Touch Me
Soundgarden Lyrics


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In the night
In the city
Alone in my room
Ooh wall to wall

[Chorus]
Touch me, can you feel it
Touch me, it feels good
Touch me, yah I can feel it
(I got the feelin');
Touch me

Couldn't get to sleep in my room last night
Somethin' isn't quite the same
Just as I was reaching for the nearest light
I heard somebody calling my name

(Chorus)

Oh yeah
All right now

Shivers down my backbone 'cause my man is back
And my pulse began to race
Oh when she layed beside me everything went black
'Cause I've seen the strangest things





(Chorus)

Overall Meaning

In the song Touch Me by Soundgarden, the singer is portrayed as lonely and isolated in a big city in the night. He is alone in his room, where the walls seem to be closing in on him, and something feels different. He is unable to sleep and as he is about to turn on the light, he hears someone calling his name, which implies that he is desperately seeking human connection. He longs to be touched by someone, to feel the human warmth and intimacy that he lacks in his life.


The chorus of the song expresses this yearning desire to be touched, to feel alive and connected to someone else. The singer is aware of the impact that being touched can have on him, as he says "Touch me, can you feel it? Touch me, it feels good. Touch me, yeah, I can feel it, I got the feeling.” The song also depicts an encounter with someone who has come back into the singer's life, someone who is close to him and makes him feel alive. The lines, "Shivers down my backbone 'cause my man is back and my pulse began to race" and "When she laid beside me everything went black, Cause I've seen the strangest things" suggests that this person may be a former lover, who holds deep emotions and experiences that are best left unspoken.


The song delves into the heart of loneliness and the yearning for physical connection and human warmth, themes that are prevalent in many songs. However, Soundgarden's take on it is unique, as the lyrics are cryptic and ambiguous, leaving much to the interpretation of the listener.


Line by Line Meaning

In the night
During nighttime


In the city
Within the city limits


Alone in my room
Solitude within my personal space


Ooh wall to wall
All around me


Touch me, can you feel it
Can you sense the physical contact


Touch me, it feels good
The sensation is pleasurable


Touch me, yah I can feel it
Yes, I can sense the touch


(I got the feelin');
I have the sensation


Couldn't get to sleep in my room last night
Unable to fall asleep within my personal space the previous night


Somethin' isn't quite the same
There is a change or discrepancy from before


Just as I was reaching for the nearest light
At that very moment as I went to turn on the light


I heard somebody calling my name
I perceived the sound of someone saying my name


Oh yeah
Emphatic agreement


All right now
Confirmation of positive feeling


Shivers down my backbone 'cause my man is back
A feeling of excitement or anticipation due to someone's return


And my pulse began to race
The beating of my heart increased in speed


Oh when she layed beside me everything went black
When that person rested next to me, I lost consciousness or sense of time


'Cause I've seen the strangest things
I've witnessed peculiar or odd occurrences




Contributed by Sydney G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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