Dakota the Dancing Bear | David Allan Coe Lyrics, Meaning & Videos

Posted by Arica Deslauriers on Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Dakota the Dancing Bear
David Allan Coe Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴Betty drove the semi she pulled up to the pump
I thought I wanted a Coca-Cola and I started out on the jump
She said hold it Dave come quick there's something you gotta see
That man had got a dancing bear tied up to that old tree
I said dance dance Dakota dance all around the country store
Me and sweet Betty ain't never seen a bear that could dance before
Well it's one step two steps three steps four
A bottle of soda and he'll dance some more Dance dance Dakota dance all around the country store

Well these hippies walked up to the cage giving pills to that ole bear
I don't know what it was they was giving to him it had him pulling out his hair
I tried to keep time with the music Lord with the beat on my tamborine

Gave him some wine from a Mason jar and we all began to sing
I said dance dance Dakota dance...


Overall Meaning

In this song, David Allan Coe tells the story of encountering a dancing bear named Dakota while on a road trip with Betty. When they stop at a gas station, Betty sees the bear tied up to a tree and calls Coe over to see. Coe is amazed to see a bear that can dance and begins to sing about it. As they watch, some hippies approach the cage and give pills to the bear, causing it to become agitated and pull out its hair. Coe tries to keep the beat by playing his tambourine and they offer the bear some wine. The group continues to sing and dance with Dakota until they eventually have to leave.


While on the surface the song may seem to be about the novelty of a dancing bear, it can also be interpreted as a commentary on the treatment of animals and the exploitation of their unique abilities for human entertainment. The mention of the hippies giving the bear pills and causing it harm could be seen as a critique of the use of drugs to control/alter behavior in circus animals. Additionally, the joyous celebration of Dakota's dance could be seen as a way for humans to justify and make light of the fact that the bear is not living in its natural habitat and may be suffering.


Line by Line Meaning

Betty drove the semi she pulled up to the pump
Betty drove a big truck and parked it by a fuel pump


I thought I wanted a Coca-Cola and I started out on the jump
I initially decided to get a Coca-Cola and became excited about it


She said hold it Dave come quick there's something you gotta see
Betty called me over to see something interesting


That man had got a dancing bear tied up to that old tree
There was a man who had a bear tied up to a tree and the bear could dance


I said dance dance Dakota dance all around the country store
I asked the dancing bear named Dakota to dance around the country store


Me and sweet Betty ain't never seen a bear that could dance before
Betty and I have never seen a dancing bear before


Well it's one step two steps three steps four
The bear danced in a particular rhythm: one step, two steps, three steps, four


A bottle of soda and he'll dance some more
After giving the bear a bottle of soda, it continued to dance


Dance dance Dakota dance all around the country store
I repeated my request for Dakota to continue dancing around the country store


Well these hippies walked up to the cage giving pills to that ole bear
A group of hippies approached the bear's cage and gave it pills


I don't know what it was they was giving to him it had him pulling out his hair
The pills made the bear so uncomfortable, it started pulling out its hair


I tried to keep time with the music Lord with the beat on my tamborine
I played my tambourine along with the music to keep the beat


Gave him some wine from a Mason jar and we all began to sing
I gave the bear some wine from a Mason jar and we all started singing together


I said dance dance Dakota dance...
I repeated my request for Dakota to dance


Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

ncG1vNJzZmirn6O2pLTIrapnm5%2BifLe1w56maHyRq7alq6Clo5qmj3i8pnujmqKorJGUwamxvn2Yp5uZo7SgjsSaqQ%3D%3D