Dust Bowl Dance

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A jarring and emotional song that demonstrates Mumford & Sons’s storytelling ability. We are told the story of a young man who has lost his plains property in the dustbowl… Read More

Oct. 2, 20091 viewer51.2K views

Dust Bowl Dance Lyrics

[Verse 1]
The young man stands on the edge of his porch
The days were short, and the father was gone
There was no one in the town, and no one in the field
This dusty barren land had given all it could yield

[Verse 2]
I've been kicked off my land at the age of sixteen
And I have no idea where else my heart could have been
I placed all my trust at the foot of this hill
And now I am sure my heart will never be still
So collect your courage and collect your horse
And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse

[Chorus]
Seal my heart and break my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my time

[Verse 3]
Well, you are my accuser, now look in my face
Your oppression reeks of your greed and disgrace
So one man has, and another has not
How can you love what it is you have got
When you took it all from the weak hands of the poor?
Liars and thieves, you know not what is in store

[Verse 4]
There will come a time I will look in your eye
You will pray to the God that you've always denied
Then I'll go out back and I'll get my gun
I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"

[Chorus]
Seal my heart and break my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my time

[Interlude]

[Chorus]
Seal my heart and break my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my time

[Interlude]

[Chorus 2]
Well yes sir, yes sir, yes, it was me
I know what I've done, cause I know what I've seen
I went out back, and I got my gun
I said, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"

About

A jarring and emotional song that demonstrates Mumford & Sons’s storytelling ability. We are told the story of a young man who has lost his plains property in the dustbowl of the Dirty Thirties.

The song is told with theatrical flair that belies Mumford’s affinity for the theatre. It’s a Disney villain’s explanatory number; that song in the musical that really knocks it out of the park. As such it’s been the band’s live closer for years.