Daryl Hall (born Daryl Franklin Hohl on October 11, 1946) is an American si… Read Full Bio ↴Daryl Hall (born Daryl Franklin Hohl on October 11, 1946) is an American singer and songwriter, best known for his collaboration with John Oates in the duo Hall & Oates. He has released five albums as a solo artist: "Sacred Songs" (1980), "Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine" (1986), "Soul Alone" (1993), "Can't Stop Dreaming" (1996) and "Laughing Down Crying" (2011). He has been the host of the web music series "Live from Daryl's House" since 2007.

His mother played songs by Frank Sinatra to him as a child, and he later became a fan of Motown and other R&B/soul music. He took piano lessons as a child, but he did not like them. He would skip the lessons and ride his bicycle across the bridge from his grandfather's farm over to the heart of the black "Chicken Hill" ghetto, where he could just listen and absorb the music.

In the 1960s, Hall attended Temple University, but did not graduate, preferring instead to spend his time singing on the street corners and play with various musicians and groups. At that time, Daryl Hohl (as he was called then) sang backup for different bands. He eventually changed his last name to Hall. Daryl Hall idolized the Temptations and began to perform session work as a singer. He first met John Oates at a band competition.

After John transferred to a different school, Daryl joined the band Gulliver, which released one eponymous album in 1969 before being dropped from their label.

Daryl is the host of the wildly popular online show entitled "Live From Daryl's House", where Daryl and the band collaborate with artists from various musical genres on the 15th of each month. The first episode aired in 2007, and it's still going strong. Best of all, it's free to watch.

Out Of Touch
Daryl Hall Lyrics

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Shake it up is all that we know
Using the bodies up as we go
I'm waking up to fantasy
The shades all around aren't the colors we used to see
Broken ice still melts in the sun
And times that are broken can often be one again
We're soul alone
And soul really matters to me

Take a look around

You're out of touch
I'm out of time (time)
But I'm out of my head
When you're not around
You're out of touch
I'm out of time (time)
But I'm out of my head
When you're not around

Oh, ohh
Ohh

Reaching out for something to hold
Looking for a love where the climate is cold
Manic moves and drowsy dreams
Or living in the middle between the two extremes
Smoking guns hot to the touch
Would cool down if we didn't
Use them so much, yeah
We're soul alone
And soul really matters to me
Too much

You're out of touch
I'm out of time (time)
But I'm out of my head
When you're not around
You're out of touch
I'm out of time (time)
But I'm out of my head
When you're not around

Oh, ohh
Ohh
Ooh
Oh, ohh
Ohh (ohh)

(Out of touch, out of touch)

(Wow!) You're out of touch
I'm out of time
But I'm out of my head
When you're not around
You're out of touch
I'm out of time (time)
But I'm out of my head
When you're not around

You're out of touch (we're soul alone, girl)
I'm out of time
But I'm out of my head
When you're not around (not around)
You're out of touch
I'm out of time (out of touch, out of time)
But I'm out of my head (out of touch, out of time, girl)
When you're not around

You're out of touch
Reach out for something to hold (time)
But I'm out of my head
When you're not around (too cold, girl)
You're out of touch (too cold, girl)
I'm out of time (too cold, girl)
Yeah open eyes (not around)

You're out of touch (out of touch)
I'm out of time (out of time, out of touch)
But I'm out of my head (out of time)
When you're not around
You're out of touch
Yeah I'm out of time (time)

But I'm out of my head
When you're not around

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Out of Touch" by Daryl Hall & John Oates depict a society that is consumed by materialism and self-indulgence. The phrase "shake it up is all that we know" suggests that the characters in the song are more concerned with having a good time than with any deeper meaning or purpose. The line "using the bodies up as we go" implies that people are just disposable objects in this world, to be used and discarded without a second thought. However, the singer seems to be waking up to a different kind of reality, where things are not as they seem. The old colors have changed, and there's a sense of disillusionment and disconnect from the world around them. Despite this, the song still contains a hopeful message that broken things can be repaired and soulful connections can be made.

The use of the phrase "out of touch" is interesting because it can be interpreted in different ways. On one hand, it could be seen as a criticism of someone who is out of touch with reality, living in a privileged bubble that shields them from the struggles of everyday life. Alternatively, it could be seen as a plea for someone to reach out and connect with the world around them, to get back in touch with their own emotions and the emotions of others. The lyrics also make reference to the idea of opposites or extremes, with the image of "living in the middle between the two extremes." This evokes a sense of balance or harmony, but also the feeling of being caught in the middle of conflicting forces. Overall, the lyrics of "Out of Touch" can be seen as a commentary on the emptiness of modern society and the need for individuals to find deeper meaning and connection in their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

Shake it up is all that we know
We don't know anything except for shaking things up

Using the bodies up as we go
We're using people up as we move forward

I'm waking up to fantasy
I'm waking up to a world that's not real

The shades all around aren't the colors we used to see
The world's changed and it's not the same as it used to be

Broken ice still melts in the sun
Even broken things can heal and get better

And times that are broken can often be one again
Things that have broken in the past can sometimes be mended

We're soul alone
We're alone in our souls and our hearts

And soul really matters to me
Having a soul and being in touch with it is important to me

Take a look around
Look at the world around you

You're out of touch
You're disconnected from reality

I'm out of time (time)
I don't have much time left

But I'm out of my head
But I'm losing my mind

When you're not around
When you're not here with me

Reaching out for something to hold
Trying to find something stable to hold onto

Looking for a love where the climate is cold
Looking for love in a place where it's hard to find

Manic moves and drowsy dreams
Extreme actions and lethargic thoughts

Or living in the middle between the two extremes
Trying to find balance between two extremes

Smoking guns hot to the touch
Dangerous situations that are intense and risky

Would cool down if we didn't Use them so much, yeah
Things would get better if we stopped doing them so often

Too much
This is all too much to handle

Reach out for something to hold (time)
Trying to find something to hold onto before time runs out

But I'm out of my head (too cold, girl)
But I'm losing my mind because it's too cold and lonely without you

Yeah open eyes (not around)
Keeping our eyes open and aware, even when you're gone

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Actual Music, S.L., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Oates, Daryl Hall

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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