Wilder was one-half of the Greenwich Village folk group Matthew & Peter in the 1970s. In 1978 he moved to Los Angeles and sang for television commercials and backup for Rickie Lee Jones and Bette Midler.
Wilder's first album, I Don't Speak the Language (1983), reached number 49 on the Billboard chart, fueled by "Break My Stride", which reached number 5 on the singles chart. His second album, Bouncin' Off the Walls (1984), was a commercial failure.
Wilder continued his career as a songwriter and producer. His work includes producing the No Doubt's multi-platinum album Tragic Kingdom (1995). He lent his singing voice to the character of Ling and was nominated for an Academy Award for Original Music Score (along with David Zippel and Jerry Goldsmith) for his work on the Disney film Mulan (1998).
On Broadway, Wilder has once again paired with Zippel to provide the music and lyrics for Princesses, a musical comedy update of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel A Little Princess. The production opened on Broadway in November 2006.
I Don't Speak The Language
Matthew Wilder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A family man
Working in Paris
When I began
Living my daydreams
I left my wife
Sailed for the islands
Down in the tropics
A colorful world
Green of the ocean
And brown native girls
Now I′m an artist
And I see nothing wrong
To paint Tahitian
Without a sarong, oh no
You know I don't speak the language
But I still understand
It′s in the move of her body
And in the touch of her hand
You know I don't speak the language
Am I a mad man
To follow the sun
When it's every man′s dream
To do what I′ve done
Oh, no needs, no worries
And no sense of time
She's Polynesian
And she is all mine
Today I′ll paint her
In yellows and reds
Tonight we'll make love
With stars overhead, oh no
You know I don′t speak the language
But I still understand
It's in the move of her body
And in the touch of her hand
You know I don′t speak the language
You know I don't speak the language
But I still understand
It's in the move of her body
And in the touch of her hand
You know I don′t speak the language
I left the temple
Of civilized man
To dance the tango
Utopian
Mmm, how can I leave here
How can I go back?
The life here is so
Aphrodisiac
Her eyes, her lips
And the smell of her hair
Make me a savage
And I cease to care, oh no
You know I don′t speak the language
But I still understand
It's in the move of her body
And in the touch of her hand
You know I don′t speak the language
The song "I Don't Speak The Language" by Matthew Wilder tells the story of a man who leaves his mundane life as a banker and family man in Paris to pursue his dreams in the tropics. He starts living his daydreams and leaves his wife to sail for the islands to start a new life. There, he becomes an artist and he takes interest in painting Tahitian women, even without sarongs. He becomes enamored with a Polynesian woman whom he doesn't share a language with. He expresses that he doesn't speak the language but still understands the move of her body and touch of her hand.
The song highlights the escapism and a search for something more beyond what society defines as a good life. It explores the idea that sometimes it takes leaving behind what is safe and familiar to discover true happiness and fulfillment. The Polynesian woman represents a new way of life that he is drawn to, which creates a sense of liberation from the pressures of Parisian society.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a banker
I used to work in a financial institution as a banker.
A family man
I was married and had kids.
Working in Paris
My job took me to Paris, France, where I used to work.
When I began
I realized that I was living my life following the expectations of others.
Living my daydreams
I decided to abandon my old life and follow my dreams.
I left my wife
I ended my marriage to start a new, more exciting life.
Sailed for the islands
I sailed to the tropical islands to live a simpler life.
To start a new life
I wanted to start fresh and escape the monotony of my old life.
Down in the tropics
I found myself living in the warm, exotic islands.
A colorful world
The environment around me was full of vibrant colors and beauty.
Green of the ocean
The ocean was a beautiful green color.
And brown native girls
The local women were beautiful, with their brown skin and traditional dress.
Now I'm an artist
After leaving my old life, I pursued my passion for art.
And I see nothing wrong
I feel no guilt in my decision to paint the local Polynesian women.
To paint Tahitian
I enjoy painting the beauty of the native women in Tahiti.
Without a sarong, oh no
I don't feel it's necessary to paint them wearing traditional dress.
You know I don't speak the language
I don't speak the local language, but I still find ways to communicate and connect with the people.
But I still understand
I can still understand and appreciate their culture and way of life.
It's in the move of her body
Their body language tells me everything I need to know.
And in the touch of her hand
Their touch communicates everything else that language cannot.
Am I a mad man
I question if I made the right decision in leaving my old life behind.
To follow the sun
I chose to live in a tropical paradise where the sun is always shining.
When it's every man's dream
Others may dream of living in such a place but may never take the risk of pursuing it, unlike me.
To do what I've done
I took a chance to follow my dreams and to pursue a simpler, more fulfilling life.
No needs, no worries
The life I have now is simple, and I don't have to worry about anything.
And no sense of time
Time is irrelevant here; I live day by day and enjoy every moment.
She's Polynesian
The woman I'm with is from the local Polynesian community.
And she is all mine
I love her and enjoy the time we spend together every day.
Today I'll paint her
I plan to use my art to express my love and adoration for her.
In yellows and reds
I plan to use colorful paint to capture her vibrant energy.
Tonight we'll make love
We'll express our love physically tonight.
With stars overhead, oh no
We'll enjoy each other's company under the starry tropical sky.
I left the temple
I escaped from the rules of civilized society.
Of civilized man
I broke free from the norms of society that held me back from happiness.
To dance the tango
I am free to live life how I please, including indulging in the romantic dance of the tango.
Utopian
This life is the embodiment of my perfect world.
Mmm, how can I leave here
I can't imagine ever leaving this tropical paradise and going back to my old life.
How can I go back?
Leaving my new, simpler life behind is not an option.
The life here is so
The life I have in the tropics is everything I've ever wanted and more.
Aphrodisiac
Living here has made me feel sensual and sexually charged.
Her eyes, her lips
Everything about her, from her eyes to her lips, makes me want her more.
And the smell of her hair
Her scent is intoxicating and makes me want to be close to her always.
Make me a savage
Being with her and living this life has caused me to become wild and untamed.
And I cease to care, oh no
The tropical life, and the woman I'm with, has made me carefree and unbothered by my old life.
Writer(s): Matthew Wilder, Barry Hyde
Contributed by Sydney R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.