I'm pinned down by the dark

Been fighting with my sheets and nearly crying in my sleep
Yes, I'm battling that well-told gripe, the most restraining type
You should have racing stripes the way you keep me in pursuit
Sharpen the heel of your boot and you press it to my chest
And you make me wheeze, then to my knees you do promote me

I'm pinned down by the dark
A-N-I-M-A-L
Makes my head pirouette
More than I would be willing to confess
D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S

The light it fidgets through, the thoughts'll soon revert to you
About as bashful as a tribal dance, the first and final chance
And course the audience of frighteners and fiends
Divided up into two teams
When the acrobat fell off the beam, she broke everyone's heart

I'm pinned down by the dark
A-N-I-M-A-L
Makes my head pirouette
More than I would be willing to confess
D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S
D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S
The most unsuitable pet
It's been long enough now, so let's
Make a mess lioness

I'm pinned down by the dark
I'm pinned down by the dark, oh-oh-oh

D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S
A-N-I-M-A-L
D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S
A-N-I-M-A-L


Lyrics submitted by rolandxx

Dangerous Animals Lyrics as written by Alex Turner

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Dangerous Animals song meanings
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  • +5
    My Interpretation

    This song is actually darker than it sounds.

    It's apparently about a man who is obsessed with a woman who won't sleep with him, and it torments him so much he decides to have his way with her (It's been long enough now so let's make a mess lioness)...

    ...but anyone who has read Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's "Venus in Furs" would know the song also describes a sadomasochistic relationship. In fact, it shares common elements with the story. Venus in Furs is about a man called Severin who loved a beautiful widow called Wanda, but she didn't want to marry him so he asked her to make him her servant so he could stay with her. There are themes of obsession, cruelty and sexual frustration in both the song and the story.

    Been fighting with my sheets And nearly crying in my sleep Yes, I'm battling that well taught gripe The most restraining type You should have racing stripes

    As mentioned before, the man constantly thinks and dreams of the woman, much like how Severin thought of Wanda, "the beautiful woman who is sleeping in regal comfort among her soft furs", every night before he went to sleep.

    The way you keep me in pursuit Sharpen the heel of your boot And you press it to my chest and you make me wheeze Then to my knees you do promote me

    This stanza can be interpreted both figuratively and literally. It may describe how the man's pursuit and the woman's constant rejection pained him, and it may also describe the woman pressing her foot on the man who is lying on the floor, then letting him kneel in front of her. This is how Wanda treated Severin as her slave.

    I'm pinned down by the dark A-N-I-M-A-L Makes my head pirouette More than I won't be willing to confess D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S

    The man is "pinned down" like an animal on a leash. He is confused and overwhelmed by feelings of love, obsession and humiliation at the way he is being treated. He doesn't know how to deal with what's happening to him but he is aware that he's gotten into a dangerous situation. In Venus in Furs, Wanda repeatedly called Severin an animal and treated him like one.

    The light it fidgets through, the thoughts will soon revert to you About as bashful as a tribal dance the first and final chance And of course the audience of frighteners and fiends, divided up into two teams When the acrobat fell off the beam she broke everyone's heart.

    The man thinks about the woman as soon as he wakes up and his thoughts are "as bashful as a tribal dance" which is sarcastic because tribal dances are more wild than shy. He wants to do something to her, to be more aggressive perhaps, but he is afraid of the possible consequence of his actions. He can't find his center so he remains under the woman's control.

    D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S The most unsuitable pet It's been long enough now so let's Make a mess lioness

    Finally the man can't take it anymore so he refuses to bow down to the woman's whims. The "unsuitable pet" could either be the man who has become disobedient or the woman who can't be tamed because she's as fierce as a lioness. Coincidentally, Wanda is compared to both Venus and a lioness in the story.

    Pinned down by the dark I'm pinned down by the dark

    D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S A-N-I-M-A-L D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S A-N-I-M-A-L

    Who is the dangerous animal? The woman, of course. It wouldn't be surprising if Venus in Furs inspired Arctic Monkeys to write this song, just as it did Velvet Underground. It's a pretty interesting story.

    "I feel how her extraordinary, really divine beauty is gradually winding magic snares about me. It isn't any spiritual sympathy which is growing in me; it is a physical subjection, coming on slowly, but for that reason more absolutely. I suffer under it more and more each day, and she–she merely smiles." - Severin

    lemonnlime02on June 05, 2012   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I honestly feel like this song (like many others on the album) has a sexual connotation... I think it's about a guy who's chasing after a girl (or maybe he's in a relationship already). Either way, he's not getting any sex...

    "Been fighting with my sheets Nearly crying in my sleep Yes, I'm battering that welt-up gripe The most frustrating type You should have racing stripes The way you keep me in pursuit"

    Every night, he's frustrated with the "welt-up gripe" (ie: sexual repression). He could easily find another girl to sleep with, but this one keeps him "in pursuit". He's attracted and not willing to let go.

    The chorus is just telling us how he wants her, but she won't let him sleep with her. "She makes my head pirouette". Maybe there is a communication problem about sex because he's not willing to "confess" this. As funny as it sounds, a Dangerous Animal may just mean a guy who is sexually frustrated.

