The killers human lyrics, denser not dancer
This post has become a heated debate. To sum it all up, its DANCER. To know why, carry on reading and definitely check out the comments!
I’m a bit of a Killers fan. I loved hot Fuss, liked Sam’s Town and am hoping I’ll like new album. I seem to be on the losing side but I like their new song, Human. Once it hits the charts I think people will suddenly change their minds and like it too.
At first I thought the lyrics were “are we human or are we dancers?”. Thinking this couldn’t be right I looked up the lyrics and found its not dancers, its denser. It appears I’m not the only one mishearing the lyrics. Popwatch have an entire article about it, crazy.
I’m 90% sure it is denser now, even if it does sound like dancers. It would be funny if the official lyric was dancer.
P.S. This post is just a segway segue (thanks Ann) so that I can gloat I got Killers tickets. 
Edit: Since posting this it seems various other sources are confirming ‘dancer(s)’ as the actual word. I guess I was right, and then wrong, and now just confused.
Comments
219 Responses to “The killers human lyrics, denser not dancer”
its not denser. ! i have proof.
Hi flo. Do you have any links or evidence of the proof? For now I’m still sticking with denser.
Its most definitely dancer! brandon’s said so himself! and im a victim, us victims just know
i think is denser, it has logic, wich connection exist between dancer and human?, i think it says denser it refers of denser like bizzar, are we human or bizarre, it doesnt make sense with dancer.
the entire lyric speaks about the reason of live
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.
Sometimes we force our ears to hear something the way it makes sense to us. Instead, we ought to look for the sense in what we actually hear. You can force it to be “denser” all you want, but it isn’t.
Hey GQ Monkee, thanks for the quote. I’ve read something similar at last.fm, as well as another quote from Brandon about it being dancer. I guess I should have followed my instinct and gone with dancer, even if it made less sense at face value.
people are sayng that it cant be dancer because that doesnt make immediate sense, but who the hell said that lyrics need to make sense. the claim that ‘it isnt dancer because that isnt logical’ isnt a very logical arguement to begin with, after all, ‘i am the eggman, i am the wallrus’ doesnt make much sense at face value either. so by there rational it has to be ‘i am the eggman, this is because i am made out of egg’ inorder to be right/correct. any1 agree?
They just played on SNL. It’s definitely “dancer”.
Hey jonnyboy, beatles reference I think? I totally agree, this reminds me of a story I read on the BBC site once: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7574541.stm Some of the lyrics on there make even less sense!
I am so confused! Chris Moyles was talking about it yesterday on Radio 1 and he confirmed that it was ‘denser’, but I’m positive I keep hearing it as ‘dancers’!
it better be denser because I like this song and if the actual lyric is dancer then the killers just ruined a perfectly good song with meaningless lyrics.
songs dont need to have logic, its nout to do with that, but if you look on their website yourself you will see that its dancer, so before you say its denser you shuld make sure youre right, which youre not
So if it is dancer than wahts up with the grammatical problem?
“Are we dancer”
@eggy: Are we teacher? Or are we poet?
It’s “dancer”…as stated on the Killers official website. Do some research and you’ll figure out why…it has something to do with being “human” (free to choose, etc.) v.s. “dancer” (the rigid contraints of the life of such a person a.k.a. following like a sheep). Somewhat of a political statement….also with ties to a statement from deceased American Journalist, Hunter S Thompson, who once said “America was raising a generation of dancers”.
you mean like marionette? puppet on a string?
If he meant dancer you’d still be able to make it plural. Just because you add an “s” doesn’t mean that you totally corrupt the meaning from puppets… you wouldn’t say are we human or are we puppet… that makes NO SENSE!
it is dancer
if u watch the video you can see his lips move in the shape of the word dancer.
Poetry often breaks the confines of grammar and punctuation. To believe that Flowers just made an accidental grammatical error or that he somehow ruined the song by saying “dancer” is akin to saying that e e cummings ruined all his poetry because he didn’t use capitals.
Flowers doesn’t say “Are we humans” He says “Are we human” the singular version of human is used commonly in English as an adjective. He has then deftly utilizes this construct and applies it to the word dancer.
We don’t normally see the word used this way in English, and because of this — the turning of the word from a noun to an adjective to be “dancer” — we’re forced to more carefully analyze what it means to be “dancer.” It is a description of all those who follow along without critical thought to why they move as they do, metaphorically and literally. It calls to mind the dehumanization of society. We no longer feel as much as we used to. There is less compassion in the world. We have become so digital that human interaction is no longer a must in our society, and hence we have in essence become without a heartbeat, our hands cold and our sensibilities systematic.
If he were to have said “dancers” people would not have even thought twice about the significance of the main line in the song and they would have said, “Oh yes, dancers, those people who go up on stage, what a pretty song.” Instead we get all of this lovely discussion on websites where people might for a moment look to their lives and ask the question,
“Am I human or am I dancer?”
Hollina you have opened my mind, i and many others shall certainly ask myself that question from each day on. Not in any way at all are your views self-adrandised, sub-high school standard babble straight out of the book marked ‘Cliché’.
“It’s taken from a quote by [author Hunter S.] Thompson. … ‘We’re raising a generation of dancers,’ and I took it and ran. I guess it bothers people that it’s not grammatically correct, but I think I’m allowed to do whatever I want,” he laughed. ” ‘Denser’? I hadn’t heard that one. I don’t like ‘denser.’ ”
It’s not a meaningless lyric whoever said that… hes refering to what Hunter S. Thompson… “are we human, or are we dancer” would say “are we human, or are we meaningless robots doing whatever the economy tells us to do” now… you tell me does it still sound like a meanignless lyric?
denser doesn’t rhyme with answer…
It’s dancer
Human beings vs. Dancer beings
It’s an adjective.
I love Human too yeah. Denser certainly makes more sense.
Hey guys!
Firstly, the killers gig at the royal albert hall yesterday was amazing!! I think they played more songs from Hot Fuss than the new album, luckily, as I only knew human.
Secondly, on Zane Lowe’s interview with Brandon he confirmed it was dancer and when he sang it live it definitely sounded like dancer.
Denser does at first make more sense killer2, but if you read about the meaning behind the use of ‘dancer’, that also makes sense and fits pretty well.
Can any one find the source of this supposed quote by Hunter S Thompson. I have searched and searched and can’t find it. If it does not exist that might inform the debate.
I can’t find the source from Hunter S Thompson. It is mentioned on Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_(The_Killers_song) ) not that we can solely trust that article.
On an interview with Zane Lowe (BBC radio 1) Brandon also mentioned the lyric coming from a quote by Hunter S Thompson. That interview can be downloaded from http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/radio1doc/, specifically http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio1/radio1doc/radio1doc_20081104-0001a.mp3
I believe Brandon said it was a quote by Hunter S Thompson, but he could have made a mistake. If the song is based around a quote/remark then the contaxt of that quote/remark would help us to understand what Brandon is getting at. Anyone?
