Dancing With the Moonlit Knight
Dancing With the Moonlit Knight
Génesis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴"Can you tell me where my country lies?"
Said the uni faun to his true love's eyes
"It lies with me!" cried the Queen of Maybe
For her merchandise, he traded in his prize
"Paper late!" cried a voice in the crowd
"Old man dies!" The note he left was signed 'Old Father Thames'
It seems he's drowned
Citizens of hope & glory,
Time goes by, it's the time of your life
Easy now, sit you down
Chewing through your Wimpey dreams,
They eat without a sound
Digesting England by the pound
Young man says "you are what you eat" eat well
Old man says "you are what you wear" wear well
You know what you are, you don't give a damn
Bursting your belt that is your homemade sham
The Captain leads his dance right on through the night
Join the dance
Follow on! Till the Grail sun sets in the mould
Follow on! Till the gold is cold
Dancing out with the moonlit knight,
Knights of the Green Shield stamp and shout
There's a fat old lady outside the saloon
Laying out the credit cards she plays fortune
The deck is uneven right from the start
And all of their hands are playing apart
Captain leads his dance right on through the night
Join the dance
Follow on! A round table talking down we go
You're the show
Off we go with, you play the hobbyhorse,
I'll play the fool
We'll tease the bull
Ringing round & loud, loud & round
Follow on! With a twist of the world we go
Follow on! Till the gold is cold
Dancing out with the moonlit knight,
Knights of the Green Shield stamp and shout
Overall Meaning
The lyrics of Genesis's Dancing With the Moonlit Knight are deep and complex, with layers of meaning that require careful consideration. The first verse features the uni faun asking his true love where his country lies. The Queen of Maybe replies that it lies with her, and the uni faun tragically trades in his prize for her merchandise. The second verse is a critique of the selling off of England by the pound, with the citizens of hope and glory being urged to sit down and chew on their Wimpey dreams as England is being digested. The third verse features a young man and old man discussing how you are what you eat and what you wear, respectively, while bursting their homemade shams. The fourth verse brings us back to the Captain leading his dance, with the moonlit knight joining in and the knights of the Green Shield stamping and shouting.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you tell me where my country lies?
The uni faun asks his true love where their country is and hopes that their answer will restore his sense of national belonging.
"It lies with me!" cried the Queen of Maybe
The Queen of Maybe asserts that she is the keeper of the nation's identity and sovereignty, reducing it to a commodity to be traded for personal gain.
For her merchandise, he traded in his prize
The uni faun exchanged something valuable for the Queen's goods or services, potentially losing part of his identity in the process.
"Paper late!" cried a voice in the crowd
A person in the crowd calls attention to a delay in newspaper delivery, emphasizing the significance of the news and the impact it has on society.
"Old man dies!" The note he left was signed 'Old Father Thames'
An elderly man dies and leaves a note symbolically identifying himself with the river Thames, hinting at the interconnectedness of life and death.
It seems he's drowned
It is implied that the old man died by drowning, possibly suggesting the significance of water and its transformative power.
Selling England by the pound
The act of selling a country like a commodity for monetary gain, suggesting the potential loss of national identity and sovereignty.
Citizens of hope & glory,
The song addresses the people of England, evoking the iconic phrase 'Land of Hope and Glory' from the national anthem.
Time goes by, it's the time of your life
Time passes quickly, and the present moment is the most important time in one's life.
Easy now, sit you down
The song invites the listener to relax and take comfort in the present moment, rather than always striving for something else.
Chewing through your Wimpey dreams,
Wimpey is a reference to a fast food chain, suggesting the consumption of cheap and easily obtainable 'dreams' that are ultimately unfulfilling.
They eat without a sound
The 'they' could refer to the people or the dreams themselves, consumed without making any significant impact or change.
Digesting England by the pound
Repeating the image of England being consumed or assimilated for profit, highlighting the potential loss of national identity and value.
Young man says "you are what you eat" eat well
The saying 'you are what you eat' is used to encourage people to eat healthy food, potentially suggesting the importance of nurturing and taking care of oneself.
Old man says "you are what you wear" wear well
The saying is adapted to 'you are what you wear', implicating the significance of appearance and social status in defining oneself.
You know what you are, you don't give a damn
A person's sense of identity is already established, and they do not care about other people's opinions or societal expectations.
Bursting your belt that is your homemade sham
The idea of bursting one's belt suggests overindulgence, and the 'sham' is the falseness of the image one presents to the outside world.
The Captain leads his dance right on through the night
The Captain is a metaphor for leadership or authority, and the dance suggests the movement and progression of society.
Join the dance
A call to action, encouraging people to participate in society and take an active role in shaping their future.
Follow on! Till the Grail sun sets in the mould
A reference to the legend of King Arthur and the search for the Holy Grail, emphasizing the need for a noble and idealistic quest in life.
Follow on! Till the gold is cold
Another call to action, urging people to continue pursuing their goals and aspirations until they are no longer relevant or valuable.
Dancing out with the moonlit knight,
The moonlit knight is a symbol of romance and chivalry, suggesting the importance of a romantic vision of life and love.
Knights of the Green Shield stamp and shout
The Green Shield could be a reference to a company or a symbol of environmentalism, implying the importance of protecting the natural world and the ideals it represents.
There's a fat old lady outside the saloon
An image of an overweight woman outside a bar, possibly suggesting the excess and indulgence of modern society.
Laying out the credit cards she plays fortune
The woman is gambling with her finances, suggesting recklessness and the potential consequences of living beyond one's means.
The deck is uneven right from the start
The playing field is not level, implying the existence of social inequality and privilege.
And all of their hands are playing apart
Despite the appearance of cooperative play, everyone is ultimately acting in their own self-interest, creating a fundamentally divided and fragmented society.
A round table talking down we go
The image of King Arthur's round table is invoked again, emphasizing the importance of equality and open communication in a just society.
You're the show
The listener is being addressed directly and encouraged to take an active role in shaping society and its values.
Off we go with, you play the hobbyhorse,
The image of playing with a hobby horse could be interpreted as frivolous or childish, implying the performative aspects of social interaction.
I'll play the fool
The singer is willing to appear foolish or naive in order to maintain their beliefs and values, rather than compromising or sacrificing them for social approval.
We'll tease the bull
Another symbolic image of play and performance, potentially referring to bullfighting, which implies the risk and danger of life's challenges.
Ringing round & loud, loud & round
The repetition of the word 'loud' suggests the importance of being heard and making an impact in the world.
Follow on! With a twist of the world we go
A call to action, urging people to continue moving forward and adapting to the changing world around them.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANTHONY GEORGE BANKS, PHIL COLLINS, MIKE RUTHERFORD (GB), PETER BRIAN GABRIEL, STEVEN RICHARD HACKETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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