Hide & Seek
Heap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What the hell is going on?
The dust has only just begun to form
Crop circles in the carpet
Sinking, feeling
Spin me around again
And rub my eyes
This can't be happening
A mess with people
Would stop to hold their heads heavy
Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
All those years
They were here first
Oily marks appear on walls
Where pleasure moments hung before
The takeover
The sweeping insensitivity of this
Still life
Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
(You won't catch me around here)
Blood and tears
They were here first
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that you only meant well
Well of course you did
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that it's all for the best
Of course it is
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that it's just what we need
You decided this
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, what did she say?
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit
(You don't care a bit)
Oh, no, you don't care a bit
Oh, no, you don't care a bit
Uh-uh, you don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
Hide & Seek by Imogen Heap is a stunning and hauntingly beautiful song with a lot of meaning behind it. The opening lines "Where are we? What the hell is going on? The dust has only just begun to form" sets the tone for the rest of the track. It's about feeling lost and confused as if you don't know what's going on in your life anymore. The "crop circles in the carpet" can be interpreted as the metaphorical marks left by past relationships.
The song goes on to talk about how "pleasure moments hung before" but now, "oily marks appear on the walls" alluding to the fact that the happiness they once felt has turned into turmoil. And yet, life goes on as "busy streets a mess with people" who, even in their own struggles, stop to take it all in. The repetition of "hide and seek" emphasizes the idea of someone or something being lost, and the trains and sewing machines, imagery that appears all throughout the song, can be seen as the sound of life carrying on even in times of distress.
The second part of the song, beginning with the famous "mm, what'd you say?" line, is a conversation between two people where one person is trying to apologize for something they've done, but their words are just like "ransom notes falling out your mouth." They speak in cutouts of newspaper words and have no real feeling behind them. The chorus comes back in to question the sincerity of the apology, emphasizing that maybe the person doesn't actually care at all.
Overall, Hide & Seek is a song that paints a picture of confusion, pain, and the loss of something once cherished. The repetition of certain phrases and imagery conveys a feeling of being stuck in a cycle of difficult emotions, while the conversation in the second half highlights the impossibility of communicating what you really feel. It's a heartbreaking but beautiful song that has resonated with many people over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Where are we?
I am unsure of our current location.
What the hell is going on?
I am confused by the situation at hand.
The dust has only just begun to form
The chaos and uncertainty have only just begun.
Crop circles in the carpet
Signs of disturbance are present.
Sinking, feeling
I am overwhelmed and sinking under the weight of emotions.
Spin me around again
I feel dizzy and disoriented from the chaos.
And rub my eyes
I want to close my eyes and make sense of everything.
This can't be happening
I am in disbelief and denial about what is happening.
When busy streets
Even in the midst of chaos.
A mess with people
People are caught up in the chaos.
Would stop to hold their heads heavy
The situation is causing people to physically and mentally collapse.
Hide and seek
The situation feels like a game of hide and seek.
Trains and sewing machines
The chaos is overwhelming and multi-dimensional.
All those years
This chaos has been brewing for a long time.
They were here first
The chaos precedes us and is beyond our control.
Oily marks appear on walls
The chaos is leaving a lasting impact on everything.
Where pleasure moments hung before
The chaos is erasing all positive memories and experiences.
The takeover
The chaos has taken over and is in control now.
The sweeping insensitivity of this
The chaos is cruel and indifferent to our emotions.
Still life
Everything around us feels lifeless in the chaos.
(You won't catch me around here)
I don't want to be a part of this chaos anymore.
Blood and tears
The chaos has caused pain and suffering.
Mm, what'd you say?
I am finding it hard to comprehend the gravity of the situation.
Mm, that you only meant well
I am trying to believe that the chaos was not intentional.
Well of course you did
It is hard to believe that someone would cause this chaos without good intentions.
Mm, that it's all for the best
I am trying to find a silver lining in this chaos.
Of course it is
I am trying to convince myself that the chaos will have a positive outcome.
Mm, what'd you say?
I still don't fully understand the situation.
Mm, what did she say?
I am trying to make sense of what others are saying about the chaos.
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
The things you say about the chaos feel like demands and threats.
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts
The things you say about the chaos feel fake and insincere.
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you
I can tell that you are not being truthful or genuine about the chaos.
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit
You are not invested in resolving the chaos or empathizing with me.
Oh, no, you don't care a bit
I feel alone and unsupported in this chaos.
Uh-uh, you don't care a bit
I can tell that you are not invested in resolving the chaos or empathizing with me.
You don't care a bit
Your lack of empathy is exacerbating the chaos.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IMOGEN JENNIFER HEAP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sophiafreewoman3352
Where are we?
What the hell is going on?
The dust has only just begun to form
Crop circles in the carpet
Sinking, feeling
Spin me around again
And rub my eyes
This can't be happening
When busy streets
A mess with people
Would stop to hold their heads heavy
Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
All those years
They were here first
Oily marks appear on walls
Where pleasure moments hung before
The takeover
The sweeping insensitivity of this
Still life
Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
Blood and tears
They were here first
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that you only meant well
Well of course you did
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that it's all for the best
Of course it is
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that it's just what we need
You decided this
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, what did she say?
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit
Oh, no, you don't care a bit
Oh, no, you don't care a bit
Uh-uh, you don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
Source: LyricFind
@chameleonedm
Mmmmk, because no one has explained it, I will actually state the difference between a vocoder and a harmonizer
Vocoder:
Input: Two signals, modulation and carry
Method: Modulation signal is chopped into multiple frequency bands using band pass filters, the signal of each of these passes are then multiplied to the corresponding band on the carrier signal. This causes the carrier signal to modulate similarly to the original signal.
Output: The carrier signal, now modulated.
Example: Modulating a saw wave with a human voice. Carrier signal is the saw, modulation signal is the voice. The output will sound like a saw wave singing with the articulation of a human
Harmonizer:
Input: One signal
Method: Detect frequency of original signal, split original signal, fast Fourier transform (usually) on the split signals to pitch them to desired frequencies
Output: Stacked harmonies of the original signal
Example: This song
A vocoder simply provides modulation to a singular sound wave, a harmonizer generates multiple sound waves from a single source and layers them together
Yes, you could use a vocoder to create an effect very similar to a harmonizer. The difference is that proper harmonizers are going to capture more of the imperfections of the human voice singing. A vocoder will always keep the harmonic series of the carrier wave rather than the modulation wave. A harmonizer will maintain the natural harmonic series present in someone's voice
The "vocoder" setting that Imogen used on this track is to enable manual control of what harmonies the harmonizer creates to imitate the effect of a vocoder, it does not mean that the signal is being vocoded
@1doobiedoo
This song sounds like it's giving birth to the internet.
@marinakamiya7822
sadly yes.
@Coco20
Lold so hard
@imemberberry
This song sounds like the national anthem of the elves from Lord of the Rings.
@duckway4733
This comment actually made me feel extreme nostalgia 4 sum reason...
@mianimalhyde8014
tr
uuuuu
@jackpoop4131
2:52 is the meme part but this song is still beautiful
@laviniafalahola3771
Rainbow Make Me Cry
@bigchazza1826
Thank you I was struggling
@Angekleckert
Thx