ItsNotUpToYou
Bjork Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the day feels broken
I tilt my head
I'm trying to get an angle
'Cause the evening
I've always longed for
It could still happen
How do I master
The perfect day
Six glasses of water
Seven phone calls
If you leave it alone
It might just happen
Anyway
It's not up to you
Oh, it never really was
It's not up to you
Oh, it never really was
It's not up to you
Well, it never really was
It's not up to you
If you wake up
And the day feels a-broken
Just lean into the crack
And it will tremble ever so nicely
Notice
How it sparkles
Down there
I can decide what I give
But it's not up to me
What I get given
Unthinkable surprises
About to happen
But what they are
It's not up to you
Well, it never really was
It's not up to you
Oh, it never really was
It's not up to you
Oh, it never really was
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
There is too much
Clinging
To peak
There is too much
Pressure
The lyrics to Björk’s song “ItsNotUpToYou” speak to a sense of detachment from control over one’s life, emphasizing the point that things don’t always work out the way we plan or hope, and that it’s not always up to us. The song seems to express a kind of acceptance of this uncertainty, and an embracing of the present moment. The singer of the song wakes up feeling broken, and is trying to find a way to make the day feel perfect. This desire for control is evident in the line “How do I master the perfect day?” which is then followed by mundane tasks like drinking water and making phone calls.
Despite the singer’s efforts, they acknowledge that sometimes things happen despite our plans or desires, and that it’s not up to us to control the future. This theme is repeated throughout the song, with the refrain “It’s not up to you, it never really was.” The singer urges the listener to embrace the present moment, even if it feels broken or imperfect. The line “Just lean into the crack, and it will tremble ever so nicely” suggests that there is beauty to be found in the imperfections and cracks of life. The song ends with the repeated phrase “There is too much clinging to peak, there is too much pressure” which could represent the societal pressure to strive for perfection and control, rather than accepting the unpredictable nature of life.
Overall, “ItsNotUpToYou” seems to be a meditation on the beauty and mystery of life, and the acceptance of the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up
I begin my day
And the day feels broken
But my day doesn't feel right
I tilt my head
I try to change my perspective
I'm trying to get an angle
To see if I can find a better angle
'Cause the evening
Because the evening to come
I've always longed for
Is one I have always desired
It could still happen
It may still come to pass
How do I master
How can I perfect
The perfect day
My ideal day
Six glasses of water
Drink six glasses of water
Seven phone calls
Make seven phone calls
If you leave it alone
Sometimes, if you don't force it
It might just happen
Things can still happen on their own
Anyway
Regardless
It's not up to you
But ultimately, it's not up to you
Oh, it never really was
Regardless of what you do
Well, it never really was
It never really was within your control
If you wake up
In case you wake up
And the day feels a-broken
And the day just doesn't feel right
Just lean into the crack
Lean into the discomfort
And it will tremble ever so nicely
And it will eventually resolve itself
Notice
Pay attention
How it sparkles
And notice how it shines
Down there
Underneath the surface
I can decide what I give
I can decide what I can offer
But it's not up to me
But whether it is accepted or not
What I get given
Is ultimately not up to me
Unthinkable surprises
Unexpected things
About to happen
Are about to occur
But what they are
But what they may be
There is too much
There is an excessive amount
Clinging
Holding on too tightly
To peak
To the highest point
There is too much
There is an excessive amount
Pressure
Of wanting to achieve
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BJORK GUDMUNDSDOTTIR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ALINE CARDOSO DE OLIVEIRA
I wake up
And the day feels
Broken
I tilt my head
I'm trying
To get an angle
'Cause the evenin'
I've always longed for
It could still happen
How do I master
The perfect day?
Six glasses of water
Seven phone calls
If you leave it alone
It might just happen
Anyway
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Well, it never really was)
It's not up to you
If you wake up
And the day feels
Ah broken
Just lean into the crack
(Just lean into the crack)
And it will tremble
Ever so nicely
Notice
How it sparkles
Down there
I can decide
What I give
But it's not up to me
What I get given
Unthinkable surprises
About to happen
But what they are
It's not up to you
(Well, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Oh, me share)
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Well, it never really was)
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
There's too much
Clinging
To peak
There's too much
Pressure
BjorksMusic
Björk has stated several reasons why the album was called "Vespertine" One of these is the prayer aspect of the album: "vespers" are evening prayers. The other reason is that the word "vespertine" relates to night time, for example things that come out at night. Björk felt that this theme was also present on the album. In the song "It's Not Up To You", she sings "The evening I've always longed for, it could still happen".
BjorksMusic
@Stenheart my favorite also.
Stenheart
i love vespertine. its a wery sweet and Beautiful record. its one of my favourite records from #Björk <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
BjorksMusic
Björk on 'Vespertine - "It's about not speaking for days and daydreaming
and it's snowing outside. It's about zooming in and finding heaven underneath
your kitchen table. Most people think that the life they lead is boring
and the noises they hear every day are ugly. But if you take those same
noises and make them into something magical and out of the ordinary, I
think that's brave." text: Spin 2001 by Thomas Beller, "Into The Light"
summer in venus
Vespertine is the best album in the world !
Nia Daniels
Legit
Melanie Brandt
It’s Not Up To You is my favorite of all bjork’s offerings....through the years I’ve grown with her....and this visual is charming but does not represent how this song makes me feel. Like when you care about a book you’re reading and then someone decides to make a movie about it. No one humanly possible can ever capture our interior life and the thoughts that feelings and impressions create.
Adolph Oliver Bush
An ex-lover left this hanging from my doorknob in the plastic bag from where she bought it. While I've not spoken to her in a decade, I remember her kindness, and would love to thank her for this excellent cd. Sensual, erotic, and beautiful.
ALINE CARDOSO DE OLIVEIRA
I wake up
And the day feels
Broken
I tilt my head
I'm trying
To get an angle
'Cause the evenin'
I've always longed for
It could still happen
How do I master
The perfect day?
Six glasses of water
Seven phone calls
If you leave it alone
It might just happen
Anyway
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Well, it never really was)
It's not up to you
If you wake up
And the day feels
Ah broken
Just lean into the crack
(Just lean into the crack)
And it will tremble
Ever so nicely
Notice
How it sparkles
Down there
I can decide
What I give
But it's not up to me
What I get given
Unthinkable surprises
About to happen
But what they are
It's not up to you
(Well, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Oh, me share)
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
(Oh, it never really was)
It's not up to you
(Well, it never really was)
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
There's too much
Clinging
To peak
There's too much
Pressure
neo maximus
this video is so marvelous thanks Bjork. Love you!