Imogen Heap: Hide and Seek Meaning
Hide and Seek Lyrics
the dust has only just began to fall
crop circles in the carpet, sinking, feeling
spin me around again and rub my eyes
this can't be happening
when busy streets a mess with people would stop to...
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I think this song is about the holocaust. if you just listen to the lyrics you will understand. for example, "where are we?...what is going on?" when people were sent to the death camps, they did not know where they were or what was going on. or "hide and seek, trains and sewing machines." people hid from the nazi, and if they were found they were put on trains where they were sent to camps where they did work, possibly with sewing machines? "the takeover, the sweeping insenistivity" each of these examples cleary refers to the holocaust.
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Well, to me, the interpretation's quite obvious.
It's most likely about her parents' divorce.
Where are we = where's the family's relationship gone to.
What the hell is going on,
The dust has only just begun to form crop circles in the ca-
rpet = the father's furniture is gone, leaving behind empty
circles to collect dust.
Sinking, feeling = the family's drowning in negative emotion.
Spin me round again and rub my eyes,
This can't be happening = Imogen can't believe her parents are splitting apart.
When busy streets- A mess with people would stop
To hold their heads heavy = all of Imogen's friends are in mourning with Imogen for the loss of her family's relationship.
Hide and seek- Trains and sewing machines
All those years, they were here first = Trains and sewing machines can be interpreted in two different ways.
Trains 1) father is leaving. Trains 2) wedding dress train.
Sewing machines 1) mom is trying to piece family back together. Sewing machines 2) all the work it took to build up the family.
All those years = all the years the parents have been together.
They were here first = the time the parents have been together were before the divorce.
Oily marks appear on walls where pleasure moments hung before = great memories and times Imogen's had with her family were ripped down like a picture, leaving a useless oily mark.
The takeover = father became abusive to the family.
The sweeping insensitivity of this = the fact Imogen's parents don't care for her opinion on the divorce.
Still life = the world stopped rotating to Imogen, and is just standing still like a still life.
Blood and tears- they were here first = the abuse the father's forced upon the family came before the divorce.
Mm, whatcha say?
Mm, that you only meant well- of course you did...
Mm, whatcha say?
Mm, that it's all for the best- of course it is...
Mm, whatcha say?
Mmmm, that it's just what we need- you decided this...
Mm, whatcha say?
Mmm, what did she say = an argument between Imogen and her mother about the divorce
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth,
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts = Imogen's argument and the fact she knows even though her mom says things to make the divorce seem okay, her voice is empty when she says them.
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you.
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit = Her parents' words feeling useless to Imogen because they don't mean anything to here, and that her parents don't care about how she feels.
Oh yeah, and buy Imogen's CD at Target!
~Speak For Yourself - Imogen Heap~ -
I think it's great how Imogen intentionally leaves the song up to each listener’s interpretation.
A lot of great ones here on this site too.
My personal interpretation is she is writing about the 9-11 attacks/general ideology that comes with that way of thinking.
Where are we?
What the hell is going on?
(Utter confusion for the crazy events that are happening)
Dust has only just begun to form crop circles in the carpet.
(This is speaking how recent the tragedy was and after affects of the huge craters left behind after the buildings were brought down)
Sinking, feeling...
(the feeling people had)
Spin me around again and rub my eyes
this can't be happening...
(explains itself – the way people were thinking how is this possible? Is this really happening?)
when busy streets amess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy
(I believe this is speaking of annual event when people take time to remember those that were lost, and shows how significant something like this is that a city (a big as New York) can be affected so deeply)
hide and seek
(the game of bad vs. evil – they hide amongst us and we must seek them out.)
trains and sewing machines
(I think Imogen is highlighting a few devices our opposer’s see as distractions. These are instruments our society has created as a development of capitalism and innovation; looked at as a bad creations by those that condemn our ways. These may be looked at as unnecessary devices that take us from our main focus in life)
all those years, they were here first.
(I think Imogen is trying to say these devices are only developments of what we are as human beings. These creations are an inherent behaviour and were an inevitable evolution of what we – we constantly look to improve)
oily marks appear on walls where pleasure moments hung before the takeover; the sweeping insensitivity of this still life.
(This is speaking the debris that covers the broken walls of the offices and hallways that once held a countless number of family photos and beautiful artwork only to be replaced by nothing but a static way of thinking. A way of life that has no consideration for an independent interpretation of the way one should live their life)
hide and seek
trains and sewing machines..
(this is the same as earlier but repeated)
Oh, won't catch me around here
(I believe this is the enemy speaking and restating there disapproval – as you can notice the voices are overlapping to convey an argument)
blood and tears
(expressing the pain the recent event has cause)
They were here first
(restating it was all for nothing)
ohm, what'd you say, mmm, that you only meant well?
