Thirteen Senses is an indie/rock band formed in Penzance, Cornwall in 2001.… Read Full Bio ↴Thirteen Senses is an indie/rock band formed in Penzance, Cornwall in 2001. The current lineup is Will South (vocals, piano, guitar), Tom Welham (guitar, vocals), Adam Wilson (bass guitar) and Brendon James (drums, percussion).

Thirteen Senses have four studio albums: The Invitation (27 September 2004), Contact (2 April 2007) , Crystal Sounds (21 February 2011) and A Strange Encounter (5 May 2014).

In terms of their style and sound, Thirteen Senses are quite similar to other British bands like Keane and Coldplay; but take on a wider range of influences, including Mew, Mercury Rev and a minimalist aesthetic, with their lyrics also visiting darker themes.

Automatic
Thirteen Senses Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Show me a house with a window
One with a garage and five bedrooms
Form me a line so I can judge you
Call me a name if you want to

Show me a way to the exit
Look at my hands, see them shaking
Tell me apart from my shadow

Find me a line for this shadow

You're so automatic
You're so automatic
Keep off the tracks, ahh, ah
Keep holding back

Space and time, frozen
Distance is behind
Space and time, frozen
Distance is behind

Space and time, frozen
Distance is behind

Space and time, frozen
Distance is behind

Overall Meaning

The opening lines in Thirteen Senses' "Automatic" lyrics depict a person yearning for a stable and conventional life. The singer is searching for a house with a window, five bedrooms, and a garage. On the other hand, the lyrics also portray the character as someone judgmental, deepening the sense of unease and tension in the song. The lyrics' second verse shows a person struggling to come to terms with themselves, showcasing themes of identity and self-doubt. The singer asks for someone to find them a line for their shadow, demonstrating the prototype's desire for stability and self-expression simultaneously.

The core of the song consists of a recurring phrase, "You're so automatic," which adds to the meaning of the lyrics. The phrase creates a certain sense of negativity as if the character is alluding to society's conditioning forces that make people conform and be "automatic." The song's lyrics suggest that people often feel a push-and-pull from societal expectations, leading them to struggle with their sense of individuality. The repetition of "space and time" and "distance is behind" signifies that the character wants to leave the past behind and break free from the expectations that have held them back.

Line by Line Meaning

Show me a house with a window
Display for me a residential structure that includes at least one opening for light, air, and view.

One with a garage and five bedrooms
This house must also have a space to park vehicles as well as five distinct areas for sleeping and storage.

Form me a line so I can judge you
Arrange yourselves in such a way that I can make a determination of your worth, value, or character based on appearances or actions.

Call me a name if you want to
If desired, use words to assign a label or title to me.

Show me a way to the exit
Provide me with a route or path that leads to a means of egress or escape.

Look at my hands, see them shaking
Observe my hands and notice that they are trembling or quaking, possibly due to fear or nervousness.

Tell me apart from my shadow
Differentiate between me as an individual and the dark shape cast by the obstruction of light from a light source.

Find me a line for this shadow
Locate a boundary, limit, or outline for the silhouette generated by the interference between light and an object.

You're so automatic
You behave or function with little or no thought or effort, like a machine or a programmed response.

Keep off the tracks, ahh, ah
Avoid getting in the way of the path reserved for locomotives and their cars.

Keep holding back
Continue to restrain or control one's own impulses or actions.

Space and time, frozen
The dimensions of distance and duration appear to be suspended or fixed in place.

Distance is behind
The separation between two points or objects is no longer a factor or obstacle.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NATHAN BARLOWE, TOMMY LEE JAMES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it