Body Language
Róisín Murphy Lyrics


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Have you omitted to say
Those rubber bullets don't bounce off you?
Oh, incry, hear it in stereo
I'll cry after everything is done and dusted
I may convince bold and original
Forgive, what's that for when you're heading for the dance floor?
I'm here, go deep with those climb-downs
Branding me a heretic kind of infant-terrible
I risk I take it to the brink of it
Drop you like a hot potato, everybody turn a hater

If you hear what your body says, learn body language
If I could speak, I'd call your name
If I could hear what your body says, I wouldn't change it
If you speak over to me

Between false and tragedy lies
A human emotion for hoping it'll turn out alright
Ah, dickens, thicken now then chicken soup
And the way that you turn it will take you to the end of the line
But learn, speak it, that body language
Definition of wordplay, conditional love
You can't contemplate, impossible to separate
One from the other, your mother's, sister's, brother's lover

If you hear what your body says, learn body language
If I could speak, I'd call your name
If I could hear what your body says, I wouldn't change it
If you speak over to me

Tied up for the foreseeable future
Had ended in the 70's science fiction motion picture
Back in the day, don't cut it now anyway
Quite a different animal, don't you wish you'd had a mission

If you hear what your body says, learn body language
If I could speak, I'd call your name
If I could hear what your body says, I wouldn't change it
If you speak over to me




If you hear what your body says, learn body language
If I could speak, I'd call your name

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Body Language" by Róisín Murphy speak about the importance of understanding and expressing oneself through body language. The first verse touches upon the idea of resilience, as the singer mentions rubber bullets that don't bounce off the person, suggesting the ability to endure and withstand. However, it then goes on to talk about crying and forgiveness, showing vulnerability and the importance of emotional expression. The line "heading for the dance floor" suggests the idea of using music and movement as a form of release and expression.


The chorus emphasizes the importance of paying attention to one's body language and learning how to communicate non-verbally. The use of the phrases "if I could speak" and "if you speak over to me" highlight the limitations of verbal communication and the need to look beyond words to understand each other. The second verse talks about the thin line between false hope and tragedy and how emotions play a role in how things turn out. The mention of "conditional love" suggests the complexity of relationships and the need to decode non-verbal cues.


The bridge of the song mentions being tied up in the foreseeable future and references a science fiction movie from the 70s. The phrase "back in the day, don't cut it now anyway" suggests the need to move on from outdated ideas and embrace the power of non-verbal communication.


Overall, "Body Language" encourages listeners to pay attention to their own body language and learn to communicate effectively through non-verbal cues.


Line by Line Meaning

Have you omitted to say
Did you forget to mention something?


Those rubber bullets don't bounce off you?
Are you unaffected by criticism?


Oh, incry, hear it in stereo
I'll cry after everything is done and dusted


I may convince bold and original
I might persuade you to try something new and daring


Forgive, what's that for when you're heading for the dance floor?
Why bother asking for forgiveness when you plan on having a good time?


I'm here, go deep with those climb-downs
I'm willing to be vulnerable and admit my mistakes


Branding me a heretic kind of infant-terrible
Labeling me as a rebel and a troublemaker


I risk I take it to the brink of it
I take big risks and push things to the limit


Drop you like a hot potato, everybody turn a hater
If I reject you, people will turn on you and become your enemy


If you hear what your body says, learn body language
Pay attention to your instincts and learn to read body language


If I could speak, I'd call your name
If I had the confidence, I would tell you how I feel


Between false and tragedy lies
The line between falsehoods and tragedy is thin


A human emotion for hoping it'll turn out alright
A natural desire to believe that things will work out in the end


Ah, dickens, thicken now then chicken soup
Ah, what a mess, it's time to make things right


And the way that you turn it will take you to the end of the line
The way you handle a situation will determine its outcome


But learn, speak it, that body language
But learn to communicate clearly through body language


Definition of wordplay, conditional love
Playing with words and love that has conditions


You can't contemplate, impossible to separate
You can't consider it and it's impossible to distinguish the two


One from the other, your mother's, sister's, brother's lover
They are all connected, whether it's your mother's, sister's, or brother's lover


Tied up for the foreseeable future
Stuck in a situation for the near future


Had ended in the 70's science fiction motion picture
Appears to be a reference to a science fiction film from the 1970s


Back in the day, don't cut it now anyway
It was fine in the past but not anymore


Quite a different animal, don't you wish you'd had a mission
Things are very different now, do you wish you had a purpose?




Contributed by Tyler T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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