the lyrics are not as deep as many have suggested. I have taken the interpretation that the lyrics are suggestive on a stance on abortion. I am not suggesting that anyone engage in the debate of pro-life or pro-choice as that is obviously a deeply personal decision. I simply feel that the more I have listened to this song that it makes sense. The only obvious reference to what I talking about is the "cut the cord" phrase, however if you think about many of the lyrics there seems to be a 1st person conversation regarding the argument.

For example in the following lyrics I feel like the is a 1st person suggestion of experience:
"And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door
Close your eyes, clear your heart
Cut the cord"

The then the following lyrics seem to lament the loss of innocence:

"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"

Lastly, looking at this last bit of the lyrics, I am convinced that this is the now lost child asking if the decision to terminate can be tolerated by the mother. I sense pain and questions regarding the humanity of anyone willing to end a pregnancy. Just a thought.

"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 am sure that as with many things I am wrong, however I every time I listen to the song I associate the same meaning. I guess it just goes to show how everyone interprets things differently.

Hope my comments don't turn into anything more than simply my thoughts on the subject. THE PINK ELEPHANT HAS A LONG TRUNK...pass the message to your neighbor. :)

This is what "Are we Human or are we Dancer?" means.

Are we Human "God's creation" meaning There is a God and we go to Heaven when we die.

Or are we Dancer? Dancer meaning once we die thats it. Your a dancer a floating whisper that has a short time of physical life.

I pray we are not Dancer and there is something at the end of this.

This song sounds to me like the last words of someone who's going to commit suicide.  He seems to have given up on life, given up on the emotions that carried him and gave him something to live for.
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

That sounds like someone who's given up.

And then all the questioning, "Are we human, or are we dancer?" or "Are we human, or are we denser?", both of which work here. He's questioning the worth and definition of the human race, and he wants the answer so bad, but he can't get it, and rather than continue trying, he gives up.

i think the word human has more of a scientific feeling, more of a species.
i think dancer is suggesting we aren't just something living on earth, we have more of a purpose.

This song is sortof puzzleing. I think the meaning of it is just for us to look at ourselves and who we are and what our lives are becoming and have become. I like the dance club, techo feel to it too. The Killers are so reverseable. Love it.

i see are we human or are we dancer
as human the same and dancer something like
"are we more than we we are"

My two cents worth.
I see it as him engaging in the age old debate over Fate and Destiny versus Chance and Choices.
Like a lot of Killers songs it has a lot of religious overtones.

The platform of surrender is the place where one gives their life to God, like an altar, or stage in some churches. However, in this it also doubles for the stage one sees a puppet play out on.
My sign is vital (it could be I'm human, my heart is beating)
my hands are cold (I might just be the lifeless puppet on a string)
On my knees (in prayer) asking God, do I have choices, or am I just being led around?

My favorite verse is this one:
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

To me this is saying all these honorable, good things, that invariably are characteristics of God, are fading away in society today. As society walks away from God, we see it as freedom, when what we are losing with all this freedom we have is all those good qualities that are regarded as Godly.

Some bits seem they could be related to military/war? eg

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?

and mention of surrender, and paying respects. I agree with the puppet ideas.

I haven't read all the comments here so I don't know if this has been said yet, but this is how I always understood this song:

I think he's talking to his parents or his community, saying goodbye because he has to go out into the world ("wave goodbye, wish me well, you gotta let me go"). I understand "cut the cord" as 'cut the umbilical cord', he wants them to let him go, to let him live differently, because he struggles to find out the meaning of life ("And I'm on my knees looking for the answer, are we human or are we dancer" - dancer meaning puppet, like other people have already said). But as he goes, he's not rejecting everything that has been given/taught to him, he says goodbye to it for a while, but is thankful for the "grace, virtue, good, soul, romance and devotion" that have shaped his life until now.

Brandon Flowers being a mormon but having distanced himself from the mormon way of life, this makes a lot of sense to me. He's telling his family to let him go, to let him live a different life, because he's having doubts about their way of life and has to find out what's right and what life's purpose is on his own.

I'm sorry if this doesn't make any sense, I'm having a hard time expressing my thoughts on this in english, but if anyone feels like it I really would be interested in other people's oppinion about this!

Icarus Fixius seems to be right, except for the "on my knees" part. when he says "im on my knees looking for the answer" perhaps he means praying to God for an answer rather than comparing it to a puppet. after all, he is Mormon.

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

he heard the call from the line that separates life with dead, he was taken to the platform of surrender (a platform is a waiting place ej. before taking a train you go to the platform then take the train that will take you to another place) once he was there he went in a good and comprehensive way without fighting. he got nervous because it was knew for him the place the open door is a pathway that will take him somewhere he has never been. close your eyes dont see clear your heart listen to your heart feelings, sentiments, moral. cut the cord he is decided to go through the pathway to reach the open door the light.