How can it make sense if he says dancer without an s on the end? are we dancer? that doesnt make sense, its not plural, denser however, has no plural. Although even then it isn’t the best lyric in the world, its the english language, and dancer is never plural, it makes me really angry every stupid lyric publisher on website writing dancer. Its just wrong english, im 13 and i can realise this, how can you guys all be so dumb? No offence to most people here, but other people, not here.
denser makes no sense whatsoever. If you would actually listen to the entire song instead of focusing on the chorus, you would realize what he is saying. “Are we human”—-free thinkers to do what we want. “or are we dancer”—-puppets being led to do what someone else wants us to. As stated earlier they are adjectives….human being vs. dancer being. How some of you tink it is denser, please explain how that correlates to any of the lyrics in the song. He says in the fisrt verse that “i get so nervous when i see an open door/you gotta let me go/cut the cord” almost saying that the parents have to let their kids go at some point and make decisions for themselves. “cut the cord” used in expression meaning “cut the ambilical cord” at birth. it is definitely dancer.
it’s denser not dancer!
1) dancer doesn’t make any sense with the song!
2)hear the song and pay attention to the song, you will notice it’s denser and not dancer
3)there is proof that it’s denser and not dancer
Hi Chiara,
I’m not sure what proof there could be that its denser if Brandon Flowers himself has said its dancer?
chiara,
you need to pay more attention, how about you actually go to their site? or look up the lyrics before you say it is definitely denser? plus, if it is, please explain to all of us how “denser” goes along with any of the song and what the meaning is? plus, have you ever heard anyone say you are “denser”, they say you are “dense”.
It’s dancer. It says dancer on every lyrics site, especially the official site. I don’t know why this is so hard for people to comprehend.It is a play on the word “human,” since human can also be “humans” but it is in its unified singular form. Therefore, “dancer” presents a unified form of dancer, a sort of artistic unification of entities
for those that think it is Denser in this song makes sense. try :
(human vs thick) or (human vs very heavy relative to volume).
Makes sense? Dancer in this song represents a less conscious being.
flowers is in denial. he knows dam’ well he wanted it to be vague, so he uses this bullshit story to give some semblance of a meaning, but it’s the emotion that they wanted to convey.
it’s the quirky feeling that you might be denser … if you don’t struggle to be human. well, you are denser right now and you’re desperate to be human… and we tell you that you are, heh.
It is most indefinably dancer!
Your mind tricks you because you think songs have to make sense!
No song must make sense for you to make sense of it!
Check out wikepedia entry and it clearly states ‘DENSER’ is correct.
Last time I checked wikipedia it said that many people thought it was ‘denser’ but it was in fact ‘dancer’. It wouldn’t be difficult for somebody to edit the wikipedia page.
In any case, Brandon Flowers has said its dancer – what other proof could you need?
Hollina, you most definitely satisfied the need to hear people speak with articulation who search for what is deeper than what we see. Beautifully said my dear.
it is 100% DANCER. it says so on the blog on the killers official page. Am i the only one who understands why he sings ‘dancer?’. he is saying that dancers are not human because they are so spectacular, and what they do cannot surely be done by human beings, therefore they must be something else. Its kinda hard to explain.
I also agree with the ‘GQ Monkee’ fella. woo hoo!!!!!
In response to all this debate about the lyrics I would like to express my personal view. Everyone, me included, interprets lyrics to fit what they think. There is no right or wrong – that’s just being ‘Human’. In my case I get very upset every time I hear the song because my 13 year old daughter has just gone off to Dance School to further her talent. She is committed to it in a way that I cannot understand, so it is her pursuit of perfection in her art – for what might very little reward other than to give pleasure to those who watch – that makes her more than just ‘Human’ – a dancer. Also the words just fit her leaving home – ‘cut the cord’, ‘wave good bye, wish me well’, will your system be alright when you dream of home tonight’. It fits perfectly my story, her story. I know that this is a selfish interpretation but very valid in my case. I hope I haven’t bored you all! I will always remember this time in mine and her life because of this song – that can’t be bad can it?
To be honest.
Its a great song.
I don’t think it really matters what the word is!
The amount of people arguing over Youtube, they forget how good the song is!
what does DENSER mean? i lokked up in the dictonary and there is dense meaning ’stupid’ but i didn`t find deneser.???
Denser is just a comparative of dense. Technically something dense is just something tightly packed together I guess. A few definitions:
1. a lot of matter in a small space
2. having relatively high density; Compact; crowded together
3. having a high mass per unit volume
Although those definitions don’t fit with the song on face value, the use of denser would suggest that there was more to a person than just being human.
However its dancer..! :p
u idiot its dancer wot kind of idiot cant go on google an type in lyrics to killers song by readin this web page and commentin u wasted 40 seconds of my life
Hi Jake,
I know its dancer, the article does state that. Hopefully you’re just angry at some of the other commenters that still think its denser.
Anyway – at the time I wrote the article there weren’t many sites with the Human lyrics and the ones that did had a mixture of denser and dancer.. hence why I wrote about it.
David on Nov. 6th:
You are absolutely right. Brandon Flowers has said that he wrote this song based on the Hunter S. Thompson quote that America was raising a generation of dancers. He hasn’t gone into detail about what the song means beyond that. I think HST was saying that Americans were going along with the steps and routines that were taught to them, unwilling to step outside of the given routine, or to take a risk or do something new, etc. I’m assuming this is what Brandon Flowers was going for as well.
It also really seems to bug him that people think he’s saying “denser.”
i think he sings “dancer”, because if you listen carefully you hear the pronunciation to the “c” he doesnt sing a “s”.
and with “dancer” it would make a sense: hes asking if we are real humans or if we are dancers, like just puppets on a string, and if the string’s tearing apart we are fallin on our knees.
When i heard this song it makes me feel good because Im a dancer (and definitely a dancer ego makes us feel more than humans) is not easy to keep a discipline, the work and effort need to step into a stage and try to transmit what our body wants. only the dancer have an idea how we break our asses to reach perfection. but in the lyrics clearly meens to someone than only can follow a routine or just do whatever the coreographer wants. Even for me is difficult now to swallow it but Flowers wanted to say people can think? decide? act for themselves? or just do what they were taught or the goverment, economics or system want?
Denser dont make sense with the song but dancer yes if you realize they just follow. (We don’t only follow but can be interpreted in the song like this) and YES dancers are much more than humans!!!!
Ok, I am beginning to question the intelligence of people here. Lets get this straight once and for all, shall we?
