Out of Touch
Bill Nelson's Red Noise Lyrics
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Eating holes in the back of my head
I took you to my skyscraper
Raped you with a tape recorder
Under the bed
Maybe it's psycho-somatic
Or the voices in my sleep
But there's nothing I can do
If the rumors are untrue
'Cos I'm out of touch
Devious to the end
Starve a fever, lose a friend
I'm spending Christmas in hell
Whispers on the phone, faces from some other zone
They want my head I can tell
Maybe it's auto-suggestion
Or my terminal depression
That disturbs you so much
But there's nothing to be said
'Cos my nervous system's dead and I'm out of touch
Don't try to tell me that you know nothing about this
Just stick to the facts, don't think you can fool me with science
I bought a miracle cure but the guarantee has run out
Now you feed my disease as a last desperate act of defiance
Water on the brain, ideas pouring down like rain
I'm feeling soft in the head
Someone's at my door, someone heard and someone saw
I can't remember what they said
It could be image-projection, or maybe a reflection
I'm just drinking too much
But the faces that I've seen seem to stare at me and scream
That I'm out of touch
I'm out of touch
The song "Out of Touch" by Bill Nelson's Red Noise takes the listener on a journey through the mind of a paranoid individual. The first stanza sets the scene of the singer's world, filled with faces in the street and eyes like mirrors, which eat holes in the back of their head. They describe taking someone to their skyscraper, and raping them with a tape recorder under the bed. It is not clear whether this is a literal event, or simply a reflection of the singer's fragmented psyche. They ponder whether their worry is caused by psycho-somatic or the voices in their sleep. It is clear that they are disconnected from reality, saying "there's nothing I can do if the rumors are untrue, 'cos I'm out of touch," implying they cannot distinguish between rumor and reality.
The second stanza continues the theme of the singer's disconnection from the world around them. They describe spending Christmas in hell, and hearing whispers on the phone from faces in another zone who want their head. They ponder whether their disturbance is caused by auto-suggestion or terminal depression. They acknowledge that their nervous system is dead, and they are out of touch with reality. The final stanza describes water on the brain, and ideas pouring down like rain, leading to a feeling of being soft in the head. Someone is at their door, but they cannot remember what was said. They muse that the faces they have seen seem to stare at them, screaming that they are out of touch.
Overall, "Out of Touch" is a dark and unsettling song. The singer is clearly suffering from some form of paranoia, and their truths and delusions are blurred. The lyrics are ambiguous, leaving the listener to question whether events described are literal or symbolic.
Line by Line Meaning
Faces in the street, eyes like mirrors
The people on the street seem almost robotic and lifeless, their reflecting eyes drilling into my mind.
Eating holes in the back of my head
These cold, lifeless people are boring into my mind, creating feelings of paranoia and fear.
I took you to my skyscraper
I wanted to share something special with you and take you to new heights of experience.
Raped you with a tape recorder
I violated your privacy and trust by recording our intimate moments without your knowledge or consent.
Under the bed
I did this sneaky, underhanded thing without being forthright about it.
Maybe it's psycho-somatic
Perhaps my issues are a result of psychological issues that manifest themselves physically.
Or the voices in my sleep
I could be hearing things from beyond reality, or perhaps my own subconscious is playing tricks on me.
That make me worry so much
These things cause me genuine stress and anxiety.
But there's nothing I can do
No matter what I try, my situation seems out of my control.
If the rumors are untrue
If what I've heard isn't true, then there's really nothing to worry about.
'Cos I'm out of touch
But because of my own issues, I feel completely disconnected from the world around me.
Devious to the end
I can be calculating and cunning, even when things get tough.
Starve a fever, lose a friend
Sometimes you have to be practical and make tough decisions in order to survive.
I'm spending Christmas in hell
My current state of being is so miserable that even a holiday season feels like a punishment.
Whispers on the phone, faces from some other zone
I'm getting strange communications from unknown parties, and it's causing me to feel even more paranoid and disconnected.
They want my head I can tell
These people seem to be after me, for reasons I can't comprehend.
Maybe it's auto-suggestion
Perhaps my thoughts and fears are a result of my own self-hypnosis.
Or my terminal depression
My depression has reached a point where it's hard to distinguish between external and internal factors, and everything seems grim and hopeless.
That disturbs you so much
These issues are starting to affect our relationship and connection.
But there's nothing to be said
There's no easy way to explain or fix the situation.
'Cos my nervous system's dead and I'm out of touch
My soul is so numb and disconnected that I feel completely removed from the world around me.
Don't try to tell me that you know nothing about this
You can't act like you don't notice my struggles, because they're clearly affecting our relationship.
Just stick to the facts, don't think you can fool me with science
Don't try to use logic or reason to explain away my issues, because they're deeply ingrained in me and hard to shake off.
I bought a miracle cure but the guarantee has run out
I tried everything to fix my problems, but nothing has changed.
Now you feed my disease as a last desperate act of defiance
You're trying to give me hope, but in reality it's just prolonging my suffering.
Water on the brain, ideas pouring down like rain
My mind is so cluttered and overwhelmed that it's hard to think straight.
I'm feeling soft in the head
My brain feels weak and feeble.
Someone's at my door, someone heard and someone saw
I'm constantly being monitored and watched, even in my own home.
I can't remember what they said
The paranoia is causing me to lose track of reality and forget important details.
It could be image-projection
Perhaps I'm projecting my own inner conflicts onto the external world.
Or maybe a reflection
Maybe everything around me is a product of my own internal turmoil and struggle.
I'm just drinking too much
Perhaps my alcohol consumption is exacerbating my issues.
But the faces that I've seen seem to stare at me and scream
The people around me seem to be judging me and drawing attention to my issues.
That I'm out of touch
I'm so disconnected and lost that I can't even relate to the world around me.
Contributed by Lila Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.