Senses Working Overtime

About Senses Working Overtime

"Senses Working Overtime" is a song written by Andy Partridge of the English rock band XTC, released as the lead single from their 1982 album English Settlement. He based the song on Manfred Mann's "5-4-3-2-1" (1964). The album and single became the highest-charting records XTC would ever have in the UK, peaking at number five and number 10, respectively. At the suggestion of its director, the song's music video was filmed at half-speed and then slowed down. Partridge recalled: "That one was done really quickly, in Shepperton Studios while we were rehearsing for the English Settlement tour. And so that's us rehearsing. ... [The half-speed idea has] been used a hell of a lot since then, but I think we were the first ones to do it." more »

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Hey hey,the clouds are whey, 
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 the lemons and limes 
The pain and the 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 ones 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 sense 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 the lemons and limes 
The pain and the pleasure and the church bells softly chime...

And birds might fall from black skies 
And bullies might give you black eyes 
And buses might skid on black ice 
But to me it's 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 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 
Try to tell the difference 'tween the goods and crimes, 
Dirt or 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 the lemons and limes 
The pain and the pleasure and the church bells softly chime...

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XTC

XTC was a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1977 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" (1979) and "Senses Working Overtime" (1982), but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical (rather than commercial) success. more »

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