"Everybody's Talkin'" is a song written and recorded by American singer-son… Read Full Bio ↴"Everybody's Talkin'" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter
Fred Neil in 1966. A version of the song performed by Harry Nilsson became a hit in 1969, reaching No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and winning a Grammy Award after it was featured in the film Midnight Cowboy.

The song later appeared in the 1994 film Forrest Gump and is also on the film's soundtrack album. It also appeared in the comedy film Borat, on The Hangover Part III soundtrack, in the English television show Black Books, the action comedy film Crank, and in the Only Fools and Horses episode "The Jolly Boys Outing".

Numerous other artists have covered the song.

Everybody's Talkin'
Fred Neil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody's talking at me
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind

People stopping staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes

I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off of the Northeast wind
Sailing on summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone

I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes

Banking off of the Northeast winds
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone

Everybody's talking at me
Can't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind

I won't let you leave my love behind
No, I won't let you leave

I won't let you leave my love behind
I won't let you leave

Overall Meaning

Neil's song, "Everybody's Talkin'" is a melancholic piece with a clear message about the desire to escape from modern city life. The song starts with Neil's protagonist, who is walking around a crowded city, feeling disconnected from everyone, and unsure about his own thoughts. The character is not interested in engaging with the conversations and bustles around them except for the voice and echoes bouncing around him. At times, it seems like the character is not just avoiding but also doesn't want to hear what people are talking about.

The verses then move onto the subject of the singer's preferred destination, where he goes when he feels alone and isolated- a place where he will find sunshine and warmth despite the pouring rain. Neil's character journeys to a place where he feels comfortable and free, where the weather matches his preferred dress code, and the winds are gentle enough to sail away upon. The song concludes with the lines where Neil's character rejects the idea of losing his love interest's love and is determined to hold onto it.

The song was a part of the soundtrack for the movie Midnight Cowboy, released in 1969. The song was not initially featured in the film but was popular among the audience members who heard it on a trailer during a pre-release screening. The song went on to become a classic pop culture ballad and won Neil, his first Top 40 hit.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody's talking at me
Everyone is talking to me, but I don't really feel like listening to them.

I don't hear a word they're saying
I don't care about what they are saying.

Only the echoes of my mind
My mind is only filled with the sound of echoes as if it is not letting me listen to outside noises.

People stopping staring
People are stopping and staring at me.

I can't see their faces
I cannot see their faces clearly.

Only the shadows of their eyes
All I see are the shadows of their eyes.

I'm going where the sun keeps shining
I plan to go to a place where the sun shines bright.

Through the pouring rain
I will still go there even if it's raining heavily.

Going where the weather suits my clothes
I prefer to visit a place where the climate suits my attire.

Backing off of the Northeast wind
I won't let the harsh Northeast wind stop me from moving forward.

Sailing on summer breeze
I'll sail on the gentle summer breeze.