Magnetised
Tom Odell Lyrics

See those birds going across the sky
Observing the migratory birds that travel thousands of miles, the singer reflects on the wonder of nature's instincts and how he wishes he had a similar sense of direction.

Three thousand miles they fly
Commenting on the impressive distance that birds can cover during their migration, the singer emphasizes the magnitude of their instinctual capabilities.

How do they know which way to go?
The singer is in awe of how birds always seem to know which way to go when migrating, highlighting the mystery and complexity of nature's instincts.

Somehow they always seem to know
Despite the vast distance that birds cover during migration, they always seem to know where they're going, a testament to the power of instinct.

They say there's mother nature in everything we see
The singer acknowledges the belief that everything in existence is a product of nature itself, meaning that everything he sees is connected to the natural world in some way.

Wish I had a little mother nature in me
Desiring to tap into the same natural instincts as migratory birds and other creatures, the singer laments his lack of connection to the natural world.

'Cause it's not right, I'm magnetised
The singer is bewildered and distressed by his attraction to someone who doesn't reciprocate his feelings.

To somebody that don't feel it
Despite his feelings for this person, they don't share the same emotions, leaving the singer feeling unrequited.

Love paralyzed, she's never gonna need me
The singer feels emotionally stuck and unable to move on from this unrequited love, knowing that the person doesn't feel the same way.

But sure as the world keeps the moon in the sky
Despite the challenges he's facing with this unrequited love, the singer acknowledges that some things are certain and beyond his control, such as the moon remaining in the sky.

She'll keep me hanging on
Despite the lack of mutual feelings, the singer knows that he'll continue to be attached to this person and hold on to the hope that things will change.

See the couple lying on the bus
Spotting a couple who appear to be deeply in love and comfortable with each other, the singer feels envious of their connection.

Falling asleep with so much trust
The couple's level of comfort and trust is so high that they can feel at ease enough to fall asleep next to each other on a bus.

I wish I had a chance to let them know
The singer wishes he could somehow express to this couple how much their love inspires him and makes him crave the same connection.

Their love is like a flower in the snow
The contrast between the bright, beautiful flower and the white snow highlights the rarity and preciousness of the couple's love in a cold, harsh world.

If it's just pheromones then that may be
Despite his romanticizing of the couple's love, the singer acknowledges that biological factors such as pheromones may play a role in their attraction to each other.

I wish you had a little pheromones for me
The singer jokingly wishes that he had the same biological chemistry with the person he's attracted to.

North to south, white to black
Using these binary opposites, the singer symbolizes the vast differences between people in terms of race, geography, culture, and more.

When you love someone that don't love you back
The singer acknowledges the pain of unrequited love, which can feel especially intense when it involves someone who doesn't share the same cultural background or life experiences.