1. It is NOT “denser”
2. It IS “Dancer”
3. It is NOT “dancers”. NO S.
“It’s taken from a quote by [author Hunter S.] Thompson. … ‘We’re raising a generation of dancers,’ and I took it and ran. I guess it bothers people that it’s not grammatically correct, but I think I’m allowed to do whatever I want,” he laughed. ” ‘Denser’? I hadn’t heard that one. I don’t like ‘denser.’ ” – http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1598299/20081030/killers_the.jhtml
Oh, and Erwing he is not talking about dancers as in people who dance, so don’t let your head get any bigger than it already is (or else it might not fit through doors). He is not saying people who dance are greater than the rest of us. He is instead referring to a Dancer as in a certain type of person and means it as a “…mild social statement…”. He is not saying anything about dancers, DANCER NOT DANCERS. There is a diffeerence after all.
is the song not called dancer????
no its not just checked haha! the word is dancer anyway they took it from a hunter s thompson quote!!! “are we human or are we dancer” dont ask what it means thats just hunter s i guess
Chris Moyles was wrong apparently. This was quoted by Brandon Flowers: -
The Killers‘ Brandon Flowers continues to be frustrated by fans being frustrated with the lyrics to the chorus of his new single “Human.” “Are we human, or are we dancer,” Flowers sings, imploring that the ambiguous word is the grammatically-incorrect “dancer” and not “denser.” “That sucks a bit. I don’t like, ‘Are we denser?’ as an alternative,” Flowers said. “I really care what people think but people don’t seem to understand ‘Human.’ They think it’s nonsense. But I was aching over those lyrics for a very long time to get them right.” Part of that time aching was evidently spent reading books by Hunter S. Thompson, as Flowers himself has admitted the “dancer” line was inspired by the former Rolling Stone contributor. “It’s taken from a quote by [author Hunter S.] Thompson,” Flowers admitted last month when the confusion began. “‘We’re raising a generation of dancers,’ and I took it and ran. I guess it bothers people that it’s not grammatically correct, but I think I’m allowed to do whatever I want.” The Killers’ Day & Age is set to befuddle listeners with its lyrics on November 24th.
Bound to be denser. Dancer doesn’t make sense.
Well i agree, if it is dancer then the song is totally ruined. Denser has more meaning, its a catchy song, I think it’s just the accent at which they sing the song
99.9999% Sure that its denser
The Killers’ website says it’s dancer
plus to simplify and reiterate that it is dancer, it rhymes with “looking for the answer”
those who think it is denser are just that.
Dancer. It’s dancer.Ü
I LOOOVE THE KILLERS
Dancer? Denser? who cares? peace , that’s what really matters!Lovely song by the way, enjoy everyone!
The word “dancer” is used properly. It is a term from the novel “Slowness” by French-Czech author Milan Kundera. “Dancer” is a state of being in which we “perform” in daily life for an invisible audience simply to meet social expectations rather than being true to ourselves and thus, true to human nature. The lyrics, stating “Are we human or are we dancer?” is correct in this context, and might I add, quite profound. The whole song makes sense in this light.
its human all the lyrics say it
Who care’s whether it is ‘dancer’ or ‘denser’ – it’s just a GREAT song and I feel like ‘dancing’ around the room whenever I hear it. Loved it the first time I heard it and still do !
Im glad there are some sane people on here. GQ Monkee is awesome. Stop saying that it is denser or dancers u idiots. People have posted proof that it is dancer.
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
Thats beautiful
It would have been ruined if it were denser or dancers
Are we human?
Or are we oblivious robots dancing to anybody’s tune?
The answer: we are human.
good song but that DANCER just grates. I don’t like it even if it has been explained as an an adjective – but surely then it should be DANCING….
Harriet Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Bound to be denser. Dancer doesn’t make sense.
Well i agree, if it is dancer then the song is totally ruined. Denser has more meaning, its a catchy song, I think it’s just the accent at which they sing the song
99.9999% Sure that its denser
—
I had no idea they made people this stupid.
Seriously.
Well if the lyrics can generate this much debate–even after several people have quoted the songwriter–then I don’t mind stepping in to say that the word Cohen is looking for in the original posting is “segue,” not “segway.” Unless he really wants to refer to that two-wheeled vehicle.
Tt has to be denser. It makes much more sense than dancer:
dense: slow to understand (by Merriam-Webster)
Think about it.
Thanks Ann, I thought it was odd I could only find references to the vehicle when I tried to find the correct spelling. Thats made my morning.
Its Dancer,
Human refers to free thinker, Dancer refers toa puppet on a string, later the lyrics refer to cuting the string.
Lets all be free thinkers, the original phase was also said by one the philoshyers, sorry cant spell just google it and all the correct answers are there.
Cheers
why would anyone wonder if they were either a human or a dancer. this is extremely idiotic, and if the real lyric is dancer, then I will no longer call myself a killers fan.
it’s DANCER.. like puppets
more info here –> http://www.thekillersmusic.com/index
wow if you are shallow enough to stop being a killers fan because of one word, you don’t even deserve to listen to them
Okay, so the word that he uses is ‘dancer’. But those who are saying ‘denser’ doesn’t make any sense are missing another interpretation of the lyrics which is that the speaker is heeding a spiritual/higher power call:
“I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender”
Doing his best to listen to the small, still voice within.
“I was brought but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door”
The Universe/God opens a door, you just need to step through. What holds us back is our fear. Which relates back to the quote attributed to Nelson Mandela (‘we are not afraid of our darkness, but our light’), but is actually from a different source.
“Close your eyes, clear your heart
Cut the cord”
Or, get rid of your attachment to the way things are supposed to be and let God/Higher Power/Tao lead your way.
‘Denser’ then would mean that there is more to life than being merely human. To quote a different pop source – “Luminous beings are we. Not made of this crude matter [grabbing a fleshy arm and shaking it]”
Signs are vital but hands are cold can refer to being technically alive, but cold as death. The rest of the verses have similar interpretations of getting past the trappings of the soul and getting to the real deal – romance vs true love, for instance.
I feel it makes the song deeper with ‘denser’, but if it’s ‘dancer’, c’est la vie.
BTW – on a trivial note, Edward Estlin Cummings is not a ‘lowercase poet’ – he used plenty of capitals in his work. He signed things with capitals (EEC) and when asked by a publisher if it was “EE Cummings or E.E. Cummings or what”, he said the first two were fine, depending on the publisher’s formating preference, but “may it not be tricksy”.
Cat Stevens got near this years ago with “Hard Headed Woman” where he says…
I know a lot of fancy dancers,
people who can glide you on a floor,
They move so smooth but have no answers.
When you ask “Why’d you come here for?”
“I don’t know” “Why?”
So I just went through and read every single response…and laughed every time someone replied about something that’s already been answered. Like, if you want an answer about this debate…why wouldn’t you read everyone else’s posts first before you throw your opinion into nowhere.
So my reply…sorry, has nothing to do with the song.
Actually, yes it does, I adore the song. I had been debating back and forth what the lyric was and then figured it doesn’t matter. HOWEVER, I’m glad I researched it so that now when I sing along, I do it properly
Yay Killers!
Even if the actual lyric is “dancer”, what the hell does it mean? “Denser” makes much more sense, but in the song, he seems to alternate between the two. The first one sounds like “dancer” but the following sounds like “denser”. He might switch between the two just to confuse us for his amusement.
Somebody said something like this: Even if it is “dancer” and the meaning is something like, a puppet or someone who just goes with the stream/flow that everyone follows, the “s” still is missing from the word.
I think it has to do with poetry or that the lyrics has to rhyme in the chorus… Like:
…I am on my knees looking for the ANSWER
are we human or are we DANCER.
And there´s actually nothing wierd or wrong about it i think, it´s art and poetry and infact art has no borders or boundaries at all!
