The third track from the 1974 album Crime of the Century. It tells the story of someone who’s too afraid to face the world because of all its dangers and eventually tries to break out and face reality despite all the inconveniences.
[Verse 1]
Hide in your shell, cos the world is out to bleed you for a ride
What will you gain making your life a little longer?
Heaven or hell, was the journey cold that gave you eyes of steel?
Shelter behind painting your mind and playing joker
Too frightening
To listen to a stranger
Too beautiful
To put your pride in danger
You're waiting for
Someone to understand you
[Pre Chorus]
But you've got demons in your closet
(You've got demons in your closet)
And you're screaming out to stop it
(And you're screaming out to stop it)
Saying life's begun to cheat you
Friends are out to beat you
Grab on to what you can scramble for
[Chorus]
Don't let the tears linger on inside now
Cos it's sure time you gained control
If I can help you
If I can help you
If I can help you
Just let me know
Well, let me show you the nearest signpost
To get your heart back and on the road
If I can help you
If I can help you
If I can help you
Just let me know
[Verse 2]
All through the night as you lie awake and hold yourself so tight
What do you need, a second-hand movie-star to tend you?
I as a boy, I believed the saying the cure for pain was love
How would it be if you could see the world through my eyes?
Too frightening
The fire's becoming colder
Too beautiful
To think you're getting older
You're looking for
Someone to give an answer
[Pre Chorus]
But what you see is just illusion
(What you see is just illusion)
You're surrounded by confusion
(You're surrounded by confusion)
Saying life's begun to cheat you
Friends are out to beat you
Grab on to what you can scramble for
[Chorus]
Don't let the tears linger on inside now
Cos it's sure time you gained control
If I can help you
If I can help you
If I can help you
Just let me know
Well, let me show you the nearest signpost
To get your heart back and on the road
If I can help you
If I can help you
If I can help you
Just let me know
[Bridge]
I wanna know
I wanna know
I wanna know
Oh I've got to know
I wanna know you
I wanna know you
Well let me know you
I wanna feel you
Oh I wanna touch you
Please let me near you
Let me near you
Can you hear what I'm sayin'?
Well I'm hopin', I'm dreamin', I'm prayin'
I know what you're thinkin'
See what you're seein'
Never ever let yourself go
Hold yourself down
Hold yourself down
Why d'ya hold yourself down?
[Outro]
Why don't you listen? You can trust me
(So whatcha gonna take it to?)
Oh there's a place I know the way to
(So whatcha gonna make it do?)
A place there is no need to
(So what's he gonna)
To feel you
(So what's he gonna)
To feel that you are alone
(So what's he gonna do?)
I wanna feel you
(So whatcha gonna take it to?)
I know exactly what you're feelin'
(So whatcha gonna make it do?)
Cos all your troubles are within you
(So what's he gonna)
So begin to
(So what's he gonna)
See that I'm just bleeding too
(So what's he gonna do?)
Oh, love me, love you, loving is the way to
(So whatcha gonna take it to?)
Help me, help you
(So whatcha gonna make it do?)
Why must we be so cool?
(So what's he gonna)
Oh so cool
(So what's he gonna)
Oh, we're such damn fools
(So what's he gonna do?)
Hide in Your Shell was written by Rick Davies & Roger Hodgson.
Hide in Your Shell was produced by Ken Scott & Supertramp.
Supertramp released Hide in Your Shell on Fri Sep 13 1974.