The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Row… Read Full Bio ↴The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in Manchester in 1989. They were pioneers (along with the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, and other acts) in bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture. After attracting Virgin Records, the duo achieved further success with second album Dig Your Own Hole (1997), which topped the UK charts. In the UK, they have had six No. 1 albums and 13 top-20 singles, including two chart-toppers.

Their name came about in 1995 after they dropped their original moniker the Dust Brothers due to the existence of a different band with the same name. In the United States, they have won six Grammy Awards including Best Rock Instrumental Performance, Best Dance Recording and Best Dance/Electronic Album of the year as recently as 2020.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chemical_Brothers

Studio albums
Exit Planet Dust (1995)
Dig Your Own Hole (1997)
Surrender (1999)
Come with Us (2002)
Push the Button (2005)
We Are the Night (2007)
Further (2010)
Born in the Echoes (2015)
No Geography (2019)
For That Beautiful Feeling (2023)

Keep My Composure
The Chemical Brothers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Must keep my composure
Must keep my composure
Space rockin' and killers

Moving through the city
Fill my body with the poison
Head spinning to the rhythm like clockwork
I ain't trying to do no wrong but they leave with no choice man

There is so much spirit cut the curse to my verse
Be the piper pick peppers and I snort lines sorry mom I'm just a man of my times
Even though they hold me hostage
Said I ain't worth a dime and time is money so I ain't worth your time

And I ain't worth your time
But I ain't worth your time
But I ain't worth your time
Hold it down

Must keep my composure
Must keep my composure
Must keep my composure

Run and hold me closer
Until this is over

Must keep my composure
Through your control look

Run hold me closer
Until this is over

Space rockin' and killers

Everybody is quick to put their arms around me
They got nothin' to lose
All this gane shit I'm empty inside
And every time I try to refuel
Quickly ringing
Told me times are hard for zemers
Thought I would be fine but
What?
These bitch ?
But I'm sick of the intent of it
You don't know me and you don't know my style
?
And your thoughts are quarter live

Said you don't know my style
You aint' half this wild
You aint' half this wild

Hold It Down

That's right lets stay groove
Come on and let me see you move
That's right lets stay groove
Come on and let me see you whoa

Hands up
Hands up
Stand up
Stand up (woo)
Uh
Hands up
Hands up
Stand up
Stand up (whoa)
Uh
Hands up
Hands up
Stand up
Stand up (whoa)
Uh
Hands up
Hands up
Stand up
Stand up (whoa)

Takin' it back to the basics face it
We are the kind to pitch this song in basement
And I ain't tying to have a problem here so putcha
Go on and shake it
Get that ass in gear
Go on and shake it
Get that ass in gear
Go on and shake it
Get that ass in gear
Go on and shake it
Get that ass in gear

Go on and shake it
Get that ass in gear

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Keep My Composure" by The Chemical Brothers explore the struggle to remain calm and composed in the face of external pressures and personal demons. The repetition of the opening lines emphasizes the need to maintain control, even when surrounded by chaos and danger, represented by the phrases "space rockin' and killers" and "moving through the city, fill my body with the poison." The singer acknowledges that they don't want to do wrong, but feel forced into making difficult choices. The line "there is so much spirit cut the curse to my verse" could be interpreted as a reference to the creative process, where the artist tries to channel their emotions and experiences into their work, often exposing themselves to vulnerability and criticism. The singer also confronts the idea of worth and time, acknowledging that they may not be valued by others, but still hold their own sense of purpose and identity.

In the chorus, the singer pleads to "run and hold me closer until this is over," suggesting they are looking for support and comfort in the face of their struggles. The references to shaking and moving suggest a release of energy and emotion through physical movement, in order to find solace and catharsis.

Line by Line Meaning

Must keep my composure
I need to stay calm and composed

Space rockin' and killers
The music and atmosphere are intense and exciting

Moving through the city
I'm navigating the city streets

Fill my body with the poison
I'm consuming substances that intoxicate me

Head spinning to the rhythm like clockwork
The music is so captivating that it feels like my head is spinning in time with it

I ain't trying to do no wrong but they leave with no choice man
I don't want to cause trouble, but sometimes I have to defend myself

There is so much spirit cut the curse to my verse
I have a lot of creative energy and inspiration, but sometimes it's difficult to put it into words

Be the piper pick peppers and I snort lines sorry mom I'm just a man of my times
I'm indulging in drugs and hedonistic behavior, but I don't want to disappoint my mother

Even though they hold me hostage
Despite feeling trapped or constrained by my circumstances

Said I ain't worth a dime and time is money so I ain't worth your time
Someone has dismissed or undervalued me, and they don't think it's worth their time to pay attention to me

And I ain't worth your time
And I know that I'm not worth your time

But I ain't worth your time
But even though I'm not worth your time

But I ain't worth your time
I'm still not worth your time

Hold it down
Stay calm and maintain control of the situation

Run and hold me closer
Stay with me and support me during this difficult time

Until this is over
Until things have calmed down or resolved themselves

Must keep my composure
I need to stay calm and composed

Through your control look
Despite feeling like someone is trying to control or manipulate me

Run hold me closer
Stay with me and support me during this difficult time

Until this is over
Until things have calmed down or resolved themselves

Space rockin' and killers
The music and atmosphere are intense and exciting

Everybody is quick to put their arms around me
People want to be close to me or offer me support

They got nothin' to lose
They don't care about the consequences or risks of their actions

All this gane shit I'm empty inside
Despite my success or status, I feel unfulfilled or hollow

And every time I try to refuel
When I try to find fulfillment or satisfaction

Quickly ringing
My thoughts are racing or overwhelming

Told me times are hard for zemers
Someone told me that times are tough for people like me

Thought I would be fine but
I thought everything would be okay, but it's not

What?
Expression of shock or confusion

These bitch ?
Unclear or unintelligible lyrics

But I'm sick of the intent of it
I'm tired of people's motivations or agendas

You don't know me and you don't know my style
You don't understand who I am or how I do things

And your thoughts are quarter live
Your opinions or perspectives are superficial or shallow

Said you don't know my style
I want to emphasize that you really don't understand me

You aint' half this wild
You can't match my level of excitement or intensity

You aint' half this wild
You really can't compare to me in terms of energy or enthusiasm

Hold It Down
Stay calm and maintain control of the situation

That's right lets stay groove
Let's keep dancing and enjoying the music

Come on and let me see you move
I want to see you dance and have fun

Hands up
Raise your hands in the air

Stand up
Get up on your feet

Uh
Expression of excitement or enthusiasm

Takin' it back to the basics face it
Going back to the fundamental elements or origins of something

We are the kind to pitch this song in basement
We're the type of people who would create and share music even in a makeshift or humble setting

And I ain't tying to have a problem here so putcha
I don't want to cause trouble, so let's keep things peaceful

Go on and shake it
Dance and move your body