McDonald became a three-time Tony Award winner by the age of 28 — for her performances in Carousel, Master Class, and Ragtime. She won her fourth in 2004 for her role in A Raisin in the Sun.
McDonald has recorded four solo albums for Nonesuch Records. Her first, the 1998 Way Back to Paradise, featured songs written by a new generation of musical theatre composers who had achieved varying degrees of prominence in the 1990s, particularly Michael John LaChiusa, Adam Guettel and Jason Robert Brown. Her subsequent albums, How Glory Goes and Happy Songs, have featured more traditional theater and cabaret songs along with some songs by these new composers. Her fourth album, Build a Bridge, features songs from the jazz/pop canon, from composers as diverse as Laura Nyro, Elvis Costello, Nellie McKay, Neil Young, Rufus Wainwright, John Mayer and Randy Newman.
My Heart
Audra McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Move right out of my life!
Move, move!
Move right out of my life!
You better move [Move!]
Youre steppin on my heart
I said move [Move]
Ohhh, what am I gonna do, my heart [My heart]
Is breaking breaking up over you [Breaking, breaking up over you!]
Youve got a such magnetic power
That just keeps holding me down [Oooh]
I feel just like a flower
You sure keep me stuck in the ground ground ground
Ohhh move
Move, move!
Move right out of my life!
Move it, move it!
Out of my life!
Move, move!
Move right out of my life!
Move it, move it!
Out of my life!
Move, move!
Move right out of my life!
You are so horribly Satanic
The way you lead me around [Oooh]
I feel just like the Titanic [Ohhhhh]
Im always going down, down, down, down! yeah
[Move, move, youre steppin on my style]
Youre steppin on my style! yes you are I said move
[Move, move, I wanna breathe for a while]
I wanna breathe for a while
[Move, move, move right outta my life]
Ohh, baby!
[Move it, move it, outta my life]
Hey baby!
[Move, move, move right outta my life]
Yeah outta my life!
[Move it, move it, outta my life]
Theres too much pain and strife
So why dont you pack it up and move it, [Move]
Take the cat, kit, and caboodle [Move]
Take your broken down car [Move]
Your smelly cigar [Move]
And just move right outta my [Move, move, move]
Move right outta my life! [Move right outta my life!]
Please move, move, move, move
Please move, move, move, move(continue in background)
Come on! Come on!
Come on, you can do better, for the delectable, the delicious
The defiantDreamettes!
You were great! There is no way we are gonna lose!
In exactly one minute, the winner of our talent contest
The winner of a weeks paid engagement, right here at
The Apollo Theater!
I can't take it! I can't take the suspense!
The song "Move" by Audra McDonald and Lillias White is a powerful and emotional plea for someone to move on from the singer's life. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation, as the singer's heart is breaking and they can't seem to let go of the person they're addressing. The repetition of the phrase "Move, move!" emphasizes the singer's need for this person to leave and stop causing them pain.
The lyrics also use vivid imagery to describe the person's effect on the singer, comparing them to a magnet that keeps holding them down and making them feel stuck in the ground. The use of the Titanic analogy is also powerful, as it implies that the singer is headed for disaster if they don't break free.
Overall, the song is a powerful expression of the pain and frustration that can come from holding onto someone who is no good for you. Its repeated chorus and urgent plea give it a sense of urgency and make it resonate with anyone who has gone through a similar experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Move, move!
Urging the person to leave with emphasis
Move right out of my life!
Wishing for the person to completely exit from their life
You better move [Move!]
A warning to leave immediately
You're stepping on my heart
Their actions are causing serious emotional pain
I said move [Move]
Repeating the request to exit
You're tearing it apart, please move! [Please move]
Desperate plea for the person to leave to avoid further emotional damage
Ohhh, what am I gonna do, my heart [My heart]
Heartbroken and confused about how to move forward
Is breaking breaking up over you [Breaking, breaking up over you!]
Their heart is falling apart because of the person's actions
You've got a such magnetic power
The person has a strong hold on them
That just keeps holding me down [Oooh]
Unable to move forward because of the person's influence
I feel just like a flower
Helpless and fragile in this situation
You sure keep me stuck in the ground ground ground
Unable to make any progress, constantly feeling trapped
You are so horribly Satanic
The person is compared to the devil, emphasizing their negative influence
The way you lead me around [Oooh]
The person is manipulating and controlling them
I feel just like the Titanic [Ohhhhh]
Comparing the situation to the notorious disaster, highlighting the feeling of sinking and drowning
I'm always going down, down, down, down! yeah
Their situation is continuously getting worse
[Move, move, you're steppin on my style]
The person's presence is negatively affecting them and their personal brand/image
Yes you are I said move
Emphasizing the need for the person to leave because of their negative impact
[Move, move, I wanna breathe for a while]
Asking for temporary space from the person to regroup and recover
Hey baby!
Sarcastically calling the person 'baby', to insult and diminish their importance
[Move it, move it, outta my life]
Repeating the request to leave
There's too much pain and strife
Their presence is causing more harm than good
So why don't you pack it up and move it, [Move]
Encouraging the person to leave immediately
Take the cat, kit, and caboodle [Move]
A sarcastic request for the person to take everything with them as they leave
Take your broken down car [Move]
Taking a jab at the person's possessions, insinuating that they are low-quality and unwanted
Your smelly cigar [Move]
Insulting the person's choices and habits
And just move right outta my [Move, move, move]
Repeating the request to leave as many times as necessary
Move right outta my life! [Move right outta my life!]
Final plea for the person to completely remove themselves from their life
Come on! Come on!
Eagerly awaiting the end of their situation
Come on, you can do better, for the delectable, the delicious
Encouraging others to perform their best
The defiantDreamettes!
Referring to themselves as the resilient Dreamettes
You were great! There is no way we are gonna lose!
Encouraging their team and expressing confidence in their performance
In exactly one minute, the winner of our talent contest
Anxiously waiting for the results of the competition
The winner of a weeks paid engagement, right here at
The reward for the winner of the contest
The Apollo Theater!
The venue for the contest and where the winner will perform
I can't take it! I can't take the suspense!
Expressing how much anticipation and stress they are experiencing
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Henry D. Krieger, Tom Eyen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind