Quiet
Matilda the Musical Original Cast Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Have you ever wondered,
well I have,
About how when I say say red,
For example there's no way of knowing if red,
means the same thing in your head,
As red means in my head when someone says red.

And how if we are traveling at
almost the speed of light,
And we're holding a light,
That light would still travel away from us,
At the full speed of light,
which seems right in our way,
but I'm trying to say,
I'm not sure,
but I wonder if inside my head,
I'm not just a bit different from some of my friends,
These answers that come into my mind unbidden,
These stories delivered to me fully written.
And when every shouts they seem to like shouting
The noise in my head is incredibly loud.
And I just wish they'd stop,
my dad and my mum.
And the tele and stories would stop for just once.
And I'm sorry,
I'm not quite explaining it right,
but this noise becomes anger and the anger is light,
And its burning inside me would usually fade.
But it isn't today!
And the heat and the shouting.
And my heart is pounding.
And my eyes are burning
And suddenly everything, everything is...

Quiet
Like silence, but not really silent.
Just that still sort of quiet.
Like the sound of a page being turned in a book.
Or a pause in a walk in the woods.

Quiet
Like silence, but not really silent.
Just that nice kind of quiet.
Like the sound when you lie upside down in your bed.
Just the sound of your heart in your head.

And though the people around me.
Their mouths are still moving.
The words they are forming.
Cannot reach me anymore!

And it is quiet.
And I am warm.




Like I've sailed.
Into the eye of the storm.

Overall Meaning

The song "Quiet" from Matilda the Musical Original Cast is a powerful and emotional ballad that explores the innermost thoughts and feelings of the lead character, Matilda. The opening verses of the song reveal Matilda's fascination with language and the way that different people perceive and understand words and concepts differently. She muses on the complex and confusing nature of language and the different ways in which she and her friends might interpret words and ideas.


As the song progresses, Matilda becomes increasingly frustrated and overwhelmed by the noise and chaos of the world around her. She feels as though she is constantly bombarded by the shouting and clamor of the people around her - her parents, the television, and the stories that she reads. This noise and chaos builds up inside of her until it reaches a boiling point, manifesting as a burning anger that she struggles to contain.


Despite her inner turmoil, however, Matilda finds a moment of peace and clarity in the midst of the chaos. In the final verse of the song, she describes a sense of quiet that descends upon her - a stillness that allows her to tune out the noise and focus on her own inner voice. In this moment, Matilda feels warm and comfortable, almost as though she has found shelter from a powerful storm.


Overall, "Quiet" is a powerful and deeply emotional song that touches on themes of language, perception, and the struggle to find peace in the midst of chaos. Through the course of the song, Matilda undergoes a powerful emotional journey, moving from fascination and curiosity to frustration and anger before finding a moment of peace and stillness amidst the turbulence of her life.


Line by Line Meaning

Have you ever wondered,
Have you ever pondered, in your mind and your heart?


well I have,
For me, personally, I have contemplated at length.


About how when I say say red,
When I say a word like 'red',


For example there's no way of knowing if red,
It's unclear if the 'red' in your perception and understanding


means the same thing in your head,
Is equivalent to the 'red' processed in my brain


As red means in my head when someone says red.
When the term 'red' is spoken by another person.


And how if we are traveling at
Additionally, when we travel at speeds relatively close to


almost the speed of light,
the speed of light itself,


And we're holding a light,
and we possess a beam of light,


That light would still travel away from us,
this beam of light would continue moving farther from us,


At the full speed of light,
at the maximum speed possible,


which seems right in our way,
this inherent property makes sense according to our understanding,


but I'm trying to say,
although I am attempting to explain,


I'm not sure,
I remain uncertain.


but I wonder if inside my head,
But, there is a possibility that in my mind,


I'm not just a bit different from some of my friends,
I could be somewhat distinct from my acquaintances,


These answers that come into my mind unbidden,
The solutions arriving involuntarily to me,


These stories delivered to me fully written.
These tales scripted completely before presentation.


And when every shouts they seem to like shouting
Furthermore, it appears when anyone is voicing their opinions, they only shout,


The noise in my head is incredibly loud.
A commotion within my mind grows overwhelmingly loud.


And I just wish they'd stop,
Therefore, I yearn for the shouting to end,


my dad and my mum.
specifically my mother and father.