There have been a million posts about this and I’ve danced around them all and thought they are all dense.
a) Who cares anyway, it’s a great song.
b) There have been loads of ungrammatical songs in the past anyway
c) Stop analysing it and whether the accent makes it sound denser or dancer
Lets just end this.
http://www.islandrecords.com/site/artist_bio.php?artist_id=547
third paragraph.
Alot of people are saying it’s denser and not dancer. To be honest it could be either, they both have reference to the song.
For instance with human the singer could be reffering to mass and matter, and denser is relevant to this.
Or with human the singer could be reffering to free thinker and a dancer could be a dancing puppet, which is quite relevant to the lyrics, such as cut the cord and you gotta let me go. I enjoy the song and i’m glad it is out. If you disagree with my comment please do not say anything nasty as that is not needed. Thankyou.
i agree with stacey….
both dancer or denser,…its depend in our interpretation….hahaha…its free…
but 1st in my mind is a dancer…like dancing puppet…;)
ciao
Seriously, it really could go either way…
But to the people who think that it “doesn’t make sense as ‘dancer’” or “‘dancer’ isn’t even a word, a-dur,” REALLY have been spoiled by the modern wording of words. English is a sensitive yet vast language; don’t criticize someone else’s use of it unless you know ALL of it because I can guarantee you that you don’t.
Sometimes lyrics and poetry alike are not meant to be understood just by reading or listening to them on the surface. It can take much, much more than that, so just because denser might seem to fit as opposed to dancer doesn’t mean it actually does.
It is only logical that the word in this song is denser. If it was Dancer it would have to be dancers with a s because its plural. The use of denser is easy. It it asking if we are just animals called humans or if we are denser than that. If we have souls and what not. Denser in the meaning that we are better that just dumb animals. That is why he is “on my knees looking for answer” the answer of the point of life.
I cannot believe that this debate is still ongoing.
Why are people still arguing over the lyrics when the lyrics are on the official Killers website? AND a number of interviews with the SONG WRITER state quite clearly that the word is indeed “dancer”?
It doesn’t matter whether you think it makes sense or not, the fact is the debate has been settled. The sense or nonsense of the lyrics is a different argument entirely. However, in the context of the song; the lyrics make perfect sense. It’s called poetic licence!
Guaranteed someone will post after me and say “It HAS to be denser to make sense” to that person I say, “Get over it!” You didn’t write the song, the Killers did and if they say the lyric is dancer then the lyric is dancer and there’s no point in you arguing otherwise.
Next!
Hiya,
guys, I got proof that it’s “humid” not “human” …
Regards,
M
dancer don’t make any sense!i think its denser!!!
and it is human as the song is called human!! and its clearly human if you have working ears!
Thanks Michael, very funny – nice sense of humour.
Ok. Denser is NOT a word. Dense is, so even for all of you out there who think it’s denser it would only make sense if he said “are we human, or are we more dense” haha. dancer can be grammatically correct but not in the context in which it is used so it is grammatically incorrect but that is to retain the poetic traits of the song. dancer, as mentioned plenty of times above, is in reference to a quote from a famous author. he says “we are raising a generation of dancers”. obviously he does not mean in the literal sense. he is simply raising the question as to whether or not we are raising a generation of people who are similar to marionettes controlled by society. It IS dancer. for those of you who this still does not make sense to, it does not matter. the lead singer said it is dancer. sorry to disappoint.
LOL @ Michael.
Thank you, Brett.
Yes folks, it’s DEFINITELY Dancer, not Denser, Dencer (which is not even a word) or – unfortunately – Dancers… the last of which would make a LOT more sense grammatically.
The Killers aren’t the first band/artist to deliver bad grammar in a song, and they won’t be the last. But had they used ‘Dancers’ it would have made a LOT more sense and hey, I can’t imagine singing the ’s’ would have been TOO difficult, or would have sold less units.
Having said that, the song seems MASSIVELY overrated in its current state. I’d really like to hear them do it acoustically or semi-acoustically (which maybe they’ve already done, I don’t know)…cos drowning in all that soulless Pet Shop Boys/cheesey semi-techno arrangement on the single, there’s a really good song trying to come out.
Yeah, Brett’s right, even denser isn’t a word…. touche.
There has been considerable confusion and debate over the line “Are we human or are we dancer?” in the song’s chorus.[6] Many have incorrectly heard “denser” instead of “dancer”, a change which significantly alters the interpretation of the song’s meaning. 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 about how America was raising a generation of dancers.[7]
Its dancer.
Last word.
I win.
Get over it. Your all very sad!
By the way my favourite dance is the jive
i hea dancer but why wud it be dancer it makes no sense so i cud make myself hear denser if i had 2 (ja get me?)…and it wud make much mre sense!!!and i love noggin!!=D xoxox
Maybe “Dancer” is a proper noun: such as a person’s name. That would resolve the grammatical error.
I still don’t see how it would make more sense if he said denser. Dancer, denser…neither one make any sense really. After reading Brandon’s reasoning behind the line, though, it’s fine by me.
some people are so dense
denser is a word as in dense ie thick, are we human or something more stupid
It’s Denser Guyyzz
why are we still arguing about this?
Brandon himself said it’s dancer,
therefore:
IT’S DANCER
it’s taken from a quote.
why do you even need any more proof.
i think this “debate” (using the term extremely loosely) is over.
Ok first of all DANCER with no “s” at the end cuz it’s just not gramatically correct, plus the song is all about life AND if you listen to the words closly there is no s at the end of the line so it has to be DENSER…think people honestly
yo what the f*ck (appologies)but come on i mean the song is so fuckin awesome(needles to explain but with pleasur – the unique lyrics that have great meaning and grace topped of with a brilliant dance type tune) but why the hell is the whole world obsessed with such an insignificant issue i mean either way it makes sense looking at it from different views. put it this way the official website says dancer and so did the fuckin singer. whaaat you still want proof…..
repeat after me
THIS SONG IS GREAT
I PRESS PLAY
oh this sounds good
i kepp listening shit this is good
the music almost ownes me
the lyrics are fantastic
confusion with one word oh well – its too good to ruin by having a heated debate about just one (1) word
i mean Brandon told us any way
i shudder this bullshit off of my mind
i continue to listen
ohoohhoh sweet its perfect
i listen again…
and again….and again (i could go on a bit like you guys)
Play count reads: 183 and still counting
I listen Again!!!
lifes much better when you dont get involved in ermm… what should i say ….meaningless crap that doesn’t solve anything.
I listen again!
what am i doing here, “trying” to make you see sense, whats the point this is what you do
allow me to change the question to – DONT YOU HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO?
Dear God, what have you done with mankinds sense of boredom. i mean the things people are saying its music not a LANGUAGE lesson!I have one wish – that links would guide me to articles of just a little interest! just a tinytenny bit.
I sould be listening to it right NOW!!! oh now thats a good idea
I LISTEN NOOOW! BYE
SAD SAD PEOPLE G.E.T A L.I.F.E
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.
http://www.islandrecords.com/site/artist_bio.php?artist_id=547
LOOK
Ummm – watch the music video…he does not say “dancers” – it’s actually quite obvious.
Ha ha! This is just Marvelous!
“Denser” makes sense in ways which nobody is getting.
