Arcade Fire – My Body Is a Cage

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

I'm standing on a stage
Of fear and self-doubt
It's a hollow play
But they'll clap anyway

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key

I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light
Though my language is dead
Still the shapes fill my head

I'm living in an age
Whose name I don't know
Though the fear keeps me moving
Still my heart beats so slow

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
My body is a,

My body is a cage
We take what we're given
Just because you've forgotten
That don't mean you're forgiven

I'm living in an age
That screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There's no one in sight

I'm living in an age
That laughs when I'm dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key

Set my spirit free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free
Set my body free

Set my spirit free
Set my body free


Lyrics submitted by mad_world87, edited by akimika, Mellow_Harsher

"My Body Is a Cage" as written by Regine Chassagne Jeremy Gara

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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My Body Is a Cage song meanings
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  • +13
    General Commentanother line that supports the idea that he is singing about social anxiety is 'Though the fear keeps me moving, Still my heart beats so slow' the 'fear' is the anxiety which results in a rapid heart beat and panic but as he goes onto say 'my heart beats so slow' he plays on the contradiction of the disorder which is that when people have their social anxieties although their heart might be beating rapidly they are often dishertened by the fact that the fear is preventing them from doing the things they want to do.

    Social anxiety is a disorder that most people who have it, will develop it in their teens and without treatment or recognising the disorder will have for several years. I really think that he is singing about how he has had this disorder and knows that he can not be close to the one he loves because of his anxieities, a lot of the lines are more literal then you
    aldc84on June 21, 2009   Link
  • +11
    General CommentThe lyrics sound like they are written by someone who has social anxiety which is a disorder that can pevent people from expressing their real emotion even if they want to because of fear of being judged and extreme low self esteem. The line that really supports this is 'my mind is the key' and 'standing on the stage of fear and self doubt'.

    Other parts of the lyrics that suggest this are also 'Though my language is dead, still the shapes fill my head' people who suffer from social anxiety are often very quiet and reserved because it is social interaction and attention from others that sets off their anxieties, so even though they might be passionate, cultured people their mental illness has made their 'language' or ability to communiate 'dead'.

    The title of the song also suggest his/her anxieites are set off from their awkwardness or low confidence in the way they look or physically behave which is preventing them from being themselves and acting as they naturally would.
    aldc84on June 21, 2009   Link
  • +9
    General CommentI'd always thought this was about being gay and in love with someone who was straight.
    whateverprimeon April 08, 2009   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +4
    General Commenti think its simply about some one who is very un-sure about themselfs, it dosent matter weather his body CAN do what he wants to do, mentaly he cant... it covers all the examples given (physicaly, mentaly, emotinaly crippled)

    it is all these songs... a true song of personal tragedy... perfect.
    SyroVisionon February 13, 2007   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +4
    General CommentPersonally, I think this song is about a dead lover he can no longer 'dance' with. His living body is keeping him caged here on earth. If he were only dead they could dance in an afterlife.

    Throughout the song he seems rather dispirited and melancholy, though he seems to understand that she will always be with him, in his head or in his heart, hence, his mind holds the key. He doesn’t feel good about it, though.
    brian_bon February 28, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment....think, look up social anxiety and it will make so much sense
    aldc84on June 21, 2009   Link
  • +3
    My OpinionThe lyrics just remind me of severe anxiety. Anxiety cages you from doing the things you want.
    hellocastroon November 25, 2011   Link
  • +3
    My InterpretationInstantaneous Contemplation of Life After Death
    I think this song is about the moment right after someone dies- the interim split second between life and death. The speaker has one instant to think about his future, or eternity, or what's going to happen to him and what he deserves.
    The "one I love" is Jesus; the stage is "of fear and self doubt" because for one last moment the speaker doesn't know if he'll go to heaven or if heaven even exists.
    Somehow, though, he realizes that his "mind holds the key"- either to let him in, or to lead him on elsewhere.
    He doubts himself, though, because he's been corrupted by the age where "darkness is light". Is he worthy? Is anyone?
    Then, at the end, Jesus comes and stands next to him. I picture this all occurring on the top of a mountain, surrounded by a clear blue sky. Heaven is close but he's not in it yet; the speaker is still tied down physically.
    This is when the key changes- it becomes more optimistic- and he turns to Jesus and asks him to "set my body free."
    The song ends. The listener does not get to find out what happens because the instant isn't over. Maybe it never will be.
    crowmancheon December 19, 2011   Link
  • +3
    My InterpretationI believe this song is talking about a man who can't be with the one he loves because she is dead, he wants to be with her but he would have to be dead too (set my spirit free) and he has to make the choice to die or not (my mind holds the key). She is still in his heart but he can't truly be with her.

    He's standing on a stage of fear and self doubt, this might mean he's contemplating whether or not he should die but he fears she may not be there when his spirit is free..
    "It's a hollow play but they'll clap anyway" could be saying he has no purpose without her and no reasons to live in so much pain because everyone dies in the end.

    "I'm living in an age That calls darkness light" may mean people today don't show if they are sad and he shows his feelings and his sadness (Though my language is dead).
    Or it could mean he DOESN'T show his sadness because the way of openly expressing your feelings is dead.

    But either way he still can't get her out of his head (Still the shapes fill my head)

    "I'm living in an age Whose name I don't know" He doesn't know what is happening around him because he feels too dead inside to notice anything around him, but the fear of never seeing his love again even if his spirit is freed keeps him alive (Though the fear keeps me moving Still my heart beats so slow).

    "Still turning in the night" He is having nightmares about when he dies, and his spirit is freed, she isn't there anyways. (But when I get to the doorway There's no one in sight)

    "Realizing I'm dancing With the one I love" He might as well be dead because, to him, he feels dead.

    I'm still working on the "We take what we're given Just because you've forgotten, that don't mean you're forgiven" part.
    Jacabbbon June 01, 2012   Link
  • +3
    General CommentWhen I originally heard this song, due to some of the religious overtones on this album I thought perhaps that "the one I love" may have referred to some version of God. I took it in an Eastern religious tradition sort of way since "my mind hold(ing) the key" would then seem to speak of something like enlightenment (which isn't to say that this completely discounts the entirety of the Judeo Christian side of things, as well as some others).

    I thought the homosexual interpretation was also interesting and plausible. I think there are some commonalities to both ways of looking at things, though, that might be both more broad and more true to the song's DNA. It's about feeling isolated and alienated both from and due to one's circumstances, and about longing not to be defined so narrowly by those around us, who, in so doing, are complicit in our imprisonment. I'm sure there are many more situations these feelings might apply to.

    Music is wonderful, and so is this song.
    cobalton October 23, 2013   Link

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