All She Wants to Do is Dance
The Deeper News: Psychological Reflections on Current Events and Popular Culture
He said:
All she wants to do is dance!
I’m driving in my car and the song, “All she wants to do is dance” comes on the radio (by Don Henley from 1985). At first the lyrics seem silly and denigrating to women. All this tough stuff is going on, deals being made, weapons being bought, sold and always all she wants to do is dance and make romance.
Then I begin to reflect on the lyrics from the perspectives of SoulWork and depth psychology. The song presents alternating archetypal energies in our psyches. The male self embodies negative dynamic masculine energy (centered on making money and selling arms) while the female self wants to enjoy and celebrate life, passionately in the present moment. The “Celebration” image from the Osho Zen Tarot arises of three women dancing in the rain, dancing whether it’s sunny or stormy, whether life is bringing blessings or grief. Also the Hindu Shiva figure, Nataraj is another image that dances though all of life.
This aspect of ourselves, does not just want to dance in the present moment but also wants to make romance, wants to find the eros of relationship, celebrate with other human beings. She’s not focusing on the “heat coming off the street”, the horror and violence of the world, but wants to continue to passionately celebrate the aliveness of life.
So on the one hand we can get lost in the story of violence and horror in our world, on the other we can move to escapism, numbing our mind with drugs and partying, or for me a third option arises. The song encourages me to celebrate through creative expression and relationship, the miracle of life in the midst of the agony and ecstasy, the benediction and the catastrophe of existence.
For those who want to listen to the song with the lyrics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFHppvXg0Q
She said:
Last Saturday night when my partner was feeling tired, all I wanted to do was DANCE. I met up with my friend, Sheya, and we let the music of LEFT move our bodies for a few hours.
Dancing calls to my soul; it realigns me with my life’s energy. I let my body become a living instrument to the sounds of the keyboard, the twanging of the guitar, the rhythm of the drum. I am an expression of the music, the vibration, the musicians and the people listening. The experience is tuning me. Sometimes I dance ecstatically or with purpose and strength. The music and the environment take me on a journey that my body responds to, finds the language for. I trust this, so I let go into the experience.
Dancing brings me back into the real current events: what is happening in this moment, both inside myself and in the external environment. To engage my body in the world is embracing the world through dance.
Sam says
I’m not sure that’s really the meaning of the song. I think it’s really trying to open America’s eyes to what’s going on around them. Especially in Nicaragua. All America wants to do is dance, while crazy things are going on.
Self Soul Center says
There are so many meanings that can continually be re-interpreted. I hope you write a blog on what interests you!