Well of course you did
(Sure you believe what you are saying)
ohm, what'd you say, mmm, that it's all for the best
'cause it is
(Speaking to the person that is saying that they know what is best for everyone else, so much so that they will impose there beliefs upon others)
ohm, what'd you say, mmm, that it's just what we need...You decided this?
(who are you to decide this – We don’t need to live that way you wish to live)
Ohm, what'd you say, mmm, what did she say?
(still showing distaste for the side pushing their beliefs of the unwilling)
ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
(this is signifiying the letters and videos demanding us abide by their ways)
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut-outs
speak no feeling, no I don't believe you.
you don’t care a bit, no you don't care a bit...
(say whatever you want we won’t give in. We will be strong and fight for what is right)
ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut-outs
speak no feeling, no I don't believe you
(same)
You don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
Although I can see everyone’s view this is what I take from it.
Cheers! -
Ever since I heard this song, I have always thought that it was about the Holocaust. Just the way she put the lyrics there just reminded me. I mean, the jews hid from the nazis, right? like a game of hide and seek. "the takeover", the nazis took over everything. and, they were here first. the jews were here. Listen to the song, pay attention to the lyrics, and who agrees with me???
-
I do believe that this song is talking about the Holocast.
Hide and Seek
(hiding to keep from being caught)
It just struck me as the Holocast. As soon as I heard it. -
This song makes me think of the Holocaust.
where are we?
what the hell is going on?
the dust has only just begun to form
crop circles in the carpet
sinking feeling
spin me round again
and rub my eyes,
this can't be happening
when busy streets a mess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy
These lines are basically about the people in the camps, and the soldiers outside.
hide and seek
trains and sewing machines
all those years
they were here first
Hiding from the horror if you're in annex's or something, seeking shelter. Trains because they were all stuffed in trains to be brought to the camps, and sewing machines I'm not sure about. They were here first, as in the Jews and anyone else discriminated against.
oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before the takeover,
the sweeping insensitivity of this still life
The takeover of the Nazi's have marked them forever.
hide and seek
trains and sewing machines (oh, you won't catch me around here)
blood and tears (hearts)
they were here first
You won't catch me around here because they want to get out of the area. Blood and tears, self explanatory.
Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmm that you only meant well?
well of course you did
Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmmm that it's all for the best?
of course it is
Mmmm whatcha say?
Mmmm that it's just what we need
you decided this
whatcha say?
Mmmm what did she say?
Hitler and the Nazi's believed its for the best, but its obviously not.
ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs
speak no feeling no I don't believe you
you don't care a bit,
you don't care a bit
Open ended promises and false ideas are being sent from the Nazi's. Little pieces of conversation is heard.
(hide and seek)
ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs
(hide and seek)
speak no feeling no I don't believe you
you don't care a bit,
you don't care a (you don't care a) bit
(hide and seek)
oh no, you don't care a bit
oh no, you don't care a bit
(hide and seek)
oh no, you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
They don't care at all about the Jews, or any other people they were discriminant against.
Of course, this may not be right at all, but it all fits in rather perfectly right? -
I agree it is about a broke up with someone you have lived with, loved.
References to place and furniture refers to a flat where they hold common memories.
The 911 event of unreacting Bush just reind The author of an attitude she was confronted before and feed her inspiration among other things.
I wanted to add about the double meaning aspects of the song, dual and paradoxal aspects.
Hide and seek, duality.
Duality:
For the best, and awful pain.
(Past)Love and memories vs meaningless words for a break up.
And also, the pationate position of the protagonist versus the grounded attitude of the personn leaving her/his life.
Can't accept the situation, it is like world falling apart.
The leaver don't care a bit when all the world should stop.
Still there is a sense of awareness. Bitter realization of what is happening. The very fact that this song is sung.
Plus there is some hope, still in the bitter mode but here however:
If you cut the sentences at different time/moment than the "normal" sense seems to carry, helped by the rythm of the sung lyrics:
only just begun: new beginning?
hide and seek: hide yourself to cry but seek (reasons) or seek for new love?
still life: life is going on, still alive
they were here first: pain is part of life anyway
what we need? Love
what she said: might be a third person I (the guy decided on his own but what I think? is it not important) 3rd person to hide from the pain
Hide and seek: of course love but also attitudes towards what happened, the psychological attitude: Trying to understand, moving away from hurting feelings meomories, refusal of accepting what happened however finding truth about oneself, life, other, others
insensitivity of the person leaving but also of life and ourselves in a more general way
Of course you can interpret the song of a the person talking to the one who broke up with her or just this broken heart person talking to herself, more accurate in a way it seems. Hide and seek with myself regarding my feelings.
What the hell:I don't care anymore
The mode is sad, can't face it, still aware of my weakness, my low feelings. Lot's of cynicism, not in a bad way.
Powerful song! -
With the use of elusive words and intriguing images, this song really speaks to everyone individually. I thought Id share one of my more alternative interpretations.
To me it could me of a struggling couple losing a child at birth. It might take a bit of imagination, but I think a picture can be painted for it.
Where are we?
what the hell is going on?
[she is thinking back on the confusion of when she first became conscious in the hospital]
the dust has only
just began to form
[Dust only barely fell on the furniture in a room that has been prepared for the child. A premature birth? ]
Crop circles in the carpet
[removal of furniture (cradle) leaves crop circle shaped indents in the carpet. The father clearing it out very quickly after the loss?]
Sinking feeling
[the pain of loss]
Spin me round again
and rub my eyes
this can't be happening
[She is trying to remove the haziness of disbelieve of the loss, trying again and again and can't bring herself to it. Perhaps she is looking for her child]
when busy streets a mess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy
[perhaps she feels that people can see that she is no longer pregnant and that she doesn't have her baby]
Hide and seek
[game you would play with a child]
Trains and sewing machines
[toy versions that a child would play with]
All those years
[all those years that could have been]
They were here first
[she had already bought the toys in expectation for the years to come, she's already imagined those years]
oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before
the takeover
the sweeping insensitivity
of this
still life
[she has taken down pictures of things that remind her of happier times because it is insensitive, not fitting, to a baby still born]
Hide and seek
trains and sewing machines (you won't catch me around here)
[she won't be a mother playing with these things with her child]
Blood and tears
They were here first
[reference to the miscarriage and how its taken away what was there first]
mm whatcha say?
mm that you only meant well?
well of course you did
[I see a scenario where it was either her life or the child's, and she is addressing her partner, who seems to have made the decision]
mm whatcha say?
mm that it's all for the best?
of course it is
[her sarcasm and hurt, yet painful reluctant surrender perhaps, of the choice made]
mm whatcha say?
hmmm that it's just what we need?
and you decided this
[she did not have a say in this decision]
ooh whatcha say?
mmmm what did she say?
[the child didn't get a say in all this]
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid sweet talk newspaper word cut outs (paper word cut outs)
[In between his empty words of comfort he is throwing in ransoms (maybe refering to his hard choice), but she doubts this was really hard for him, as said in the next line]
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you (no I don't believe you)
you don't care a bit
you
don't care a bit
(Hide and Seek)
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid sweet talk newspaper word cut outs
(Hide and Seek)
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you
you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
(Hide and Seek)
Oh no, You don't care a bit
Oh no, You don't care a bit
(Hide and Seek)
Oh no, You don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
[She finishes by saying that she does not believe the comfort that he is giving her, it may indicate that he is not as distraught about the loss, and is just going through the motions what what she expects him to say. Its almost as if the child was what was hold him in the relationship]
I hope that some of what Ive said helped in seeing the song in a different light. -
I agree with the majority of the main interpretation. I'd just like to say that the oily marks that are on the wall could be where pictures were. Because it says they appear. So maybe its where pictures hung and she's tracing where they were, trying to reminisce. Or it could just be her tracing where this person (assuming she's talking about a person) was.
-
Where are we?
what the hell is going on?
(thoughts when the indians were made to leave their homes or thoughts when the white people landed in America)
the dust has only
just begun to fall
(The native americans and americans meet. There is war to come.
Crop circles in the carpet
Sinking feeling
(The peace has been disturbed (like you disturb corn fields when you create crop circles) and there is a sinking feeling because they know things are going to change.)
Spin me round again
and rub my eyes
this can't be happening
(It must be a dream. Rubbing your eyes is a sign of waking up or disbelief. Native americans thinking they can't really be doing this to us)
when busy streets a mess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy
Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
All those years
They were here first
(The indians were here first. Then the white people came and took over their land and brought industry with them (trains and sewing machines))
oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before
the takeover
the sweeping insensitivity
of this
still life
(There are marks left on the walls of the homes of the indians from before when they were happy. Before the white people forced them from their home and killed them. The white people were completely insensitive of the native's life. Acting like it wasn't as important as their own.)
Hide and seek
trains and sewing machines (you won't catch me around here)
Blood and tears
They were here first
(White people brought industry to America and in the process there was much bloodshed and tears from the Indians (ie. Trail of Tears) when all along the indians were here first. This was their land.)
mm what d'cha say?
mm that you only meant well
well of course you did
mm what d'cha say?
mm that it's all for the best
of course it is
mm what d'cha say?
hmmm that it's just what we need
and you decided this?
ooh what d'cha say?
mmmm what did she say?
(What the white people told the Indians. They said they had to conform to the white people's way because it was what was best for them. The white people way was the right way.)
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid sweet talk newspaper word cut outs (paper word cut outs)
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you (no I don't believe you)
you don't care a bit
you
don't care a bit
(The white people made the indians a lot of false promises. The white people wrote in their newspapers of all the "sweet promises" that were supposed to be kept. The white people promised them land but then they took it all alway and they got stuck on small reservations. The white people went back on a lot of treaties established with the native americans. So they're saying I don't want to hear what you have to say. You have no feelings. You don't care about us you only care about yourselves.)
(Hide and Seek)
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid sweet talk newspaper word cut outs
(Hide and Seek)
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you
you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
(Hide and Seek)
Oh no, You don't care a bit
Oh no, You don't care a bit
(Hide and Seek)
Oh no, You don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
(The white people don't care about the indians. They only care about themselves.)
So, basically I think it's about the trail of tears and the take over of America. During which, tons of innocent Indians were killed even though they were here first and this was their home long before the white people "discovered" america. -
This is the definitive interpretation, from the artist herself. It is the story of a woman discovering that her lover was already married with a family.
Interpretation in parenthesis
where are we?
What the hell is going on?...
Dust has only just begun to fall,
(The truth has come out, and she I reeling from it and only beginning to experience the waves of pain and grief)
crop circles in the carpet
(Where he has removed his furniture from their love-nest)
sinking, feeling...
Spin me around again and rub my eyes
this can't be happening...
(She is experiencing the shock of dealing with the huge emotional and physical hole the break-up has caused)
when busy streets amess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy
(When we experience grief, we feel that the whole world reflects that same emotion, and we are surrounded by sadness)
hide and seek
(A sarcastic yet sad reference to the game he had apparently been playing with her, hiding his life with his wife and family)
trains and sewing machines
(references to the domestic life of children's toys and homemakers things that she imagines he has been living and hiding from her all this time. Again, indiciative of the wave of shock she feels discovering his secret second life)
all those years, they were here first..
(The "other family" - they were there before she was. It's a bitter realization and admission that she was "the other woman" causing him to commit adultery against his family)
oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before...
(Another poetic desciption of a reult of their breakup - she has removed their framed photos of "good times" they shared, and now only dirty marks on the wall indicate their absence. The actual physical vacuum of the removed photos is also a metaphor for the vacuum she now feels in her life/heart)
the takeover, the sweeping insensitivity of this still life.
(Refers to how suddenly the truth of is double life has caused her life to come to a crashing halt, frozen in grief)
hide and seek
(again a reference to the game he has been playing with her)
trains and sewing machines ...Oh, won't catch me around here...
(She vows not to be the "other woman" and play that game of infidelity
blood and tears.... They were here first
(Again a refernce to the other familes right to her lover, and how she is being destroyed by that truth)
ohm, what'd you say, mmm, that you only meant well?
Well of course you did
(She is quoting his lame excuses to her, and sarcastically agreeing with him)
ohm, what'd you say, mmm, that it's all for the best
'cause it is
(Again quoting his excuses and commenting bitterly/sarcastically agreeing with him)
ohm, what'd you say, mmm, that it's just what we need...You decided this?
(Referencing his decision to tell her about his double life and probably his lame plan to try and continue it, maybe after a break. He obviously made these decisions without consulting with her)
Ohm, what'd you say, mmm, what did she say?
(A subtle threat - so, did you tell HER about ME?? and what did SHE have to say about all this???)
ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut-outs
(An angry description of the excuses he keeps making about the situation)
speak no feeling, no I don't believe you
you can bet you don't care a bit...
(His excuses though don't ring true - they have no feeling or emotion. His "I love you" now rings false)
ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut-outs
speak no feeling, no I don't believe you...
You don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
(All a reiteration and sad dwelling on their last conversation, where he tried to make excuses and she saw through him and saw his lack of love or integrity. Repeated over and over because she can't get past that last truth - that the man she loved didn't love her, and was a liar and a phony)
(And there you have it!) -
i beilieve that this song is about aliens living on palent earth. the crop cirlcs? duhhh sign movie ... key word. and also hide and seek they are hiding and they want someone to seek them. Its unfair that we came and took over their place. thats what we say bitch.,
-
I heard that this song is about the holocaust..that to me makes sense
-
My interpretation is about the holocaust because of you think about it
hide and seek
(Jews hiding from Nazis)
trains and sewing machines
(Train loads of Jews to the camps and sewing machines are meaning the yellow stars the Jews had to wear)
all those years
(the War went on for years)
they were here first
(Nazis invaded)
Mmm whatcha say,
Mmm that you only meant well?
(Adolf wanting to reunight Prussia)
well of course you did
Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmmm that it's all for the best?
(Adolf thought Jews were bad)
of course it is
Mmmm whatcha say?
Mmmm that it's just what we need
you decided this
(Again about Adolf)
whatcha say?
Mmmm what did she say?
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