And the tele and stories would stop for just once.
The television and other narratives to conclude momentarily.


And I'm sorry,
Apologies, however,


I'm not quite explaining it right,
Perhaps, I am not elucidating myself properly


but this noise becomes anger and the anger is light,
Nonetheless, the noise produces rage that turns into a burning sensation,


And its burning inside me would usually fade.
Normally, this fervor fades quickly.


But it isn't today!
However, this does not occur today!


And the heat and the shouting.
The warmth and volume from the shouting.


And my heart is pounding.
Continuing, my heart beats rapidly.


And my eyes are burning
Simultaneously, there is a feeling of irritation in my eyes.


And suddenly everything, everything is...
Suddenly, with great force, everything, everything is...


Quiet
Silent,


Like silence, but not really silent.
Silent, although not entirely without sound.


Just that still sort of quiet.
A completely motionless sort of soundlessness.


Like the sound of a page being turned in a book.
The noise similar to flipping a page within a book.


Or a pause in a walk in the woods.
Alternatively, the hush present within a stroll through nature.


Like silence, but not really silent.
A muted sound, that still retains some auditory qualities.


Just that nice kind of quiet.
Pleasant and calming ripples within the audial environment.


Like the sound when you lie upside down in your bed.
The sound when one is horizontally aligned in their bed upside down.


Just the sound of your heart in your head.
The cathartic sensation of the rhythm of your heartbeat in your skull.


And though the people around me.
Despite the individuals in proximity to me,


Their mouths are still moving.
Their mouths remain in motion.


The words they are forming.
The words and statements they are constructing,


Cannot reach me anymore!
No longer penetrate my current state of being.


And it is quiet.
Entirely silent.


And I am warm.
I feel an internal warmth.


Like I've sailed.
As if I had navigated by sail.


Into the eye of the storm.
Into the very center of a tempestuous event.




Contributed by Liliana P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@juliannamedina6242

Have you ever wondered,
well I have,
About how when I say say red,
For example there's no way of knowing if red,
means the same thing in your head,
As red means in my head when someone says red.
And how if we are traveling at
almost the speed of light,
And we're holding a light,
That light would still travel away from us,
At the full speed of light,
which seems right in our way,
but I'm trying to say,
I'm not sure,
but I wonder if inside my head,
I'm not just a bit different from some of my friends,
These answers that come into my mind unbidden,
These stories delivered to me fully written.
And when every shouts they seem to like shouting
The noise in my head is incredibly loud.
And I just wish they'd stop,
my dad and my mum.
And the tele and stories would stop for just once.
And I'm sorry,
I'm not quite explaining it right,
but this noise becomes anger and the anger is light,
And its burning inside me would usually fade.
But it isn't today!
And the heat and the shouting.
And my heart is pounding.
And my eyes are burning
And suddenly everything, everything is...
Quiet
Like silence, but not really silent.
Just that still sort of quiet.
Like the sound of a page being turned in a book.
Or a pause in a walk in the woods.
Quiet
Like silence, but not really silent.
Just that nice kind of quiet.
Like the sound when you lie upside down in your bed.
Just the sound of your heart in your head.
And though the people around me.
Their mouths are still moving.
The words they are forming.
Cannot reach me anymore!
And it is quiet.
And I am warm.
Like I've sailed.
Into the eye of the storm.



All comments from YouTube:

@macandchesse2857

this song is so amazing to turn full volume in earbuds to tune out your loud family

@lmaooololl

Real

@dasty3314

ugh milly does SUCH a good job, i just wish there was ONE milly bootleg where we got to actually see her perform... all ive seen it’s audio...

@maggietirado1703

I agree I want to see her perform but i think the performance is over DARN!

@kitkatmuffin

I saw one recently where she does

@echoworks4836

Apparently I have to listen to the west end version of this song to see what people are talking about but idk why people are annoyed that this version sound angry? She was having a sensory overload and needed it to stop. You’d get angry too lmao

@echoworks4836

Okay I just listened to it and? The other one is just as angry during that part lmao and the lyrics literally mention anger so, not sure what everyone is complaining about lmao

@MolssMolss

Funny how Matilda’s song is Quiet and Mrs. Wormwoods is Loud!😂

@aerinhinton964

Gosh, this song is heat-wrenching.

@mat.andlav.8210

Like I've sailed... into the eye of the storm...

More Comments

More Versions