Lord of the Dance – English Lyrics

• By: The Dubliners

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a captivating journey with "Lord of the Dance" by The Dubliners, a song that transcends traditional religious boundaries by telling a profound story through the lively, universal language of dance. As an adaptation of a traditional hymn set to a joyous Shaker tune, this Irish folk rendition offers a unique blend of spiritual narrative and musical energy. Listening to this song, you can appreciate how simple, yet powerful, language can convey deep theological concepts and human experiences through metaphor, making it an excellent piece for understanding allegorical storytelling in English folk music.

[English]

I danced in the morning when the world was young

I danced in the moon, and the stars, and the sun

I came down from Heaven and I danced on the Earth

At Bethlehem I had my birth

Dance, then, wherever you may be

I am the lord of the dance said he

And I lead you all wherever you may be

And I lead you all in the dance said he

I danced for the scribes and the pharisees

They wouldn't dance, they wouldn't follow me

I danced for the fishermen James and John

They came with me so the dance went on

Dance, then, wherever you may be

I am the lord of the dance said he

And I lead you all wherever you may be

And I lead you all in the dance said he

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame

The holy people said it was a shame

They ripped me and they stripped me and they hung me high

Left me there on the cross to die

Dance, then, wherever you may be

I am the lord of the dance said he

And I lead you all wherever you may be

And I lead you all in the dance said he

I danced on a Friday when the world turned black

It's hard to dance with the devil on your back

They buried my body; they thought I was gone

But I am the dance, and the dance goes on

Dance, then, wherever you may be

I am the lord of the dance said he

And I lead you all wherever you may be

And I lead you all in the dance said he

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dance /dæns/ A1	verb - to move rhythmically to music noun - a series of rhythmic movements to music
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth and all its inhabitants
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - having lived or existed for a short time
lead /liːd/ B1	verb - to guide or direct
earth /ɜːrθ/ A1	noun - the planet on which we live
shame /ʃeɪm/ B2	noun - a painful feeling of humiliation or distress
devil /ˈdɛvəl/ B2	noun - a supernatural being, often associated with evil
body /ˈbɒdi/ A1	noun - the physical structure of a person or animal
high /haɪ/ A2	adjective - at a great distance above the ground
Friday /ˈfraɪdeɪ/ A1	noun - the day of the week after Thursday
cross /krɔːs/ B1	noun - a symbol of Christianity, consisting of two intersecting lines
hung /hʌŋ/ B2	verb - to suspend or be suspended
cured /kjʊrd/ B2	verb - to restore to health
Bethlehem /ˈbɛθləhɛm/ B2	noun - a town in the West Bank, significant in Christianity