In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Hey, hey, the clouds are away
There's straw for the donkeys
And the innocents can all sleep safely
All sleep safely
My, my, sun is pie
There's fodder for the cannons
And the guilty ones can all sleep safely
All sleep safely
And all the world is football-shaped
It's just for me to kick in space
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure and the church bells softly chime
Hey hey, night fights day
There's food for the thinkers
And the innocents can all live slowly
All live slowly
My, my, the sky will cry
Jewels for the thirsty
And the guilty one's can all die slowly
All die slowly
And all the world is biscuit-shaped
It's just for me to feed my face
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure and the church bells softly chime
And birds might fall from black skies (woo-woo)
And bullies might give you black eyes (woo-woo)
But to me they're very, very beautiful
(England's glory)
Beautiful
(A striking beauty)
And all the world is football-shaped
It's just for me to kick in space
And I could see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to tell the difference 'tween the goods and grime
Turds and treasure and there's one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure and the church bells softly chime
There's straw for the donkeys
And the innocents can all sleep safely
All sleep safely
My, my, sun is pie
There's fodder for the cannons
And the guilty ones can all sleep safely
All sleep safely
And all the world is football-shaped
It's just for me to kick in space
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure and the church bells softly chime
Hey hey, night fights day
There's food for the thinkers
And the innocents can all live slowly
All live slowly
My, my, the sky will cry
Jewels for the thirsty
And the guilty one's can all die slowly
All die slowly
And all the world is biscuit-shaped
It's just for me to feed my face
And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure and the church bells softly chime
And birds might fall from black skies (woo-woo)
And bullies might give you black eyes (woo-woo)
But to me they're very, very beautiful
(England's glory)
Beautiful
(A striking beauty)
And all the world is football-shaped
It's just for me to kick in space
And I could see, hear, smell, touch, taste
And I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to tell the difference 'tween the goods and grime
Turds and treasure and there's one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to take this all in
I've got one, two, three, four, five
Senses working overtime
Trying to taste the difference 'tween a lemon and a lime
Pain and pleasure and the church bells softly chime
Lyrics submitted by pumkinhed, edited by sepultura1987
Senses Working Overtime Lyrics as written by Andy Partridge
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I know what you mean - there's no edyness in Mandy Moores cover - it's too 'sweet'. IT's ok though, she sings it well I guess.