Interpretation copied from genius because I'm lazy: Off The Eminem Show, this song has political roots while also serving as a diss towards Canibus.
In fact, the song may be a direct response to Canibus’s song “Draft Me,” in which Canibus 1) threatens an unnamed rival and 2) expresses a desire to fight in the war on terror, even including a quote by George Bush at the end of the song. In “Square Dance”, Eminem attacks Canibus and delivers an anti-draft, anti-war, anti-Bush message.
Never been the type to bend or budge
The wrong button to push, no friend of Bush
Hook:
C'mon now! Let's all get on down!
Let's do-si-do now! We gon' have a good ol' time
Don't be scared, ‘cause there ain't nothin' to worry about
Let your hair down, and square dance with me!
C'mon now! Let's all get on down!
Let's do-si-do now! We gon' have a good ol' time
Don't be scared, ‘cause there ain't nothin' to worry about
Let your hair down, and square dance with me!
One interpretation of this lyric is that Em is making fun his “trailer trash” background with a fake accent and talk of square dancing. Another interpretation, tying the chorus in with the rest of the song, is that he is mocking former President Bush’s Texas accent. Eminem is speaking as American government telling the citizens that everything’s fine, relax, just keep dancing.
With a plan to ambush this Bush administration
Mush the Senate's face and push this generation
Of kids to stand and fight for the right
To say somethin' you might not like
Eminem hated Bush’s administration with a passion. But aside from this, he wanted to call out those members in the Senate that wanted Em banned from the media because of the content in his lyrics. Marshall wanted to fight for freedom of speech.
This white hot light that I'm under
No wonder I look so sunburnt
Movies often depict the government putting criminals in a dark room with a single bright light on them as a form of intimidation. Em is saying that he’s been under one of those lights for so long he’s sun burnt.
Oh yeah, don't think I won't go there
Go to Beirut and do a show there
Beirut is the capital of Lebanon. Eminem would ignore the war/political message it would send to perform live in the middle east (Lebanon). He is cementing his position against the Bush administration.
Yeah, you laugh 'til your mothafuckin' ass gets drafted
While you're at band camp thinking that crap can't happen
Referring to people supporting the war in the middle east (as mentioned in previous line along with the gunshot samples) as long as it does not affect them. This is also Canibus diss. He is referring to his song “Draft me” where he talks about defending his country.
'Til you fuck around, get an Anthrax napkin
Inside a package wrapped in Saran Wrap wrappin'
Open the plastic and then you stand back gaspin'
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. In 2001, letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to several news media offices and two Democratic U.S. Senators, killing five people and infecting 17 others.
Fuckin' assassins hi-jackin' Amtraks, crashin'
All this terror, America demands action
Next thing you know you've got Uncle Sam's ass askin'
To join the army or what you'll do for their Navy
You just a baby gettin' recruited at 18
You're on a plane now, eatin' their food and their baked beans
I'm 28, they gonna take you 'fore they take me
Those require no explanation, I guess?