03-20-19
Practically any LCD Soundsystem song will bring me joy; I think I settled on this one for a few reasons: the first being I felt it went with the “dancing” theme of the week, and second, it was the beginning of their “final” show a few years ago. At the time it was the last known show of LCD, as many know they have since come back, and have been touring and recording (YAY!)
Regardless, trying to imagine this being the last potential time ever seeing them, the amount of emotions present for the fans, as well as LCD is something that can be felt when listening to the live recording and watching the footage, (if you weren’t lucky enough to experience it yourself.)
The live video shows scenes of the band preparing, and though this was the last of multiple shows already played at a sold-out Madison Square Gardens you could still hear conversations about being nervous; they knew this show was going to be something extra special, and it was. Having been in the middle of those LCD crowds, I have a good sense of the unparalleled elation most everyone was feeling.
It’s interesting, I can’t really tell you anything specifically that makes LCD unique, their music is excellent, but it isn’t anything terribly innovative, their stage setups aren’t anything crazy over the top, but their performances are still filled with such mutual respect. As performers their appreciation for their craft and your time as a fan is noticeable. I think this is one of the most substantial reasons I have such a profound appreciation for LCD Soundsystem, they make me feel respected, and in that they create a sense of family at every show—we all come in from our own hectic lives, separate, unconnected, by the end the connections forged are present long after the last note.
When I first started going to music festivals, LCD was early on in their career, it became known that their shows were filled with a booming sound that really did envelop every person around. Most of the friends I have that are hard of hearing have said they enjoy the LCD shows for the ability to feel more of it than other shows. Though their sound may not seem as hard-hitting as different genres, the sheer force of decibels from LCD shows are rivaled be a very small few.
The concept of Dancing Yrself Clean is real, and it’s something that many cultures share. Dance and the power of dance runs through everybody. It manifests it every way imaginable, but its power and effect are something that has been thoroughly verified; movement as therapy continues to be used and seen as methods in helping people find ways of developing and improving behavior and internal disposition. Sure, there’s plenty of people that say they don’t dance, or don’t like to dance, but I would wager it’s more a response of feeling self-conscious oppose to not enjoying the movement. When we’re alone in a room, and our favorite music comes on most everyone we’ll share the same urge to physically respond.
Lyrics:
Walking up to me expecting
Walking up to me expecting words
It happens all the time
Present company excepted
Present company except the worst
It happens every night
Present company excluded every time
Present company, the best that you can find
Talking like a jerk
Except you are an actual jerk
And living proof that sometimes friends are mean
Present company expect it
Present company, just laugh it off
It’s better than it seems
Present company excluded in every way
Present company, makes me wanna stay
Killing it with close inspection
Killing it can only make it worse
It sort of makes it breed
Present company accepting
Presently we all expect the worst
Works just like a need
Present company excluded in the night
Present company included in the fight
Don’t you want me to wake up
Then give me just a bit of your time
Arguments are made for make-ups
So give it just a little more time
We’ve got to bring the resources
I wanna play it ’til the time comes
Forget your string of divorces
You go and throw your little hands up
I miss the way the night comes
With friends who always make it feel good
This basement has a cold glow
Though it’s better than a bunch of others
So go and dance yourself clean
Go and dance yourself clean
You’re blowing Marxism to pieces
Baby, they’re arguments, the pieces
It’s your show
It’s your show
It’s your show
It’s your show
It’s your show…
Work a little bit…
Every night’s a different story
It’s a thirty car pile-up with you
Everybody’s getting younger
It’s the end of an era, it’s true
And you go
Stop, stop, stop, stop
Stop, stop, stop, stop
Break me into bigger pieces
So some of me is home with you
Wait until the weekend
And we can make our bad dreams come true
And it’s a-go
Yeah, it’s a-go
And if we wait until the weekend
We can miss the best thing to do
Go and dance yourself clean
Go and dance yourself clean
You’re blowing Marxism to pieces
Maybe they’re arguments, the pieces
We should try a little harder
In the tedious march of the few
Every day’s a different warning
There’s a part of me hoping it’s true