Friday Sessions #20: ‘Slipping away’ – ‘Wide Open’, The Chemical Brothers (feat. Beck)

The video to this week’s track ‘Wide Open’ by The Chemical Brothers (feat. Beck,) features a dancer that gradually becomes a 3D printed version of herself. A collaboration with Mill London and Dom & Nic using tracking, data and animation.

Although the work behind the video is obviously complex, the result is very simple and the same goes for the song lyrics. However, we need to understand three phrasal verbs to really grasp the meaning; to slip away, to drift away and to get away.

As you probably know, many phrasal verbs have multiple meanings that can change depending on the context. In this case, ‘to slip’, ‘to drift’ and ‘to get’ are all describing something similar – a feeling or sensation of losing something, or leaving.

Note that you could use these phrasal verbs to describe actions in both a negative or positive way.

Examples:

Walking in nature helps all my stress and anxiety to just drift away.

Time is slipping away, I wish we had more time.

Let’s walk a bit further and get away from the crowds.

Lyrics

I’m wide open
But don’t I please you anymore?
You’re slippin’ away from me
You’re driftin’ away from me

I’m wide open
But don’t I please you anymore?
You’re slippin’ away from me
You’re slippin’ away from me

Slow me down
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me

Slow me down
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me

I’m wide open
I couldn’t see it anymore
You’re driftin’ away from me
You’re driftin’ away from me

I’m wide open

I’m wide open

I’m wide open
One day, just gonna see me
Look back and forth from the ceiling
(I’m wide open) Someday
Love’s gonna hurt me
Turn back, and soon I’ll believe it

Slow me down
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me

Slow me down
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me

I’m wide open

I’m wide open

Slow me down
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me
It’s getting away from me