In December 2007, David Byrne announced on the BBC Radio music show, The Weekender, that he was working Brian Eno on a brand new album of "proper songs", describing it as a "completely different thing" from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, which was mostly experimental. Eno had invited Byrne to finish some songs that he had written but that did not have lyrics, some of which were eight years old. The resulting album, Everything That Happens will Happen Today, was self-released on August 18, 2008 through the official album's website. No record label was involved, and it available for stream or download at EverythingThatHappens.com.
I Feel My Stuff
Brian Eno & David Byrne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm moving into the dollhouse
Some days we exercise
Some days we harmonize
Look away, look away, look away, oh yeah
Emily said she'd suddenly waken
Look at that guy with the government coupon
Japanese chairs in somebody's concert
Telephone bills on the company paycheck
Who knew?, who knew?, I do
Emily lost her mobile phone
Last nights dance on a bumpy road
I won't go out in the cold
Lebanese Chinese in my school
Imagine who can make you cool
Who's gonna pay for this call?
The cheapest dog, the hottest sun, the fiercest cat and the meanest gun
You got to hold the peelings in your hands, baby
It's a safety belt, it's a Christian crime, a rocket ship, it's a joke of mine
I took away the day that I'd be gone- shoot!
Lebanese take their sailors home
The broken stuff in the outer wall
I'm sticking out in the road
Memorize toilets, Chang Mai School
I like my song but I lost my cool
I need my laser, don't move
Put him in the ground where the Duchess grows
Where the word is true and the girls are strong
Gonna stuff it, step it, pick it, going bye
Take another life of a wretched soul
When they get too high where the bushes grow
They rope it, squeeze it, push it side to side
The chicken shack, the rising sun, the written word in a foreign tongue
You got to hold it all before it drops, baby
It's a little bit, it's a lot inside, it's a bigger thing than you can hide
I took away the parts that need controlling
Hooligans jump in the budget sign
In the tropic zone, where the fix is fine
Gonna chase it, place it, face it with my eye
Stinky little bird in a dirty tree
Gonna figure out it's your lucky day
If ya smell it, sell it, tell it to my ear
Lowered in the ground where the Duchess grows
Where the word is true and the girls are strong
Gonna stuff it, step it, pick it, going bye
Take another life of a wretched soul
If they get too high where the bushes grow
And they rope it, squeeze it, push it side to side
(I'm sayin') I feel my stuff
I get enough
I come back to be stronger
I feel my stuff
I changed my luck
I come back to be stronger
The lyrics of Brian Eno and David Byrne's song I Feel My Stuff are difficult to decipher since they don't appear to have a clear meaning upon first glance. The lyrics are composed of snippets of disconnected phrases and ideas that don't readily lend themselves to interpretation. The song reflects an impressionistic approach that's meant to evoke a mood or atmosphere rather than a particular narrative or story. The lyrics appear to be a stream-of-consciousness expression of thoughts and emotions that collectively create a sense of disorientation and confusion, and might represent a person grappling with a disparate set of feelings and experiences.
The lyrics are replete with seemingly nonsensical phrases that are juxtaposed against one another, such as "Lebanese Chinese in my school" and "The chicken shack, the rising sun, the written word in a foreign tongue," that appear to have no discernible connection to the song's overall theme. However, they may be meant to signify the overwhelming amount of stimuli a person receives daily and tries to make sense of them to find their place in the world. The repetition of phrases like "look away" and "who knew?" may signify feelings of denial or frustration.
Line by Line Meaning
I think I waited too long
I regret not having acted earlier
I'm moving into the dollhouse
I'm going to a smaller place
Some days we exercise
We sometimes work out
Some days we harmonize
We sometimes sing in harmony
Look away, look away, look away, oh yeah
Let's not pay attention to something
Emily said she'd suddenly waken
Emily promised to wake up abruptly
Look at that guy with the government coupon
Let's check out the person who has a government coupon
Yoo hoo, yoo hoo, gonna get you
I want to catch your attention
Japanese chairs in somebody's concert
Someone had Japanese chairs at their concert
Telephone bills on the company paycheck
There were phone bills on the company paycheck
Who knew?, who knew?, I do
I know the answer to the question 'Who knew?'
Emily lost her mobile phone
Emily can't find her mobile phone
Last night's dance on a bumpy road
The dance party was in a moving vehicle
I won't go out in the cold
I dislike going out when it's cold
Lebanese Chinese in my school
There are Lebanese Chinese people in my school
Imagine who can make you cool
Think about who can make you stylish
Who's gonna pay for this call?
Who has to pay for this phone call?
The cheapest dog, the hottest sun, the fiercest cat and the meanest gun
Various things can be cheap, hot, fierce, or mean
You got to hold the peelings in your hands, baby
You must take responsibility for the consequences of your actions
It's a safety belt, it's a Christian crime, a rocket ship, it's a joke of mine
Things can have multiple meanings or uses
I took away the day that I'd be gone- shoot!
I erased the date I planned to leave
Lebanese take their sailors home
The Lebanese are repatriating their sailors
The broken stuff in the outer wall
There are damaged items in the outer wall
I'm sticking out in the road
I'm at risk on the road
Memorize toilets, Chang Mai School
One must remember where the bathrooms are at Chang Mai School
I like my song but I lost my cool
I like my song but I lost my composure
I need my laser, don't move
I require my laser and nobody should move
Put him in the ground where the Duchess grows
Bury him with the Duchess's crops
Where the word is true and the girls are strong
A place where honesty and female empowerment are valued
Gonna stuff it, step it, pick it, going bye
I'm going to pack it up and leave quickly
Take another life of a wretched soul
Kill another miserable person
When they get too high where the bushes grow
When they're high and hidden in the bushes
They rope it, squeeze it, push it side to side
They catch it and manipulate it
The chicken shack, the rising sun, the written word in a foreign tongue
Things can have different origins, such as a local eatery, a natural phenomenon, or a foreign language
You got to hold it all before it drops, baby
You need to act before it's too late
It's a little bit, it's a lot inside, it's a bigger thing than you can hide
It appears small, but the impact is significant and can't be concealed
I took away the parts that need controlling
I removed the parts that needed regulation or oversight
Hooligans jump in the budget sign
Hoodlums leap into the 'budget' sign
In the tropic zone, where the fix is fine
Where drugs are readily accessible in a tropical region
Gonna chase it, place it, face it with my eye
I'm going to search, locate and observe the situation
Stinky little bird in a dirty tree
A smelly bird in a unsanitary tree
Gonna figure out it's your lucky day
I'm going to discover that it's a fortunate day for you
If ya smell it, sell it, tell it to my ear
If you detect it, market it, or inform me personally
Lowered in the ground where the Duchess grows
Buried in the soil where the Duchess's crops flourish
Where the word is true and the girls are strong
A location where true words and woman's bravery are prominent
I feel my stuff
I'm confident in myself
I get enough
I'm satisfied
I come back to be stronger
I return with more strength
I changed my luck
I altered my fortune
I come back to be stronger
I return with more strength
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN ENO, DAVID BYRNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind