Senses Working Overtime

XTC

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." 


Year:
1996
4:34
97 
#1

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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
And bullies might give you black eyes
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
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

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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 »

1 fan

Written by: Andy Partridge

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


15 facts about this song

Band Origin
"XTC" is a rock band that originated from Swindon, England. "Senses Working Overtime" is one of their best-known songs.
Release Date
The song "Senses Working Overtime" was released as a single on January 11, 1982.
Album Detail
The track is part of the "English Settlement" album, which is the band's fifth studio album.
Song Credits
Andy Partridge, the lead singer and songwriter of the band, wrote the track "Senses Working Overtime."
Chart Performance
The single reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart, marking the band's first entry into the top 10 in the UK.
Lyrics Significance
The song is often remembered for its distinctive refrain, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - Senses working overtime," referring to the five human senses.
Partridge's Idea
Andy Partridge thought of the idea for the song while he was out walking around Paris; he started counting things he saw and turning those counts into rhythms.
Song Inspiration
The song is inspired by British folk music and is considered emblematic of the band's shift from punchy power pop to a pastoral, acoustic sound.
Music Video
The peculiar video for the song, featuring the band playing in the middle of a spinning set, was directed by Russell Mulcahy who also made videos for bands like Duran Duran.
Record Label
The song was released under the record label Virgin Records.
Legacy
In 2016, "Senses Working Overtime" was featured in a commercial for the Google Photos service. It has also been covered by other artists, demonstrating its lasting influence.
Live Performances
Interestingly, following a performance in 1982, the band stopped touring due to Partridge's stage fright and exhaustion. The band instead focused on studio work.
Song Length
The single version of the song was about 4 minutes and 34 seconds long, while the album version was close to 5 minutes.
Commercial Success
In addition to its UK success, the song also made it to No. 12 on the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart.
Critic Reviews
Critics often regard "Senses Working Overtime" as a highlight of XTC's discography for its unique blend of pop melodies and folk instrumentation.

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