The Killers’ ‘Human’ has topped a poll to find the most baffling song lyrics.
According to music streaming service blinkbox Music, which polled 2,000 people in Britain, 30 per cent of people found the line "Are we human, or are we dancer?" completely puzzling.
Martin Cloonan, Professor of Popular Music Politics at Glasgow University, said: "Brandon Flowers of The Killers has admitted that the line is taken from a Hunter S. Thompson quote: ‘We’re raising a nation of dancers.’ Flowers said: ‘I say that it’s a mild social statement, and that’s all I’m gonna say.’ "
The Beatles’ "I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus," (27 per cent) from ‘I am the Walrus’ was in second place, with Michael Jackson’s "What about elephants? Have we lost their trust?" (18%) from ‘Earth Song’ taking the third spot.
Professor Cloonan said of ‘I Am The Walrus’: "John Lennon spoke of writing some of this while on an acid trip, which might help explain things. It is an exercise in surrealism and word play – a true highlight of UK psychedelia. Lennon did once declare that ‘The Walrus was Paul’ but it appears to in fact be a reference to Lewis Carroll’s ‘The Walrus and the Carpenter’ and so, a reference to surreal or imaginary worlds."
And speaking about Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’, he added: "Ultimately this is a misjudged protest song, which sees a world in which the innocent simply have things done to them by malevolent forces. It could be construed as an attack on the ivory trade."
Lionel Richie’s ‘All Night Long’ (12 per cent) and Carly Rae Jepson’s, ‘Call Me Maybe’ (11 per cent) complete the top five.
Rounding out the top 10 are Black Eyed Peas, ‘Boom Boom Pow’ (10 per cent), Duran Duran, ‘The Reflex’ (eight per cent), Wham!, ‘Club Tropicana’ – (eight per cent), Taylor Swift, ‘Love Story’ (seven per cent) and Oasis, ‘Champagne Supernova’ (seven per cent).
The Killers’ ‘Human’ voted most baffling song
