Mumford & Sons - Dust Bowl Dance Lyrics Meaning

Personally, I find more logic in literal interpretations of this song. And I'd like to go into some detail in this case.

"The young man stands on the edge of his porch
The days were short and the father was gone
There was no one in the town and no one in the field
This dusty barren land had given all it could yield"

This is a set up to important details later. A young man who's father is gone, possibly his mother as well, is left with a drought ridden farm which is producing nothing, as was common in the Dustbowl. Whole towns were abandoned as their people lost their farms and businesses and migrated to the west to start over.

"I've been kicked off my land at the age of sixteen
And I have no idea where else my heart could have been
I placed all my trust at the foot of this hill
And now I am sure my heart can never be still
So collect your courage and collect your horse
And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse"

More details. The young man is being kicked off his farm, not being able to pay off whatever loans, rent, or mortgages he owes on the place. Probably raised on the farm, he's losing every bit of what he ever had.

"Seal my heart and break my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my time"

Up till now he's looked in hindsight. Now he is speaking to someone in HIS present. In his situation, all he can do is close himself off and not be prideful. He knows he will be found guilty for what he's done and he can do nothing so he prepares to face his jail sentence.

"Well you are my accuser, now look in my face
Your opression reeks of your greed and disgrace
So one man has and another has not
How can you love what it is you have got
When you took it all from the weak hands of the poor?
Liars and thieves you know not what is in store"

Here he is speaking to another person involved. His "accuser" was one involved in taking his land away out of greed. He accuses this man of becoming wealthy by stealing from the poor who do not have the money to defend themselves in court.

"There will come a time I will look in your eye
You will pray to the God that you always denied
Then I'll go out back and I'll get my gun
I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"

He tells the man that one day he will see the error of his ways, but it will be too late. Once again, being the only son back then gave him a sense of duty to protect his family and property.

"Well yes sir, yes sir, yes it was me
I know what I've done, cause I know what I've seen
I went out back and I got my gun
I said, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"

Here he is outright admitting to killing the man who had attempted to take his land.