There are 7 Densities of reality. Dimensions are like the left and right from here. Densities are up and down. We exist in the 3rd Density at the moment, and many of the forces affecting us so much today come from the next density up. It’s where numerous of the Crop Circles and UFO’s originate from. Global climate changes, not just on Earth, but as observed on other planets in our system. (How does car exhaust get up to Mars?)
There is SO much to this.
And the question being asked on so many levels, leaking out through our music and artwork, buffeting our collective unconscious. . . How much longer will we be human as we know it? What happens next?
Stay alert. It’s all happening right now. Many of you are growing in leaps and bounds, being forced to face parts of yourselves long buried. It’s all around you.
Remember: The subconscious is much more in control of our bodies and our words than we think. This is why we have critics of literature and music; the writers often don’t realize what they are channeling through their creative sources. Ask any writer. They’ll go years without realizing what they really said until somebody points out the patterns. Then they’ll slap their foreheads and cry, “Oh my god! It’s true! How could I have missed that?”
Listen to this song again.
Then go do some research.
One good place to start is. . .
http://www.sott.net/
im sure its “denser” but if its “dancer” the song writers a idiot
doesn’t make any sence if it is…
okay so what is it dancrs or denser?? im confused:/
Well, even taking into account that it was (1) inspired by a quote and that (2) lyrical poetry sometimes permits violations that standard English does not, this use of “dancer” just makes my skin crawl and I can understand the confusion it caused.
“human” here is an adjective, so the word after “or are we” should be an adjective, as well – and “dancer” is not an adjective. “Denser” is.
Considering that it was, as many people have stubbornly pointed out, ~taken from a quote~, it is not only a misquotation of the original quote, it still also does not solve the problem of the grammatical error- there is no agreement between the subject or this attribute (We = plural, dancer = not).
So, yes, it is a great song, yes, it was “taken from a quote”, yes, it is meant to be “dancer”, and YES, that is bullshit that makes any native speaker’s SKIN CRAWL. It is also NOT poetic licence, as there is no reason at all for using this butchered version, apart from making our skin crawl.
Already said, I’m sure, but I had to repeat, since some people still don’t get it:
Human: The first single from Day & Age is a dreamy dance-pop tune that never fails to make tears fall and my feet tap. The chorus’ infamous line “Are we human or are we dancer?” is a paraphrase of Hunter S. Thompson and has stumped listeners and critics alike. My interpretation of the song this: Flowers sees people today as those who have lost all human emotion, said “so long to devotion,” and has forsaken grace, virtue, good, soul, and romance. It is a heartbreaking sentiment put into beautiful words.
I hate this song because of those lyrics. Seriously, it doesn’t make sense no matter what word it is. My English experience is telling me it should be ‘dancers’ not just ‘dancer’.
Every time I hear it, I want to beat my head against the wall. I cannot listen to it anymore.
Oh, and Dave R…nice try at over-analyzing it.
‘In an interview with Rolling Stone, Flowers said that he was irritated over the confusion: “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.”‘
wth can someone just give concrete proof of is it dancer or denser
Actually I feel that dancer fits far better than denser. Instead of seeing obvious meaning though, you really need to see the symbolic meaning. Are we just humans? Or are we dancers – and intricate part of something more?
Denser would just be dumb. The Killers are never so forward in their lyrics. There is almost always symbolism in something in each song.
An* Not And after the dash…
Also… check the band’s website. Duh.
Moth. You’re ridiculous.
dancer is an euphemism for ´puppet´, substitute the word dancer for puppet, now the words will make sense.
Let’s make it Dencer, or Danser
I have to leave my two cents because I can’t believe what I have just read.
People, you have left me with no faith in humankind.
After numerous entries clearly pointing out that it is in fact dancer, and explaining why, and what it means, there is still someone to say:
“Clearly it’s denser because it makes more sense. Why are you all so stupid?”
Come ON. Are you all for real? Read the damn entries before leaving ridiculous comments please.
And I’m on my knees looking for the answer
Is it dancer or is it denser?…:-)
heyy uu guyys!!
i love this song.. i mean, really. so listen to it.. and check it out..
check it out..
http://www.islandrecords.com/site/artist_bio.php?artist_id=547
biography, third pharagraph… there u can find the answer.. it is the killers official website..
i know that it doesn´t make grammatical sense.. but, which song does?.. the important is the meaning of all the context..
i hope u change your opinion..
Er vi mennesker eller er vi diltere?
Det er det The Killers mener. Det kan være at det er relatert til GWB, det vet man ikke. Kun en teori. Budskapet er: Følg din egen overbevisning, ikke dilt etter andre.
This is norwegian. Translate it and you will get our feelings about the matter.
Thank you for all the contributions that we have read at this forum. It helped us to understand the message.
BR
Espen & Jørgen
How can people be so stupid? It’s DANCER and I totally get it. Only the DENSER of you think otherwise. Why are we being so grammatically anal about the lyrics? Brandon Flowers is a literary genius who always writes profound songs that you have to delve into and interpret. If you want your life to be summed up in some dull simple song, try listening to someone like James Blunt instead of The Killers. Surely the question we should be asking ourselves is, are you human? Or are you dancer?
all you people are cooked! who actually cares what they are saying. its a song get over it and just be happy that they are there to make you smile!
stop tripping on acid and enjoy life, get a life and be denser/ a dancer
morons
Maybe I dont hear that well, but in the start I thought he sang cancer. Cancer totally makes sense to the rest of the lyrics also as a statement in consideration of how we are treating/destroying Earth….
Funny,.. since the first time I heard the song, I’ve thought it’s ‘DANCER’.. I’ve never been an ace in english grammar, so I’ve never doubted the correctness of it either. It just occured to me so clearly that dancer works perfectly in contrast with human. Which is something many of people described above already.
Not to say DENSER doesn’t work that well for the rest of lyrics.
E.g. take the first part of lyrics…
”I did my best to notice
when the call came down the line
(but didn’t managed to,.. call as the point of change from human to dancer)
up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
(at some point he became a sheep that follow orders ‘he surrended’,
but was kind and didn’t riot)
and sometimes I get nervous
when I see an open door
(open door as an opportunity to decide whether to go through or not,.. but he gets nervous, if by making his own choice he won’t break the orders or get punished for making his own decisions)
Close your eyes, clear your heart
Cut the cord
(in other words, stop and start anew. Cut the cord = stop being a sheep)
Are we human or are we dancer”
(Is prompting each of us to stop for a while and think who we are)
It’s very nice song. Awesome lyrics. Cool beat.
is it anyway possible for someone to cut/stop this chain.. I mean, for months now, ppl here have been arquing about most stupid thing. What does it matter if its either dancer or denser? I think its wonderful if you people can hear it either way, and even make sense to it both ways.. I know it makes sense to me the way i hear brandon sing it…
Screw the dancer/denser debate what the hell is he doing “on his niece looking for the answer”?? HUH??
