Because we're all so very twenty first century,
You're probably listening to me on some kind of portable stereo
Maybe you're sitting on the back of the bus,
Or it's running up your sleeve, and you're across from your boss,
Or you're sitting in your bedroom on your own with the lights down low
I'd like to teach you four simple words, so that next time you come to a show,
You could sing those words back at me like they're the only ones that you know:

I want to dance, I want to dance
I want lust and love and a smattering of romance
But I'm no good at dancing, yet I have to do something
Tonight I'm going to play it straight, I'm going to take my chance, I want to dance

Hi ho hi ho hi ho, we're heading out to the punk rock show
Colleagues and friends condescend with a smile,
But this is my culture man, this is my home
The dark huddled masses gather at the gate,
Yeah, the doors are at 7, and the show starts at 8
A few precious hours in a space of our own,
And when the band comes on, the only thing I really know:

I want to dance, I want to dance
I want lust and love and a smattering of romance
But I'm no good at dancing, and yet I have to do something
Tonight I'm going to play it straight, I'm going to take my chance, I want to dance

Yeah is anybody else sick of the music
That's churned out by lacklustre scenesters from Shoreditch?
Yeah it's all sex drugs and sins, like they're extras from Skins,
But it's OK because they don't really mean it
I want bands who had to work for their keep,
Drove a thousand miles and played a show on no sleep,
Sleeping on the floor in a stranger's place,
Hungry just to do it all again the next day

I want to dance, I want to dance
I want lust and love and a smattering of romance
But I'm no good at dancing, and yet I have to do something
Tonight I'm going to play it straight, I'm going to take my chance, I want to dance

So put your hands on your hips, bring your knees in tight
Yeah we do this shit together man, no fists, no fights
We're not trying to shape the world so people think like us,
We just want our own space to dance, no favors no fuss
On blood sweat and vinyl we have a built ourselves a house,
So if the roof is on fire then we're going to put it out
Forget about the bitching and remember that you're blessed,
Punk is for the kids who never fit in with the rest, alright
Somebody told me that music with guitars
Was going out of fashion, and I had to laugh
This shit wasn't fashionable when I fell in love,
If the hipsters move on why should I give a fuck?

I want to dance, I want to dance,
I want me some lust and love and a smattering of that old time romance
But I'm no good at dancing, yet I have to do something
Tonight I'm going to play it straight, I'm going to take my chance
Yeah, I want to dance, I want to dance
I want me and you both to join hands down at the front
So the next time I see you, remember these words so
We'll sing like the barricades are down, and we'll dance like no one's around,
Singing four simple words Writer/s: FRANK TURNER
Publisher: BMG Rights Management
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind