The time I like is the rush hour, 'cause I like the rush
The pushing of the people, I like it all so much
Such a mass of motion, do not know where it goes
I move with the movement and, I have the touch

I'm waiting for ignition, I'm looking for a spark
Any chance collision and I light up in the dark
There you stand before me, all that fur and all that hair
Oh, do I dare, I have the touch

Wanting contact
I'm wanting contact
I'm wanting contact with you
Shake those hands, shake those hands
Give me the thing I understand
Shake those hands, shake those hands
Shake those hands, shake those hands

Any social occasion, it's hello, how do you do
All those introductions, I never miss my cue
So before a question, so before a doubt
My hand moves out and, I have the touch

Wanting contact
I'm wanting contact
I'm wanting contact with you
Shake those hands, shake those hands
Give me the thing I understand
Shake those hands, shake those hands

Pull my chin, stroke my hair, scratch my nose, hug my knees
Try drink, food, cigarette, tension will not ease
I tap my fingers, fold my arms, breathe in deep, cross my legs
Shrug my shoulders, stretch my back - but nothing seems to please

I need contact
I need contact
Nothing seems to please
I need contact


Lyrics submitted by kevver

I Have the Touch Lyrics as written by Peter Gabriel

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing

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I Have The Touch song meanings
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    General Comment

    I love this song. "So before a question, so before a doubt My hand moves out and, I have the touch." I think gives away the meaning of the song. Although he doesn't talk about the other senses, he is putting "touch" ahead of everything else; it's what he understands first and grounds his relationships to other people and his space in the world. The song sets this in different contexts. The subway/rush hour - in a mass of movement he feels comfortable. The movement associated with the "mass of motion" sets him at ease (gives him the touch). Light up in the dark with fur and hair - he understands women by sexual communication (there are references to this in some of his other songs). In social situations... he goes for the handshake first - because human contact, touch is how he approaches the world and it bases the rest of his interaction with that person.

    Like so many great songwriters, Peter Gabriel is probably is on the autistic scale. Touch and motion calm/ground him, and probably more so than most as supported by the almost beckoning: "give me the thing I understand". This is really a song about human communication and one man's relationship with it.

    matthewhxson March 30, 2016   Link

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