It’s easy, it’s Denser for all of you that have this meaningless discussion, go get a life.
holy crap…people who think its “denser” are complete morons, in no way, shape or form is “denser” even close, brandon flowers says its “dancer” and it makes complete 100% not from concentrate sense!!! its like he has two options for you; human or dancer. are we human, or are we dancer. this isnt difficult to understand, in fact its pretty obvious, i just cant beleive how simple/close minded some of you people are.
this is stupid. i had a big debate with my sister about it just now. and my friends sister friends cousin is sister with one of the killers or something like that, and she found out that it’s DENSER not DANCER because 1. dancer has nothing to do with humans and stuff and 2. are we human or are we dancer ?? that doesn’t make sense if it was dancer then it would be are we human or are we DANCERS ? and you would clearly hear the S !!!
The maning of it is, are we human as in the human race or are we dancer as in an individual…………. I went to see the killers in Belfast and thats the meaning!
Sorry the meaning…………………
its DENSER you idiots!
im sorry yea, but if its ‘dancer’ then that is the most stupidest lyric ever!
why wud you say that, are we human or are we dancer ?
you just dont!
its denser okaaaaaaaaay !
yes, goood.
Hollina, I totally agree.
You made a wonderful point, and it makes perfect sense.
Thank you for clearing that up for me. ^-^
are we human..or are we dancer…is correct..doesnt have to make sense..or be grammaticaly correct..its a song..a bit of fun..poetic licence…provokes thought, and suceeded..thats what music is all about..just enjoy it for what it is…a very good tune..with ..with well written lyrics…or are we all denser….?
ps..he uses we..as the royal we..singular..therefore..is he human or dancer..hope you all got it by now?..xx
I think its dancer.. I think he means how dancers must commit themselves to perfection in their moves he is asking aren’t we flawed as humans so why do we chase perfection
It’s Dancer. I was at the Sheffield gig last night and the Official T-Shirts on sale said ‘Are we Human, or are we dancer’ fairly conclusive I think! Totally awesome concert, btw.
I personally believe it is dancer; by paying atention to the song, I think they are telling the story of someone who comits suicide because of frustration from not being possible to change the way society behaves, somone really aware of the outgoing reality of our world, someone who really tried to fit into the rules of society but that rather prefered to stick to his ideas… this frustation ended up in an act that could may be taken more seriously…”cut the cord”
If everyone just read the first 20, 30 comments this discussion would be already over…
What are you all arguing about. The killers band themselves CONFIRMED that it’s dancer. Whether you, me or anyone thinks its anything different is totally irrelavent. It’s dancer. Thats it.
IT IS DANCER, also it makes sense becasue it is used singular NOT plural. (that means it doesnt have an “s”for u slow ppl. dancer makes perfect sense – it is asking whether we have human charecteristics and are impulsive, and spontaneous and original, whereas being a “dancer” would be being rehearsed and predictable
FOR GODs SAKE! IT IS DANCER! NO S AT THE END! IT USED AS AN ADJECTIVE!
is it denser or is it who gives a fuck?
It’s dancer.
and im on my own looking for the ANSWER
are we human or are we DANCER
denser doesn’t go with the song
go on the websitee
it is dancer
i saw it on the killers official site song human lyrics
its denser
it just would make sense with dancer Francisco Javier Rodriguez Campos said that it wouldn’t make sense that is true.
I mean you could be human and be a dancer and by the way why doesn’t Brandon just tell us what it is he must know ppl are going crazy about not knowing.
Oh dear. It has been publically stated by the band and the record label that it’s Dancer. And is a reference to a Hunter S Thompson quote. Yet still the DENSER (which by the way isn’t a word) amongst us still argue..
Who said lyrics had to make sense?
Does ‘I am the eggman, I am the wallrus’ make sense?
I didn’t know Humans were this dense..
DANCER DANCER DANCER
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’m off to watch “FlashDense”.
Here is the PROOF link !!!! DANCER!DANCER!DANCER!
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1598299/20081030/killers_the.jhtml
Oct 31 2008 8:00 AM EDT
Killers’ Brandon Flowers Stands Behind ‘Human’ Chorus, Feathery Jacket
‘I think I’m allowed to do whatever I want,’ singer says of oft-debated dancer(s) lyrics.
Namely, the “s” in “dancers.” Ever since “Human,” the first single from the Killers’ Day & Age album, debuted last month, fans have been debating just why Flowers has decided to drop the letter and make the song’s chorus (“Are we human/ Or are we dancer?”) a singular affair. It seems like the whole thing didn’t make much sense, and some fans even wondered if he was singing something else, like, say “denser.”
So when MTV News caught up with Flowers last week at the Killers’ NYC show, we decided to ask him about the chorus controversy.
“It’s taken from a quote by [author Hunter S.] Thompson. … ‘We’re raising a generation of dancers,’ and I took it and ran. I guess it bothers people that it’s not grammatically correct, but I think I’m allowed to do whatever I want,” he laughed. ” ‘Denser’? I hadn’t heard that one. I don’t like ‘denser.’ “
Might as well add my two-bits worth. In the foundling of modern American – from the time of the pilgrims – those who “danced” were often considered in league with the Devil for “to dance” was to SIN. My guess is that when the Pilgrims came across Native American Indians (noted for their PowsWows; their Dances), they would have been maligned. So (and I am only putting it out there for thought and possible comment), maybe the words contained within the line – ARE WE HUMAN OR ARE WE DANCER- could be put into the mouth of a Native American Indian who thus is asking a question of his or her adversary. This is also influenced by the video clip itself
So guys, have fun with this as an alternative explanation
From The Killers’ official website:
it would be “dancers” (many) if it was correct ….
“are we humen , or are we dancers” ….
but it is not
so it has to be denser
yep ! denser
Can we just say it’s both? Then it has two meanings and can keep bith groups happy
I fought with my mother about this. I say its denser, she says its dancer. So we agreed it’s both.
hollina said it very well…
Hollina Says:
October 26th, 2008 at 3:02 am
Poetry often breaks the confines of grammar and punctuation. To believe that Flowers just made an accidental grammatical error or that he somehow ruined the song by saying “dancer” is akin to saying that e e cummings ruined all his poetry because he didn’t use capitals.
Flowers doesn’t say “Are we humans” He says “Are we human” the singular version of human is used commonly in English as an adjective. He has then deftly utilizes this construct and applies it to the word dancer.
We don’t normally see the word used this way in English, and because of this — the turning of the word from a noun to an adjective to be “dancer” — we’re forced to more carefully analyze what it means to be “dancer.” It is a description of all those who follow along without critical thought to why they move as they do, metaphorically and literally. It calls to mind the dehumanization of society. We no longer feel as much as we used to. There is less compassion in the world. We have become so digital that human interaction is no longer a must in our society, and hence we have in essence become without a heartbeat, our hands cold and our sensibilities systematic.
If he were to have said “dancers” people would not have even thought twice about the significance of the main line in the song and they would have said, “Oh yes, dancers, those people who go up on stage, what a pretty song.” Instead we get all of this lovely discussion on websites where people might for a moment look to their lives and ask the question,
“Am I human or am I dancer?”
it is definetly dancer i know it
i Dnt no wat it is…but i think denser makes more sence…but lots of people are saying it is dancer!!??? :S:S
You know I never realised how many dense people where out there. The killers web site says dancer, flowers says dancer, every lyric place says you guessed it dancer so how come you thickos are still on here and saying its denser lol get a life and dance
okay.
it has to be denser.
humans are dense.
so hes saying are we human or are we denser. like are we something thats not human.
dancers does not make anysense what so ever.
whats the difference between a human or a dancer. they are both still himan.
any thing that is not that dense is NOT human.
so thats what he means!