    "The night it fidgets through The photo soon reverts to you I'm about as bashful as a tribal dance the first and final chance"

    At night, the guy is thinking about the girl. His "bashfulness" may refer to his erection...It's blatantly obvious. There is no hiding from his sexual desire. I'm not quite sure what the second half of that verse means...

    Finally, here's what really tipped me off:

    "The most unsuitable bred It's been long enough now So lets make a mess, lioness"

    You've made me wait long enough, let's have sex.

    GlobalCoolingon September 13, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Blue balls, frustration, insomnia. All because of this chick who is messing with his mind and his member.

    She is the lioness. One of the dangerous animals, his "most unsuitable pet" and she has full control of him.

    I am a guy, and I am just guessing. There are some parts I haven't been able to completely analyze yet.

    fitteldon November 26, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Nah the E is pretty silent but he definately says it.

    rolandxxon July 31, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "The photo soon reverts to you" should be "The thought will soon revert to you"

    WPSIATWINon August 17, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    those lyrics have like 02934820398 mistakes. I'm just gonna retype the song. Don't hate me. These are the lyrics that came with Humbug;;

    I'm pinned down by the dark

    Been fighting with my sheets and nearly crying in my sleep. Yes I'm battling that well told gripe, The most frustrating type You should have racing stripes the way you keep me in pursuit Sharpen the heel of your boot and you press it to my chest And you make me wheeze Then to my knees you do promote me

    I'm pinned down by the dark (A-N-I-M-A-L) She makes my head pirouette more than I would be willing to confess (D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S)

    The light it fidgets through, the thoughts will soon revert to you About as bashful as a tribal dance the first and final chance And of course the audience of frighteners and fiends, divided up into two teams When the acrobat fell off the beam she broke everyone's heart.

    I'm pinned down by the dark (A-N-I-M-A-L) She makes my head pirouette more than I would be willing to confess D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S

    (D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S) The most unsuitable pet It's been long enough now So lets make a mess, lioness

    I'm pinned down by the dark I'm pinned down by the dark

    (D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S) (A-N-I-M-A-L) (D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S) (A-N-I-M-A-L )

    DanceLittleLiaron August 31, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think he is talking about a girl, how she is always in his head, keeping him interested. Like she has him around her finger. Get it:).

    Kayrawrawon April 27, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    hmmm some of these lyrics are wrong here are the correct ones:

    i'm pinned down by the dark

    been fighting with my sheets and nearly crying in my sleep yes i'm battling that well told gripe the most frustrating type you should have racing stripes the way you keep me in pursuit you sharpen the heel of your boot and your press it in my chest and you make me wheeze then to my knees you do promote me

    i'm pinned down by the dark A-N-I-M-A-L she makes my head pirouette more than i would be willing to confess D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S

    the light it fidgets through, the thoughts will soon revert to you about as bashful as a tribal dance the first and final chance and of course the audience of frighteners and fiends divided up into two teams when the acrobat fell off the beam she broke everyones heart

    i'm pinned down by the dark

    A-N-I-M-A-L she makes my head pirouette more than i would be willing to confess D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S the most unsuitable pet, it's been long enough now so let's make a mess lioness

    i'm pinned down by the dark

    :)

    ellieacrylicon October 26, 2009   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    i think it's about a girl he keeps dreaming of.

    "i'm pinned down by the dark

    been fighting with my sheets and nearly crying in my sleep. yes, i'm battling that well told gripe, the most frustrating type, you should have racing stripes the way you keep me in pursuit you sharpen the heel of your boot and you press it in my chest and you make me wheeze then to my knees you promote me"

    this girl he likes in his dreams is a crush and in his dreams she has him hooked and is teasing him. one minute she's walking all over him with her sharp heeled boots and the next she raises his hopes up by praising him.

    "A.N.I.M.A.L she makes my head pirouette more than i would be willing to confess D.A.N.G.E.R.O.U.S"

    she is the dangerous animal that drives him wild but he doesn't want her to know he feels so much for her

    "the light it fidgets through, the thoughts will soon revert to you. about as bashful as a tribal dance, the first and final chance and of course the audience of frighteners and fiends, divided up into two teams. when the acrobat fell off the beam she broke everyone's heart."

    the morning light interrupts his dream and is just about to wake him but he goes back to dreaming of her. he has to be brave to get her and feels he has one and only one chance to make an impression on her. the press and the fans will be looking to see what happens, the press and fans will be divided into two teams of wanting them two to get together and not wanting to see them get together, but it will break everyone's heart if she wasn't on the scene.

    "i'm pinned down by the dark"

    he's always waiting to have another dream of her so he loves night time when he's ready to sleep and has another chance of dreaming of her.

    "the most unsuitable pet, it's been long enough now so let's make a mess lioness"

    she's too wild for him but he's been dreaming of her for a long time and he wants the dream to turn into a reality and finally shag.

    craftytrixxon March 13, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Love this song. Love the "pinned down by the dark" part its really really catchy. Arctic Monkeys have done it again

    IndieRock29on July 30, 2009   Link

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