The song was covered by Fightstar as a B-side to their single "The English Way".
A sample has been used as the basis for the debut single by Jason Derülo, Whatcha Say
Mixes
* Album version – 4:28
* Single version – 4:16
Hide And Seek
Imogen 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 and Seek, a song by Imogen Heap, is a haunting yet captivating track that explores themes of confusion, chaos, and the loss of control. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the piece; "Where are we? What the hell is going on? The dust has only just begun to form." Heap seems to be describing a state of shock or disorientation, as if she is trying to make sense of her surroundings. The image of crop circles in the carpet is particularly intriguing, as if the very fabric of reality is being distorted in some way.
As the song progresses, the themes become more focused. The lines "Trains and sewing machines, all those years they were here first" seem to suggest a sense of inevitability or even doom, as if the world is hurtling forward towards some unknown fate that cannot be avoided. The idea of "blood and tears" being here first adds to this sense of foreboding, as if the history of the world is marred by violence and tragedy.
The final lines of the song, with their repeated "Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth" and "You don't care a bit," are particularly chilling. In this context, it seems as if Heap is describing someone who is trying to maintain control through deception, but ultimately failing. The repeated "Mm, what'd you say?" lines that bookend the track could be seen as a kind of commentary on how people use language to manipulate and deceive each other. Overall, the song is a masterpiece of atmospheric songwriting, full of thought-provoking imagery and emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Where are we?
The singer is unsure of their current location or situation.
What the hell is going on?
The singer is frustrated and confused by their surroundings.
The dust has only just begun to form
A metaphor for the beginning stages of a new situation or circumstance.
Crop circles in the carpet
A metaphor for the strange and unexplainable things happening around the artist.
Sinking, feeling
The artist is overwhelmed and retreating inward.
Spin me around again
The singer desires a break from reality.
And rub my eyes
The singer is in disbelief of what is happening.
This can't be happening
The artist is struggling to accept their reality.
When busy streets, a mess with people, would stop to hold their heads heavy
A commentary on the hectic and overwhelming nature of modern life, with people feeling overburdened and exhausted.
Hide and seek
A metaphor for the game of life, where answers are often elusive and events seem to happen randomly.
Trains and sewing machines
A commentary on the cyclical and monotonous nature of life, with people moving from one routine to another.
All those years, they were here first
A reminder that human experience is not unique and that previous generations have faced similar problems and emotions.
Oily marks appear on walls where pleasure moments hung before
A metaphor for the way that negative events can leave lasting marks on people's lives.
The takeover
The idea that negative events or emotions can take over a person's life and become all-consuming.
The sweeping insensitivity of this
A commentary on the way that people can become immune to negative events and emotions over time.
Still life
A metaphor for feeling stuck or stagnant in a difficult situation.
(You won't catch me around here)
A statement of defiance against an unpleasant or difficult situation.
Blood and tears, they were here first
A reminder that human suffering is not new and that previous generations have faced similar problems and emotions.
Mm, what'd you say?
A sarcastic response to someone who is trying to justify or rationalize a situation.
Mm, that you only meant well
A commentary on the way that even well-intentioned people can cause harm or make mistakes.
Mm, what'd you say?
Repeated to emphasize the artist's skepticism or disbelief.
Mm, that it's all for the best
A commentary on the way that people can try to spin negative events to seem positive or beneficial.
Mm, what'd you say?
Repeated to emphasize the singer's skepticism or disbelief.
Mm, that it's just what we need
A critique of people who try to justify negative events as necessary or beneficial.
You decided this
A reminder that people have agency in their lives and can make choices that have both positive and negative consequences.
Mm, what'd you say?
Repeated to emphasize the singer's skepticism or disbelief.
Mm, what did she say?
A shift in focus towards another person's perspective on the same situation.
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
A metaphor for someone who is speaking insincerely or deceitfully.
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts
A commentary on the way that people can use language to deceive or manipulate others.
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you
A critique of people who try to hide their true emotions or intentions.
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit
An accusation that someone is apathetic towards the singer's problems or concerns.
Oh, no, you don't care a bit
Reiterated to emphasize the artist's frustration and disappointment.
Uh-uh, you don't care a bit
Reiterated to emphasize the artist's frustration and disappointment.
You don't care a bit
An accusation that someone is apathetic towards the artist's problems or concerns.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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