Man the dumb people I’ve seen in my days and here they are arguing over such something that is written in stone who cares you can cry about it being denser but maybe your the one who is dense dancer has a lot more meaning then denser so were dense? that just doesn’t make any sense. it has such a deeper meaning when you think of it as a dancer. being this yes they aren’t using it as dancers but isn’t that how they wanted it to show us are we really human or do we conform to everything our society gives us. what beautiful words they have wrote they don’t calls us dense but ask us are we really human. a song that i can say i listen to everyday and love it so please would the idiots who think its denser. just put it as your last name and there your completely dense to what this song truly means to us as humans. you are the dancer thank you and goodnight.
Sincerely Jordan<3
i think it is dancer, brandon said so anyway im a victim, us victims just know
7 months of debate on this thread!! If you don’t know it’s Dancer by now, then you’re denser than anybody could ever realise! lol
At 46 it astounds me to read all this drivel, when the debate was settled several times over in many different way, and yet it still goes on.
Great song, not so great fans.
Why would it be dancer???
Think about it are we human or are we denser translates to me as are we human or is there more to us!
Dancer dosnt make sense!!! I apologise if i am wrong but i really cant see it being dancer!!!
I take back the previous!!
It dancer!!! Of course.
Love the song;
Love this never ending thread
This is silly!! I think it could be either but it is only one word in a song!! There are loads of comments on this and it just seems a waste of time!!!
I thought it was “are we woman, or are we dancer” but I listening the song several times, and I am sure it is:
Are we… hu.. hu…
or
Are we… da.. da…
like the la la la words in a songs. It leaves you the listner te freedom to put the words you like better.
It is actually dancer NOT DENSER!
If any of you people who think it’s denser actually spent some time researching it you would know
it is actualy dancer! The killers confirmed on their offical website that IT IS DANCER, ther are thousands of lyrics websites saying it is DANCER. The whole “are we human or are we dancer” thing might not make sense when you first listen to it but if you look at the meaning behind it, it actually doe’s fit pretty well. Its a quote taken from this writer and their is meaning behind the word dancer “are we human(having free choice) or are we dancer(puppets on strings, doing what we’re told etc.) If you all really REALLY listen to the song you will realise that it is DANCER and the whole song is about life,death and suicide!!! SO IT IS DANCER !!!!!!!!!
it´s dancer when I first heard this song I thought that he said dancer but my english is very bad you can see that, when he said “when the call came down the line” I thought that he said when the cocaine down the line” I think that I need to learn more.
You know, it can be taken both ways, Dancer can mean something more complex, more dense in mind, a state of mind like the ravers for example.
What does denser mean? I speak spanish and I’m not quite sure what it means,,,,!
i believe that this relates to “lord of the flies”. its inside ourselves, its whatever we want it to be. we cant control what we believe, regardless of who said it. i believe that it is what you believe in. Anyone agree with me? btw- great song
dancer not denser proof-> http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/11/19/brandon-flowers-wound-up-over-miquoting-of-killers-human/
rinsed
Personally I think it’s an example of how the overall vibe and sound of a song can strike a real chord deep down with people – and people understandably want the lyrics to convey some meaning too. I am the same – I love the song and WANT the lyrics to have the emotional impact of the music. Unfortunately, despite all the debate above, I feel the lyrics are poor, except the line ‘and I’m on my knees looking for the answer’ which I think is very powerful. It’s a shame – I think many songwriters could have come up with lyrics that could have been as powerful as the music.
you know what i think, they just need to ask the band that way we will know
I think that it is dancer cauz I am a dancer and no one can dominate me. so HHhAAAAa. beat that everyone else!
well i think it is saying denser because it’s like there saying are we human as in, well human or if there is more to us then that.like we have feeling and can love…………………beat that
Clara: But the song isn’t yours so it’s not ur choice. Flowers said its dancer so it’s dancer. End of story…
Dancer makes sense because people are a system’s puppet. We dance a government’s dance… we can’t (in general)thing for ourselves and so we must live our poor human condition as puppets (even if we want to change they don’t let us)…
It’s Dancer. The official merchandise from their website shop says “or are we dancer?”
i didn’t say it was my song i was just suggesting the idea of it being denser.
i didn’t say it was my song i was just suggesting the idea of it being denser!
It’s not “Dancer” or “Denser”
Its….
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
“Pretentious Gibberish”.
(good band though)
For those of you that have the argument that “dancer” is not plural, just look at the phrase ahead of it. He doesn’t say “Are we humans?” He says “Are we human?” So for sentence structure it just sounds better when he says “Are we human, or are we dancer?”
It does not make syntactical sense to say “dancer”, actually, so I don’t know where you learnt to write English. The song has some of the stupidest lyrics but it is “dancer” not “denser”. It’s derived from what Thompsons (Hunter S. Thompson) said about America raising a generation of dancers. The plural is derived from the plural pronoun “we”. It does not make sense to say “are we dancer”. He is not asking “are we humans” because there is no need to use the plural “human”. It’s like having to say “are we Englishmen?” rather than “are we English?” .
It doesn’t sound better, it makes him sound like a retard.
I dont know why all you all are going about it only two ways. i actually think its neither. my ears tell me its “done soon”. are we human or are we done soon.
I think it should be up to people themselves, to tell if the word is denser or dancer. In that way, you make the song have a meaning to yourself, which frankly would satisfy everyone.
If you look at what the other lines in the song sing, you will see that the speculation of denser fitting better is purely and absolutely wrong. The song is indeed about the dehumanization of society. It is a question. “am I human, or am i dancer?” If you are human, you belong with all the other humans, and fit in with them. What is the dancer, then? That would be the rest who don’t follow the norm of being “human.” It calls for a change in the norms of “fitting in” with society.
to “the_one_who_is_not_an_itiot” on 24th november.
you ay want to learn to spell idiot before you say you’re not one my darling
and the rest of you need to get a grip.
you’re arguing over the lyrics of a song. does that not sound rather erm pathetic to you?
if brandon flowers says it’s dacer then tbh its blatently dancer unless he lies about the lyrics of his own song (hmm that sounds likely)
settled.
now shut up all of you
Human=>free will, freedom of action & choice
Dancer=>following routine
dancer not denser; though denser would’ve caused less confusion.
Sweet Holy Mother Of Forums!!!!!!!!
If it is “denser”, show some proof!
EXCEPT from your own stupid, narrow-minded opinions on song-writing and the hold english grammer has on expressing art!!!
I thought for sure it was DANZA. Flowers is asking us if we are HUMAN and therefore real or are we DANZA and therefore stupid and fictitious like Tony Danza’s character “Tony” in “Who’s the Boss” and countless other ridiculous characters he has played in his career.
I don’t understand.
Can no one see the true behind the lyrics?
