He is also responsible for the little-known sequel, Shock Treatment.
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Richard O'Brien Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time is fleeting
Madness takes it's toll
But listen closely
Not for very much longer
I've got to keep control
I remember doing the time-warp
The blackness would hit me
And the void would be calling
Let's do the time-warp again
Let's do the time-warp again
It's just a jump to the left
An then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it's the pelvic thrust
That really drives you insane
Let's do the time-warp again
Let's do the time-warp again
It's so dreamy, oh fantasy free me
So you can't see me, no, not at all
In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention
Well-secluded, I see all
With a bit of a mind flip
You're into the time slip
And nothing can ever be the same
You're spaced out of sensation
Like you're under sedation
Let's do the time-warp again
Let's do the time-warp again
Well I was walking down the street just a-having a think
When a snake of a guy give me an evil wink
He shook-a me up, he took me by surprise
He had a pickup truck, and the devil's eyes
He starred at me and I felt a change
Time meant nothing, never would again
Let's do the time-warp again
Let's do the time-warp again
It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it's the pelvic thrust
That really drives you insane
Let's do the time-warp again
Let's do the time-warp again
The Time Warp is a song that requires physical participation, and it appears multiple times in the cult classic musical film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In the first verse, the lyrics offer a warning: time moves quickly and madness can take control. The singer urges the listener to listen closely and to “keep control” because they don’t have much longer to do so. Then the singer describes a state of mind where they experience blackouts and voids. When the singer urges the listener to do the time-warp again, they’re essentially inviting them to escape this harsh reality and instead embrace a world where they can be in control, where they can let loose and do pelvic thrusts to drive themselves "insane."
Line by Line Meaning
It's astounding
This experience is absolutely incredible
Time is fleeting
Time moves quickly and we must make the most of it
Madness takes its toll
The craziness of life can have negative effects on us
But listen closely
Pay close attention to what I'm saying
Not for very much longer
This experience won't last forever
I've got to keep control
I need to stay in control of my emotions
I remember doing the time-warp
I recall the feeling of doing this dance before
Drinking those moments when
I fully immersed myself in those unforgettable moments
The blackness would hit me
I was overtaken by complete darkness
And the void would be calling
I felt as though I was being pulled into nothingness
Let's do the time-warp again
Let's experience this dance once more
It's just a jump to the left
This dance requires a simple movement to the left
And then a step to the right
Followed by a quick step to the right
With your hands on your hips
Place your hands on your hips and get ready to move
You bring your knees in tight
Bring your knees in close to your body
But it's the pelvic thrust
This dance move involves thrusting your pelvis forward
That really drives you insane
This move is so exhilarating it will drive you crazy
It's so dreamy
This experience is completely dreamlike
Oh fantasy free me
In this world, my fantasies become reality and I am no longer held back
So you can't see me, no not at all
I become invisible and unseen
In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention
In a different realm, my intentions become voyeuristic and secretive
Well-secluded, I see all
Even though I'm removed from reality, I can see everything
With a bit of a mind flip
This dance requires a quick change in mindset
You're into the time slip
Once your mindset shifts, you're transported through time
And nothing can ever be the same
Life will never be the same after experiencing this dance
You're spaced out of sensation
You're so caught up in the moment that you're numb to everything else
Like you're under sedation
Feeling as though you're under the influence of a sedative
Well I was walking down the street just a-having a think
I was out for a walk, lost in thought
When a snake of a guy give me an evil wink
A sleazy guy gave me a devious look
He shook-a me up, he took me by surprise
He startled me and caught me off guard
He had a pickup truck, and the devil's eyes
He had a truck and a wicked glint in his eye
He starred at me and I felt a change
He stared at me and I could feel everything changing
Time meant nothing, never would again
The concept of time seemed irrelevant and would never matter again
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ferdinand Wang
'The success of the movie has done me some good. It hasn't made me a terribly wealthy person; it's just given me more choices.' - R O'Brien.
spikychickify
What a lovely person. The level of self-awareness is astounding. Riff raff you are awesome!
Dylan RJ Owens BillyBob
That high quality behind the scenes footage is beautiful.
Vickie Lawson
He looks abnormally youthful for his age. Good for him!
Hyicrotai
Ut is wild i wana see him now
Loi An Le
Yes, this parallel is correct: Adam & Eve = Hansel & Gretel = Brad & Janet. O'Brien is brilliant.
Liam Johnson
Not sure if this is something you'll ever see Richard but if you do, know I love you and I owe a lot of thanks to you for inspiring me to who I am. Thank you.
Tracie Ramson
Don't Dream it.....Be It
Graeme Knowles
The music/songs in Rocky Horror are absolutely phenomenal. Brilliant writing and arrangements.đź‘Ť
17 76
The SONGS ARE GREAT! THE CHARACTERS AND THE MARVELOUS CAST THAT WAS BROUGHT TOGETHER, PERFECT!
SO MUCH LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE! I've seen this (in the 1970's) 18 times! Every time its been fantastic!! Thank you Richard!