1. ME DANCE VERY-FIRST MORNING WHILE CREATE WORLD GENERAL.
ME DANCE THROUGH MOON AND STARS AND SUN.
ME LEAVE MY HOME IN HEAVEN FAR-AWAY
BORN IN BETHLEHEM, SHARE YOUR(plural) PAIN.

Refrain: COME-ON DANCE, ANY PLACE (2h)YOU LIVE.
ME, YOUR LORD, INVENT DANCE FOR (2h)YOU.
ME LEAD #ALL-OF-YOU, ANY PLACE (2h)YOU LIVE.
ME LEAD #ALL-OF-YOU. HOW? TEACH"each" DANCE.

2. ME DANCE FOR JEWISH LEADERS WHILE LIVE EARTH,
BUT THEY-rt REFUSE DANCE, DON'T-WANT FOLLOW ME.
ME DANCE FOR FISHERMAN, J-A-M-E-S AND J-O-H-N.
TWO-OF-THEM COME LEARN DANCE PASS-DOWN. Refrain

3. ME DANCE DURING REST DAY WHILE ME HELP LAME HEAL.
THOSE-rt HOLY PEOPLE TELL-me (role play) SHAME-ON-YOU WAG-FINGER.
THEY-rt WHIP, CLOTHES TEAR-DOWN AND CRUCIFY ME.
THEY-rt LEAVE-me ON CROSS, WAIT UNTIL DIE. Refrain

4. ME DANCE GOOD FRIDAY WHILE SKY BECOME BLACK.
DIFFICULT DANCE WHILE DEVIL PUSH-DOWN-me.
THEY-rt BURY MY BODY AND THINK ME GONE,
BUT ME CREATE DANCE AND PASS-DOWN CONTINUE. Refrain

5. THEY-rt TRY PUSH-DOWN BUT ME LEAP-TO HEAVEN.
ME HAVE LIFE THAT NEVER NEVER DIE.
IF YOU LIVE INSIDE-SELF ME, ME LIVE INSIDE YOU.
ME, YOUR LORD, INVENT DANCE FOR (2h)YOU. Refrain

Notes: ME - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

VERY-FIRST - [1], PO down, FO away, supinates like the sign FIRST, but strikes the thumb of NDH [A dot], PO > DS, FO away. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: First.

CREATE - C-MAKE.

BETHLEHEM - "B" CITY. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Bethlehem.

COME-ON - (2h)[B^] move in circles pivoting at the wrists to beckon someone to do something.

#ALL-OF-YOU - [A], PO up, FO > DS - held at DS then swings away in an arc and ends [L^], PO up, FO > NDS.

FISHERMAN - (2h)[bO] mime flicking a fishing rod.

PASS-DOWN - (2h)[O^], circle around each other from the shoulder and moving forward, but the action is stop and go.

LAME - (2h)[1^], POs down, FOs away, move in alternate vertical circles at right angles to the chest, with a sideways motion of the body as if limping.

HOLY - H-CLEAN. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Holy - 1.

SHAME-ON-YOU - Same as SHAME.

WAG-FINGER - Shake index finger in reprimand.

TEAR-DOWN - Both hands rip off the clothes forcibly.

CRUCIFY - Pinky side of [S] is "driven" into palm of [B], PO away, FO up, then vice versa. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - crucify.

PUSH-DOWN-me - Palm of [B] pushes down [1], PO > DS, FO up.

INSIDE-SELF - The FT of [C] are held against the chest and stuff the FT of [O^] into the [C] twice.

Lyrics:

1. I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Refrain: Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

2. I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
But they would not dance and they would not follow me;
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;
They came to me and the dance went on. Refrain

3. I danced on the sabbath when I cured the lame,
The holy people said it was a shame;
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me high;
And they left me there on a cross to die. Refrain

4. I danced on a Friday and the sky turned black;
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back;
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone,
But I am the dance and I still go on. Refrain

5. They cut me down and I leapt up high,
I am the life that’ll never, never die;
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he. Refrain

To hear a performance of this song, go to Lord of the Dance.