The song is about Santa Claus and his reindeer s.
The word is actually PRANCER because Rudolf doesn’t rhyme!!
I think is dancer…justa like a race…human or dancer…not dancers…I think they are trying to make a point of view…We victims are dancer…
))))
you all sound like those wankers that stand in front on abstract art. just enjoy the ride. stop analysing……can you recommend another killers song as good as human btw……
Ha, I agree, but I’m glad to see so many comments on my blog!
If you’re looking for decent Killers songs, check out the Hot Fuss album. I guess thats the closest to the sound on ‘Human’.
at first i thought it was denser and the guy was just prononcing it weird but after i searched it up on Google it does seem that it is dancer because this guy (forget his name) said we are going to raise a generoration of dancers (or something like that, dancers being like all in unison and not indiviual and just with the beat. although i except that the actual lyric is dancer i think it would have been a better (with more impact) to say denser. how ever the band’s reason for the word they chose is perfectly clear and does make sense once you know their reason (which i said above). but guys don’t get to worked up over it beacuse in all it is just 1 word in a fantastic song.:)
dancers like sheep?
search Molotov, it’s a mexican band, the album is “Dance and Dense Denso”.
Dense Denso =density. In the Killers song i think it refers to the relation between Human with Spirit and Boby or something dense…
What a enormous discussion
I heard it a lot of times,and all the times heard just “dancers”.
Sounds likes non-sense,or not.
I agree with what Gidejon said:
“It does not make syntactical sense to say “dancer”, actually, so I don’t know where you learnt to write English. The song has some of the stupidest lyrics but it is “dancer” not “denser”. It’s derived from what Thompsons (Hunter S. Thompson) said about America raising a generation of dancers. The plural is derived from the plural pronoun “we”. It does not make sense to say “are we dancer”. He is not asking “are we humans” because there is no need to use the plural “human”. It’s like having to say “are we Englishmen?” rather than “are we English?” .
It doesn’t sound better, it makes him sound like a retard. ”
and I also agree on what Hollina said:
“If he were to have said “dancers” people would not have even thought twice about the significance of the main line in the song and they would have said, “Oh yes, dancers, those people who go up on stage, what a pretty song.” Instead we get all of this lovely discussion on websites where people might for a moment look to their lives and ask the question, Am I human or am i Dancer?”
If Flowers tried to exercise his poetic license and garner attention to this song then he, on all accounts, did a damn good job. I’ve never had a fascination for lyrics before I listened to this song.
However, had he sung ‘dancers’ instead of ‘dancer’, it would still have made people sit up and think, “Aren’t all dancers humans?”. It would still hold a cryptic meaning, it would probably still fire off discussions. But the song sucks because of that word that is grammatically incorrect. It sticks out like a sore thumb in what would have been my favourite Killers song.
And the fact that he mentioned ‘he can do what he wants’ pretty much sums up the arrogance of a person that he is – this coming from a self-proclaimed Killers fan. Lyrics traditionally dont have meaning when read or taken on face value (Ever listen to Nirvana songs? Complete rubbish) but in my opinion Flowers didnt have to do what he did with the lyrics of this song.
[...] he was wrong -by morfeas9 Jump to Comments A friend of mine killed me over a conversation about that ‘Human’ song, claiming that the iconographic [...]
I only read these comments because I got into the same debate with my friend. My dad always listens to Key 103 radio when he drives and it apparantly said that the lyrics were denser, so I looked up the word, always thinking it meant tightly packed or very thick or something. However, when I looked it up I found another meaning: it can also mean stupid or slow to learn and understand. So, since then, I was convinced the lyrics must be denser. But then, I looked at some of the comments on this website and the fact they may have changed dancer from a noun to an adjective is something so typical of this band. The lyrics are deep, almost poetic. Can you really expect the Killers to simply sit down and say things straight out?
So for those who believe it is denser, I guess there is an argument for it, almost like it is saying ‘are we human or are we stupid’. However, I think that dancer is right. Imagine a line of dancers, all doing the same thing, all moving in a rigid formation. Then, think about what is meant by human, what makes up a human like emotion, love etc. So, if you put it together, what it is really asking is ‘Are we capable of love and emotion and individuality or are we just following what the person in front is doing?’ If you look at it that way, it makes sense.
Wow, this is really winding me up!!
The way I see it is this;
The ambiguous word is DANCER. That is what Brandon Flowers says it is, and as it is he that wrote the song, that is what the word is. End of story, no arguments!
Anyone that insists that it is DENSER is either:
1) Stupid, in which case there is no point in arguing with them
or
2) Trying to perpetuate the argument, in which case there is no point in arguing with them…!
Thanks for listening.
Ya, I believe he is saying dancer but by not pronouncing it plural it has an effect that kind of hides the word and makes it sound like it is fading out leaving it more up to the listener to interpret what he is saying. Denser does not seem like very descriptive word. Denser to me means stupid. If you say that person is really dense you mean he is a moron. Plus it simply doesn’t sound like he is saying denser. I definitely hear the “DAN” in dancer but I do not hear the “s”. But if he perfectly enunciated the word it would sound like I was at school or something. Who wants to listen to that? A good example of this artistic phrasing would be Tom Yorke. Half the time I can’t tell what he is saying at all but that makes my imagination go wild. That is the whole point.
I agree with Lewis. It’s in reference to popular 80’s Italian imbecile – Tony Danza.
to be a dancer you have to be human at first…so….if you re not human you could be more or less than that or something different.. something denser
Wow just wow. ITS DANCER!!!!
DENSER
ok. you guys. to start. answer rymes with dancer. not denser. secondly. do you even know the meaning of the song? its derived from a famous quote by Hunter S. Thompson saying that america is raising a generation of DANCERS. any one who thinks the words are denser…just….wow……
I agree with Geoff Capes. The Killers are on record as saying they were big fans of “Who’s the Boss” and imparticular Tony “Ey, Yooz Guys” Danza. The much-loved 80s Italian half-wit was also referenced in Elton Johns 1971 tribute to “The Danz” that featured the lyrics “Hold me closer, Tony Danza”.
you are all iddiots for arguing for such an invallad cause all of u need to grow up
Its dancer on the killers website they sell tshirts saying are we human or are we dancer, Its from the quote “America is raising a generation of dancers” but he says human instead of humans so he also didnt make dancer plural
I didn’t read through all of these but people who don’t get why denser doesn’t make sense, it would be wondering if we have souls, if we’re more than just people that live and die.. that would make sense since he is “on his knees (praying) looking for the answer”. the whole thing sounds like death and whether or not the person who is dead/dying is still existing. “there is no message we’re receiving. Tell me, is your heart still beating?” “wave, goodbye, you’ve got to let me go” “cut the cord” … however if the people say it’s dancer I guess it is. to me though, it will always be denser. It’s way better that way
Hello, my name Nathan Mwembe. I like the Killer, The Kings of the Leon and the Five Star. Anyone want to be penpal please reply. Thank.
it is definitely denser…in the sense are we human or denser..that is much heavier,is there something more to our existence than we actuall know of it..are we thicker that we think of ourselves…read the rics in that sense and you will understand the song more thoroughly