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

he respects grace and virtue but he has a debt a due with them he needs to pay them, he sends condolences to good because it is desappearing, extint, dying. he listens and remembers his soul and romance he was good with the ones he loved, but it took him time to realize and understand what devotion meant and because of it he now understands everything. he tells that his time has come to an end, he says goodbye to the ones he loves, if they want the best for him and love him they have to let him go die in peace.

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?

he tells the ones he loves to take the right decision dont feel bad or regret to let him go. he also says that they dont dream or fantasy when they get home because he will no longer be there (physically). they is no message received means they are getting anything of this. let me know means take the decision dont doubt, if your heart is still beating? do the right thing as a human let me go in peace.

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?

human have feelings, soul, sentiments, love, make mistakes sometimes but they learn from them. the cycle of life born, grow, reproduces and dies. through life you grow as a person being better every day.
dancer are people of the night dont care about anything only having a good time party, drugs, alcohol, sex without feelings. people change, generations change but people of the night dont change ( rosario internullo a fost o vremea)
the sign is vital but his hands are cold he is in avegetative state.
it is important for him to find the right answer thats why he is on his knees he is going down its misery and torture for him to be in that position.

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

he heard the call from the line that separates life with dead, he was taken to the platform of surrender (a platform is a waiting place ej. before taking a train you go to the platform then take the train that will take you to another place) once he was there he went in a good and comprehensive way without fighting. he got nervous because it was knew for him the place the open door is a pathway that will take him somewhere he has never been. close your eyes dont see clear your heart listen to your heart feelings, sentiments, moral. cut the cord he is decided to go through the pathway to reach the open door the light.

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

he respects grace and virtue but he has a debt a due with them he needs to pay them, he sends condolences to good because it is desappearing, extint, dying. he listens and remembers his soul and romance he was good with the ones he loved, but it took him time to realize and understand what devotion meant and because of it he now understands everything. he tells that his time has come to an end, he says goodbye to the ones he loves, if they want the best for him and love him they have to let him go die in peace.

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?

he tells the ones he loves to take the right decision dont feel bad or regret to let him go. he also says that they dont dream or fantasy when they get home because he will no longer be there (physically). they is no message received means they are getting anything of this. let me know means take the decision dont doubt, if your heart is still beating? do the right thing as a human let me go in peace.

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?

human have feelings, soul, sentiments, love, make mistakes sometimes but they learn from them. the cycle of life born, grow, reproduces and dies. through life you grow as a person being better every day.
dancer are people of the night dont care about anything only having a good time party, drugs, alcohol, sex without feelings. people change, generations change but people of the night dont change ( rosario internullo a fost o vremea)
the sign is vital but his hands are cold he is in avegetative state.
it is important for him to find the right answer thats why he is on his knees he is going down its misery and torture for him to be in that position.

And you all, are discussing the silly meaning behind this semi meaningful song, just as this site expects you to, thou.. Does that make you all dancers? :)

If you can't feel the meaning of the song, you must first do a background check. The chorus was inspired by a quote. Also, keep in mind Flowers faith. So with that, do your own research!

Here is my interpretation:

Despite what the original quote meant, it's actually backwards in the song.

The Human race, is that it? Are we JUST human beings with no purpose? OR are we dancer? Are we a race of expression, and beauty and meaning? Are we a part of something cosmic? An entire universe in harmony? A divine dance amongst the stars?

Verse 1: Witness of Birth
Verse 2: Death
Bridge: Reminiscence/Correspondence
Chorus: Question of Existence


As I have noticed, most people do not truly question existence but rather live based on a series of basic human desires, and structure. However, when we witness birth or death in person we then begin to testify to question. Suddenly we see beauty, and we feel emotions that go well beyond the realm of happy/sad. Those who do dedicate themselves to faith, maintain a correspondence to the world only usually never to hear again from the blank crowd they emerged.

The purpose I believe this song serves is that we should dance. When the music plays, dance, and do it without question. At minimum our purpose is, we should not be humans to the music, but dancers.

:)

its about some guy falling in love with a stripper in Vegas and she has left town and this is his song asking her to be human and keep in touch

I see this song as having it's own meanings up to you. I see it as being about living the way you want to and being youself. Are we human or are we dancer like only doing the moves you know and nothing else. But if we were human we would do what we want. And it's not denser, I think.

I think that the meaning will be different to everyone. I think of it being about not holding back and being who you want to be, living your life right. So as "dancer" I think that it means dancers only do one thing- dance. They learn the moves and dance, making sure not to mess up. So are we human and being who we want to be or dancers as in doing only what we have to? That's how I think of it. :)

brandon says to focus more on the verse and less on the chorus, i forgot where i heard that though