Senses Working Overtime
Mandy Moore Lyrics
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There's straw for the donkeys
And the innocents can all sleep safely
All sleep safely.
My my, sun is pie
There's fodder for the cannons
And the guilty ones can all sleep safely
And all the world is football shaped,
It's just for me to kick in space
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in,
I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween the lemons and limes
The pain and the pleasure and
The church bells softly chime...
Hey hey, night fights day,
There's food for the thinkers
And the innocents can all live slowly
All live slowly
My, my the sky will cry
Jewels for the thirsty and the guilty ones can
All die slowly all die slowly.
And all the world is biscuit shaped,
It's just for me to feed my face
And I can see,hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two,three, four, five sense working overtime
Trying to take this all in,
I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween the lemons and limes
The pain and the pleasure and the church bells softly chime...
And birds might fall from black skies
And bullies might give you black eyes
And buses might skid on black ice
But to me it's very very beautiful (England's glory!)
Beautiful (a striking beauty!)
And all the world is football - shaped,
It's just for me to kick in space
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste -
And I've got one,two,three,four,five senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in,
I've got one,two,three, four,five senses working overtime
Try to tell the difference 'tween the goods and crimes,
Dirt or treasure and there's
One, two, three, four,five senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in,
I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween the lemons and limes
The pain and the pleasure and the church bells softly chime...
“Senses Working Overtime” is a song by Mandy Moore, originally performed by the band XTC. The song features playful lyrics that use unusual analogies and involve a range of senses. The first verse of the song portrays a peaceful, safe world where “innocents can all sleep safely,” but the following verse paints a darker picture where “the guilty ones can all sleep safely” and “fodder for the cannons” is abundant. The notion of the world being “football-shaped” is introduced in the chorus, which becomes clearer and more relevant in later verses.
The song makes use of vivid imagery and sensory language, urging the listener to take in everything the world has to offer. The repeated mention of the senses emphasizes the importance of being fully present and aware in the moment. The closing lines of the song allude to the complexities of life, with the lyrics evoking images of beauty and darkness, good and evil.
Overall, “Senses Working Overtime” is a playful and thought-provoking song about the beauty and complexity of the world we live in, and the importance of fully engaging with our surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey hey,the clouds are whey,
The sky is cloudy today
There's straw for the donkeys
Supplies for the animals are plentiful
And the innocents can all sleep safely
Those who are innocent can feel secure
All sleep safely.
Everyone can rest without worry
My my, sun is pie
The sun is shining brightly
There's fodder for the cannons
A ready supply of ammunition exists
And the guilty ones can all sleep safely
Those who are guilty can relax without fear
All sleep safely.
Everyone can rest without worry
And all the world is football shaped,
The world is like a ball waiting to be kicked
It's just for me to kick in space
I have the power to influence and shape events
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
I am perceiving the world through all my senses
And I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working overtime
My senses are being overwhelmed by the richness of the world
Trying to take this all in,
I am attempting to comprehend the entirety of my experience
Trying to taste the difference 'tween the lemons and limes
I am striving to distinguish between the subtleties of life
The pain and the pleasure and
I am encountering both positive and negative experiences
The church bells softly chime...
The sound of the church bells adds to the sensory experience
Hey hey, night fights day,
The world is a constant battle between day and night
There's food for the thinkers
There are plenty of ideas to stimulate the mind
And the innocents can all live slowly
Those who are pure of heart can take their time and not worry
All live slowly
Everyone can take their time and enjoy life
My, my the sky will cry
The rain is on its way
Jewels for the thirsty
Something desired is soon to be obtained
And the guilty ones can
Those who are responsible for their actions can
All die slowly all die slowly.
Endure a slow death
And birds might fall from black skies
Anything can happen in this unpredictable world
And bullies might give you black eyes
People can be cruel and cause physical harm
And buses might skid on black ice
Accidents can happen, even in unexpected ways
But to me it's very very beautiful (England's glory!)
Despite the chaos, I still find the world beautiful
Beautiful (a striking beauty!)
Stunning and awe-inspiring
And all the world is football - shaped,
Everything in life is shaped by the choices we make
And I've got one,two,three,four,five senses working overtime
My senses are constantly being stimulated
Try to tell the difference 'tween the goods and crimes,
I am striving to distinguish between right and wrong
Dirt or treasure and there's
The world is filled with both the good and the bad
One, two, three, four,five senses working overtime
My senses are constantly being stimulated
Trying to taste the difference 'tween the lemons and limes
I am striving to distinguish between the subtleties of life
The pain and the pleasure and the church bells softly chime...
The world is full of both joy and sorrow, but the beauty of life still remains
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andy Partridge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JayFlux1 Music
Anyone who has the taste/ guts to cover an XTC tune gets mad props. It's a pop tune and she did it justice. Thanks Mandy! (Btw, Andy likes it too)
leadbelly 101
Hey I'm a XTC fan but this just demonstrates how a good song is so beautifully interpreted by another artist well done mandy and co
His Holiness Pope Salty I
You can mock her talent all you want, but you can't mock her taste. Maybe, instead of crushing her for "ruining" this song, we should appreciate that she's at least trying to turn kids on to good music. Not like Mandy Moore's fanbase are going to discover XTC on their own. Even if you don't like the results, you have to appreciate the effort. I say, kudos to you, Mandy.
razberrysky12
Love the original and love Mandy's version! Mandy's got soul......
Alyson Sieminski
Kudos to Mandy for trying to make an XTC song mainstream. I quite enjoyed this album came out and knew most of the originals from my parents. I still enjoy this album.
Jon Doe
Nice! Another excellent version is by 'foxes and fossils', an incredible cover band! (which got 308 likes. These both deserve more!).
Howard Anderson
Doing an Iconic XTC song takes some a lot of love and even more time to pull. It's even harder to make it your own. I loved it! Well done!
bdave2049
I know a lot of commenters on this page will disagree with me, but I think that Mandy and her crew have done a fantastic version of an old but great song. Also, she looks just so stunning in this video.
Sarah Rogers
You should have tried listening with your eyes closed.
Kelly Kranz
she is so beautiful inside and out!!! She loves what she does. You go girl! Your awesome!