The Word of Your Body
Duncan Sheik & Steven Sater Lyrics


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WENDLA
Just too unreal, all this
Watching the words fall from my lips

MELCHIOR
Baiting some girl with hypotheses

BOTH
Haven't you heard of the word of your body?

MELCHIOR
Don't feel a thing, you wish

WENDLA
Grasping at pearls with my fingertips

MELCHIOR
Holding her hand like some little tease

BOTH
Haven't you heard the word of my wanting?
Oh, I'm gonna be wounded
Oh, I'm gonna be your wound
Oh, I'm gonna bruise you
Oh, you're gonna be my bruise
Just too unreal, all this

WENDLA
Watching his world slip though my fist

MELCHIOR
Playing with her in your fantasies

BOTH
Haven't you heard a word, how I want you?
Oh, I'm gonna be wounded
Oh, I'm gonna be your wound




Oh, I'm gonna bruise you
Oh, you're gonna be my bruise

Overall Meaning

The Word of Your Body is a duet between two characters, Wendla and Melchior, from the musical Spring Awakening. The song explores themes of sexual awakening, desire, and the risks involved in physical intimacy. The opening lines, "Just too unreal, all this, watching the words fall from my lips," suggest a sense of alienation or disconnection from the words being spoken, perhaps indicating some hesitation or uncertainty on the part of the characters.


Melchior's line, "Baiting some girl with hypotheses," is a reference to his intellectual curiosity about sex and his desire to experiment with different ideas and theories. Wendla's response, "Don't feel a thing, you wish," implies a certain skepticism towards Melchior's intellectual approach to sexuality. The line "Haven't you heard of the word of your body?" suggests that there is a more primal, instinctual aspect to sexuality that cannot be fully understood through intellectual inquiry alone.


As the song progresses, the characters become more explicit in their desires, with lines like "Oh, I'm gonna be wounded, oh, I'm gonna be your wound, oh, I'm gonna bruise you, oh, you're gonna be my bruise." These lyrics suggest a mutual desire for physical intimacy, but also hint at the potential for emotional pain and vulnerability.


Overall, The Word of Your Body is a complex exploration of the emotional and psychological complexities of sexual awakening, desire, and physical intimacy.


Line by Line Meaning

Just too unreal, all this
I find it hard to believe what's happening.


Watching the words fall from my lips
I am speaking without thinking.


Baiting some girl with hypotheses
I am trying to seduce a girl with theories.


Haven't you heard of the word of your body?
Are you not aware of how your body speaks to you?


Don't feel a thing, you wish
You want to feel something, but you cannot.


Grasping at pearls with my fingertips
I am trying to hold onto something unattainable.


Holding her hand like some little tease
I am playing with her emotions.


Haven't you heard the word of my wanting?
Do you not understand how much I desire you?


Oh, I'm gonna be wounded
Loving you might hurt me.


Oh, I'm gonna be your wound
I might end up hurting you.


Oh, I'm gonna bruise you
Our love might leave us with scars.


Oh, you're gonna be my bruise
Together, we will have some emotional pain.


Watching his world slip though my fist
I can feel him slipping away.


Playing with her in your fantasies
You are imagining things with her that might not be real.


Haven't you heard a word, how I want you?
You might not know how much I want you.




Contributed by Luke A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Izzy Maurer

Robert's voice here really reminds me of Ben Fankhauser as Ernst on the national tour.

Musical Rollercoaster

I saw him as Hamilton in Chicago and he was fantastic!

Anna

Holy shit, Robert! <3

Angel Valentine

YES

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