Is it a warning?
Is it an evil sign?
Is it a people
Who have lost their mind?
Is it the darkness?
Is it a man resigned?
Is it a best friend
Leaving you behind?
Is it ever gonna stop
Will they ever let you go
Your in a rush they don't care enough
Cause there lives are very slow
Time is ticking on
You don't get a second shot
And when you sell your soul
For a leading role will the lost souls be forgot

And if I can?t hear the music
And the audience is gone
I'll dance here on my own.
And I hope the lonely hearts club band
Will play out one last song
Before the sun goes down.

And is it ending
Should it really make you sick is now the time that you realize
You better get out quick cause time is ticking on
To long to fake your smile
But then you sell your soul for a leading role so wear it for a while

And if I can't hear the music
And the audience is gone
I'll dance here on my own.
And I hope the lonely hearts club band
Will play out one last song
Before the sun goes down.

And there she goes
And there she goes
So write
Cause billy's got himself a gun billy's got himself a gun
And your right to be afraid they'll send you to your grave cause your strange

And if I can't hear the music
And the audience is gone
I'll dance here on my own.
Cause billy's got himself a gun billy's got himself a gun
And your right to be afraid they'll send you to your grave cause your strange

And if I can't hear the music and the audience is gone I'll dance.

And is it evil?
Should it really make you sick?
Is now the time that you realize
You'd better get out quick?
And is it envy


Or pride that makes them vain?
Did you give your all
But you're only small
And now your body's drained?
This is never gonna stop.
They will never let you go.
You're in a rush.
They don't care enough.
Cause their lives are very slow.
Time is ticking on.
Too long to fake your smile.
But then you sold your soul for a leading role
So wear it for a while.

And if I can't hear the music
And the audience is gone
I'll dance here on my own.
And I hope the lonely hearts club band
Will play out one last song
Before the sun goes down.

And there she goes
And there she goes


So round you'll see me run
Cause billy's got himself a gun
And you're right to be afraid
They'll send you to your grave
Cause it's strange and new

And if I can't hear the music
And the audience is gone
I'll dance here on my own.
And I hope the lonely hearts club band
Will play out one last song
Before the sun goes down.

And there she goes
And there she goes

So round you'll see me run
Cause billy's got himself a gun
And you're right to be afraid
They'll send you to your grave
cause it's strange and new

So round you'll see me run
Cause billy's got himself a gun
And you're right to be afraid
They'll send you to your grave
Cause it's strange and new

And if I can't hear the music
And the audience is gone
I'll dance?


Lyrics submitted by gporter419

I Can't Hear the Music Lyrics as written by James Blount

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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I Can't Hear The Music song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    This whole song has references to other songs and rock bands. Lonely Hearts Club band (The Beatles) Billy's Got a Gun (Def Leppard) Yoshimi (Flaming Lips) Darkness is a band as well (perhaps reason for capitalization)

    I agree with kInGancaptain... this sounds of him doing what he does for the music and not for the fame. Maybe others think he has sold out and moved on, but he is still doing it for himself. Maybe these bands he mentions in the songs are the same... people liked them and then turned away... but they still kept "dancing on their own".

    benie102... I really beg to differ about it having no soul. This song isn't about making the money, but the beauty of the music for himself... I'm sad that you cannot see what a beautiful lyricist this man is.

    Elvishswimmeron February 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I believe the lyrics are "cause Billy's got himself a GUN not job.....

    breemeisteron September 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    breemeister is correct - the lyrics are now changed

    gporter419on September 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Great song, I love james blunt.

    whatisdoneisdoneon October 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Another song with no heart or soul, another monney maker, pop is so crap it's unreal...

    benie102on October 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Nice song but what's up with the. "run yoshimi run" part?

    Shaftellon October 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I believe the Yoshimi reference is from this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshimi_Battles_the_Pink_Robots

    Don't know how it fits in though.

    cagsmithon November 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I read an interview where James said that this song is about the time at the end of his career when all his fans have gone on to a new band, and how he did it for the love of music not for the fame or the fans he just wanted to express himself.

    kInGancaptainon December 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I wonder if the "Billy" he is refferng to is the same billy off the song "Billy". love the song James you are the best but i promise you'll always have atleast one fan, and that will always be me.

    kInGancaptainon January 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This whole song has references to other songs and rock bands. Lonely Hearts Club band (The Beatles) Billy's Got a Gun (Def Leppard) Yoshimi (Flaming Lips) Darkness is a band as well (perhaps reason for capitalization)

    I agree with kInGancaptain... this sounds of him doing what he does for the music and not for the fame. Maybe others think he has sold out and moved on, but he is still doing it for himself. Maybe these bands he mentions in the songs are the same... people liked them and then turned away... but they still kept "dancing on their own".

    benie102... I really beg to differ about it having no soul. This song isn't about making the money, but the beauty of the music for himself... I'm sad that you cannot see what a beautiful lyricist this man is.

    Elvishswimmeron February 07, 2008   Link

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