(Go Ahead and) Dance

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Synopsis: The lyrics to one of Trent Lane’s better-known songs, written after Mystik Spiral’s move to Boston (shortly after Trent’s sister Jane began college there).

Author’s Notes: This song was inspired by comments made by Trent Lane on “Daria” episode #211, “See Jane Run.” The following dialog is taken from Outpost Daria’s transcript of this episode (http://www.outpost-daria.com/ts_ep211.html). Daria Morgendorffer and Trent are watching Jane’s performance in a running competition.

Trent: What she's doing takes guts. All that practicing, day in, day out.

Daria: Yeah.

Trent: And what for? So a crowd of drunks can make your art the backdrop to their pathetic mating dance? They don't care about your dream. They just want something loud going on so they don't have to talk.

Daria: Um, we're not discussing Jane anymore, are we?

Acknowledgments: This song was contributed to a song-fic contest started by PPMB denizen Wouter, in September 2002. No music exists for it, just the lyrics. Enjoy.

(Go Ahead And) Dance

Lyrics by Trent Lane

From the Mystic Spiral album, Was I Supposed to Do Something About It?

I’m a twenty-something nothing living out in the ‘burbs,

I waste my time writing music that ain’t nobody heard,

You’re just dancing to the rhythm and not listening to words,

And I’m screaming ‘stead of singing ‘cause I get so disturbed!

Ain’t nothing getting through to you, you’re deaf as a stone,

You don’t care just where you’re going, long as you get there alone,

You know you’re dancing on a ship that you know’s gonna sink,

But you’re dancing to my music so you don’t have to think!

Go ahead and dance, people, go ahead and dance!

You’re only sleeping though you’re moving, you just dream you’re alive,

You’ve got a life without a future and a wreck you can drive,

You forgot your destination, but you’re sure you’ll arrive,

And I’m screaming ‘stead of singing, hoping someone survives!

Ain’t nothing getting through to you, you’re deaf as a stone,

You don’t care just where you’re going, just so you get there alone,

You know you’re dancing on a ship that’s going down in the drink,

But you’re dancing to my music so you don’t have to think!

Go ahead and dance, people, go ahead and dance!

Got a hot war on the TV and got death in the skies,

Got those bills stuck in your mailbox, but you just got downsized,

Got a letter from your baby giving you the goodbye,

But you can dance until you puke, and I won’t even ask why!

Ain’t nothing getting through to you, you’re deaf as a stone,

You don’t care just what you’re doing, you don’t plan to atone,

And now you’re dancing underwater, you’ll be gone in a blink,

But you’re dancing to my music, so you don’t have to think!

Go ahead and dance, people, go ahead and dance!

Dance dance dance dance, go ahead and dance!

Original: 9/23/02

Revised: 1/29/03

Song lyrics

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