9. ‘Dance Little Liar’// Humbug
A standout single from the band’s third album Humbug, ‘Dance Little Liar’ is a lyrical masterpiece. Turner describes the torment in a cheater’s mind as they face the guilt of their actions. Through conversation with the cheaters conscience, Alex shows the liar is jumping around the lies and the questions, as though they are dancing: “I heard the truth was built to bend / A mechanism to suspend the guilt / Is what you are requiring still / You’ve got to dance little liar.”
Lies are the way in which Alex can delay the guilt, and despite knowing the infidelity will come to light eventually, he can’t help making excuses. The guilt begins to eat the liar up as they consider coming clean, but inevitably, they don’t.
The song is underrated like Humbug is as an album. It’s eerie and boasts the best bass solo of any Arctic Monkey song. The song was produced by Queen of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme and Turner’s lyrics are so vivid, I feel guilty for an act of infidelity I haven’t committed.