I stood in this sun sheltered place
'Til I could see the face behind the face
All that had gone before had left no trace

Down by the railway siding
In our secret world, we were colliding
All the places we were hiding love
What was it we were thinking of?

So I watch you wash your hair
Underwater, unaware
And the plane flies through the air
Did you think you didn't have to choose it
That I alone could win or lose it
In all the places we were hiding love
What was it we were thinking of?

In this house of make believe
Divided in two, like Adam and Eve
You put out and I receive

[Chorus]
Down by the railway siding
In our secret world, we were colliding
In all the places we were hiding love
What was it we were thinking of?

Oh the wheel is turning spinning round and round
And the house is crumbling but the stairways stand

With no guilt and no shame, no sorrow or blame
Whatever it is, we are all the same

Making it up in our secret world [x3]
Shaking it up
Breaking it up
Making it up in our secret world

Seeing things that were not there
On a wing on a prayer
In this state of disrepair

[Chorus]

Shh, listen


Lyrics submitted by Novartza

Secret World Lyrics as written by Peter Gabriel

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Secret World song meanings
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19 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    Gabriel has explained that this song is about "when a couple becomes so close, that bits of them disappear, into a place called the secret world." So that makes me think that it's about, no matter how close you can be with someone, there is still a part of you that is hidden, secret.

    llowellon September 21, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    peter gabriel denies the album this is from, "Us", is about coping with his failed marriage, but the whole album sums up breaking up beautifully, especially in this track, the last one.

    it's essentially recalling no matter how hard the narrator and his lover tried to make the relationship work, it was doomed from the very start.

    perhaps if both people could have seen past themselves and just loved each other it might have worked.

    perhaps...

    roger wilcoon June 14, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    yep

    obviously about an affair

    "I stood in this sun sheltered place Till I could see the face behind the face"

    this line hits hardest

    the sun is representing all the opprotunities he could've taken with other women, but didn't just to prove right a suspicion that turned out to be sadly true, showing how desperately he tried to hold onto the relationship.

    I don't cry over songs, but if I did.....this would most definitely be one

    robinjay490on April 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Oh the wheel is turning spinning round and round

    Time goes on, the earth revolves around the sun. The sun goes around....?

    And the house is crubling but the stairways stand

    Civilizations fall but the double helix ladder of DNA remains.

    Secret World is that which is hidden from sight - The Occult. Gnosis.

    InsectOmanon September 06, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    An exhilarating experience in Milwaukee last night -- the final performance of the New Blood Tour, with the 46-piece orchestra. Please don't miss the DVD, folks...

    kurtamuson June 30, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    A superb song, with a ominious undercurrents. When seen performed live on the Secret World DVD it a joy to watch. Seeing things that were not there' On a wing on a prayer' In this state of disrepair' Great Lyrics. I believe like llowell the song is about the secrets we keep from our loved ones. Secrets we keep in our own secret worlds.

    ghostdancingon December 21, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    most definately the keystone to US. It sums the whole melancholy, hopeless feeling of loss in a delicate web of absolution..."In this house of make believe/divided in two, like adam and eve" i love those lyrics so much...

    TheSyndicate88on January 14, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Superb song.

    Skoorbon July 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Well, what I've heard him say in concert is that it's about how two people can be so deep in love, that parts of them break off. It's about the way that they love each other when no one else is around. It's a love that's not supposed to be seen by others(and no, not in a sexual way, although I suppose it could be). In other words, it's about the secret world of love they've created for each other.

    Cotygeekon October 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Surely this song is about the secret world created by a couple in love ? A world that only they are aware of and that no-one else can understand or be a part of, a great tune, I'm just not a fan of the loud bit! The version on Secret World live is the best, the keyboards in the mid, quiet section take some beating !

    MattScaleson May 08, 2009   Link

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