My Body Is a Cage
Arcade Fire Lyrics
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From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
I'm standing on a stage
Of fear and self-doubt
It's a hollow play
But they'll clap anyway
My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light
Though my language is dead
Still, the shapes fill my head
I'm living in an age
Whose name I don't know
Though the fear keeps me moving
Still, my heart beats so slow
My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
My body is a
My body is a cage
We take what we're given
Just because you've forgotten
That don't mean you're forgiven
I'm living in an age (I'm living in an age)
That screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There's no one in sight
I'm living in an age (I'm living in an age)
That laughs when I'm dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
Set my spirit free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free
Set my body free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free
The lyrics of Arcade Fire's "My Body is a Cage" describe the singer's sense of feeling trapped and constrained by their body, which prevents them from fully expressing themselves, particularly in dancing with someone they love. The line "my body is a cage that keeps me from dancing with the one I love" is repeated throughout the song, highlighting the key theme of physical and emotional confinement. However, despite feeling trapped and constrained, the singer maintains hope through the line "but my mind holds the key." This suggests that although the body may be limiting, the mind is capable of freeing oneself from this sense of imprisonment.
The second verse speaks of the singer living in an age where darkness is called light and where fear keeps them moving, but their heart beats slowly. Here, the lyrics allude to a sense of disillusionment with the world and the difficulty in navigating it. The singer feels a lack of control and agency, with everything feeling like a hollow play where they receive applause regardless. The repetition of "you're standing next to me" reinforces the idea that someone is there to help, but ultimately it is up to the singer to find the key to free themselves.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of emotional turmoil and struggle, but also illuminate the idea of hope and inner strength. The song's melancholic tone drives home the message that despite one's physical limitations, there is still the possibility of finding freedom through the mind.
Line by Line Meaning
My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
The body is like a prison that prevents the singer from being with the person they love, but the mind has the power to escape this cage.
I'm standing on a stage
Of fear and self-doubt
It's a hollow play
But they'll clap anyway
The singer is filled with fear and doubt, but even if they put on a show that feels empty, people will still applaud.
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
While the person the singer loves is there with them, the power to escape their body's limitations lies within their own mind.
I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light
Though my language is dead
Still, the shapes fill my head
The current time is distorted, as even though things are bleak, they're portrayed as being the opposite. Though the artist's culture has been forgotten, the memory of it lives on in their mind.
I'm living in an age
Whose name I don't know
Though the fear keeps me moving
Still, my heart beats so slow
The artist is experiencing a time period that is unfamiliar and uncertain, but even though they're afraid, their heart continues to beat steadily.
My body is a cage
We take what we're given
Just because you've forgotten
That don't mean you're forgiven
The body feels like a confinement, but people still accept what they're given. Just because someone may forget what's been done to them, it doesn't mean they forgive those actions.
I'm living in an age (I'm living in an age)
That screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There's no one in sight
The singer is experiencing a time period where they are constantly reminded of their identity, but when they try to find their place in the world, they feel alone and unsupported.
I'm living in an age (I'm living in an age)
That laughs when I'm dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
Even when the world seems to mock the artist's happiness with their loved one, their mind has the power to transcend these limitations.
Set my spirit free
Set my body free
The artist desires to be released from the limitations of both the body and the mind, hoping to be truly free.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jeremy Gara, Regine Chassagne, Richard R Parry, Tim Kingsbury, William Butler, Win Butler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@reguigmel2131
My body is a cage
That keeps me from dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
My body is a cage
That keeps me from dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
I'm standing on a stage
Of fear and self-doubt
It's a hollow play
But they'll clap anyway
My body is a cage
That keeps me from dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light
Though my language is dead
Still the shapes fill my head
I'm living in an age
Whose name I don't know
Though the fear keeps me moving
Still my heart beats so slow
My body is a cage
That keeps me from dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
My body is a...
My body is a cage
We take what we're given
Just because you've forgotten
That don't mean you're forgiven
I'm living in an age that
Screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There's no one in sight
I'm living in an age
They laugh when I'm dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
Set my spirit free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free
Set my body free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free
@kareemmoufrige9808
[Chorus]
My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
[Verse 1]
I'm standing on a stage
Of fear and self-doubt
It's a hollow play
But they'll clap anyway
[Chorus]
My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
[Interlude]
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
[Verse 2]
I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light
Though my language is dead
Still the shapes fill my head
I'm living in an age
Whose name I don't know
Though the fear keeps me moving
Still my heart beats so slow
[Chorus]
My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key
[Interlude]
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
My body is a...
[Verse 3]
My body is a cage
We take what we're given
Just because you've forgotten
That don't mean you're forgiven
I'm living in an age
That screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There's no one in sight
I'm living in an age
That laughs
When I'm dancing
With the one I love
But my mind holds the key
[Interlude]
You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
[Outro]
Set my spirit free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free
Set my body free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free
@biaaraujo472
The build up with the organ and the chroir and then the best drop beat ever
@sdeal709
Yep!
@hippiecheezburger5457
Truly a great album closer I love the last part of the song
@benonaru
@@hippiecheezburger5457 noono
@afmccabe
Yes!! Gives me chills EVERY time!!!
@Lorixit
Trauma is real, this song is so beautifully accurate in the feeling of being trapped in your own body.
@milkman1649
One of the best songs made in the history of music
@MadameSenator
This one of life’s universal truths. Period. 🙏🏽
@haroldberserker
It’s good
@zoxultra7011
It’s very good.