What does this song mean?

[Reef.]

Human by the Killers

I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door

Close your eyes, clear your heart

Cut the cord
Are we human or are we dancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we dancer?

Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave good bye, wish me well

You gotta let me go
Are we human or are we dancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we dancer?

Will your system be all right
When you dream of home tonight
There is no message were receiving
Let me know is your heart still beating

Are we human or are we dancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer

You've gotta let me know
Are we human or are we dancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human - or are we dancer?

Are we human or are we dancer?

Are we human or are we dancer?

[norsu]

Welllll, the "are we human or are we dancer" part means:

Are we Santa Claus or are we one of his reindeer?

[Reef.]

lol norsu

at first i thought it was a criticism of human culture, with people putting their binging party lives ahead of what really matters, claiming we've lost all morality to become shallow, 2 dimensional human "doings" rather than good old-fashioned human "beings".

but now i reckon its about freedom, especially with the video being set in open country, with images of the wild animals and the frontman having feathers on his jacket. the "open door", the "cut the cord", the "let me go"... maybe abot getting rid of the chains of what it means to be human and revert back to the self-indulgant, eexpressive state of dance

i dunno

[norsu]

o.O

Deep.

[Reef.]

well not really, its just thought lol

[mate]

I think the imagery speaks of 'dancers' as almost like 'puppets'. Brandon is speaking of letting go, "platform of surrender" "cut the cord" "close your eyes, clear your heart" This "letting go" is to cease to be "Human" because he no longer has life, (eyes closed, cleared heart) and he feels like a "Dancer", a puppet on strings.

The puppet versus human contrast is throughout. To be human is to have life and choice. To be dancer is to be controlled by strings or "cords"

He uses a play on words, instead of "vital signs" his "signs are vital" and "my hands are cold", i.e. lifeless, he is lifeless, and reading his signs are vital in knowing what he really is. He goes on to "say goodbye" to everything (soul and romance, etc), embarking into that "open door"

Like a slouched puppet, he's on his knees. Puppets have no strength in their legs. Yet he wants to "be let go" and to "cut the cord" could refer to losing his strings and being freed from control, no longer being a puppet. Or it could refer to no longer being human. If you "cut the cord", you pull life support on someone. In mythology, The Fates, "cut your cord" and you die, no longer with the life that makes one Human.

The great thing about this song is I can't figure out if he decided he is "human" or "dancer" and maybe he hasn't decided either, "Am I human....or am I dancer."

Great song after a couple of listens, gotta love the Killers