The group takes its name from Shakespeare. In particular Hamlet's soliloquy To be, or not to be, where it refers to dying; "coil" is used in its archaic sense of "disturbance, trouble":
"What dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause."
Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1, line 67.
Kanga-Roo
This Mortal Coil Lyrics
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You had on blue jeans.
Your eyes couldn't hide anything.
I saw you breathing.
And I saw you staring out in space.
I next saw you, you was at a party.
Though you was a queen, oh so flirty.
I cam against.
You knew what I was doing.
We looked very fine 'cause we were leaving.
Like Saint Joan, doing a cool, cool, jerk.
Oh I want you, Oh I want you...
Like a kangaroo...
The lyrics to This Mortal Coil's "Kangaroo" tell the story of a chance encounter between the singer and a woman who catches their eye. The first time they see her, she's wearing blue jeans, and they can tell from her eyes that she's someone who's hard to read. They watch her breathing and staring off into space. Later on, they see her again at a party, where she's acting like a queen and being a bit flirty. The singer tries to make an impression by brushing up against her, but they don't even bother saying "excuse me" because they know she saw what they were trying to do. In the end, the two of them leave the party together, and the singer says they want her like a kangaroo.
Line by Line Meaning
I first saw you.
This Mortal Coil is describing the moment they first met someone.
You had on blue jeans.
The person This Mortal Coil met was wearing blue jeans.
Your eyes couldn't hide anything.
This Mortal Coil noticed that the person they met had very expressive eyes.
I saw you breathing.
This Mortal Coil observed the person breathing.
And I saw you staring out in space.
The person This Mortal Coil met was staring off into the distance.
I next saw you, you was at a party.
This Mortal Coil saw the person again at a party.
Though you was a queen, oh so flirty.
This Mortal Coil noticed that the person was very flirtatious, despite being very regal and classy.
I came against.
This Mortal Coil approached the person.
Didn't say excuse.
This Mortal Coil did not apologize for approaching the person.
You knew what I was doing.
The person understood why This Mortal Coil was approaching them.
We looked very fine 'cause we were leaving.
This Mortal Coil and the person looked good together because they were leaving the party.
Like Saint Joan, doing a cool, cool, jerk.
This Mortal Coil likens their situation to Saint Joan performing a cool dance move.
Oh I want you, Oh I want you...
This Mortal Coil expresses their desire for the person they met.
Like a kangaroo...
This Mortal Coil compares their desire to that of a kangaroo hopping towards something they want.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PhillipFreeman-yl9yq
Very special people with big hearts listen to This Mortal Coil. Love all of you.
@rylandel
The break when the cello comes in with the facsimili of the melody joins in has made me cry for 30+ yesrs.
@petemavus2948
Cello?
Anybody here?
I think I'm home...
" I figure a house with the smoke and a fence, the people round here would be pleased" {T.T.} " Take my word on this... I would believe in you...just in you " Soooo 'see said the blind man' as he read himself like Braille. I knew you left the light on for me, I could feel God's warmth in your smile 😊
@nc5809
I agree about that part. It makes me have chills even now.
@ashleykarchevsky4144
100%
@slantdsugco
lol I love you
@rdmrdm8054
Im 54 and this song still pains me the same way it did when it released in 1984.
@scottranger8909
Dude me too!! Reminds me of someone I let go and regret now. It always hit home but for some reason it's hitting hard now im 55
@eemajinemirror9249
That's sweet, man 😊
@lemsolaris67
I’m 54 and it is the same for me, as it was when released in 1984