Can You Feel My Heart

Album: Sempiternal (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the first track on Sempiternal, the fourth studio album by the British Metalcore band Bring Me the Horizon. It was one of the first tunes that was penned for the set. Keyboardist Jordan Fish told Metal Hammer: "We tried loads of different things that were s--t, but that really worked, and as soon as we did it we knew that this would open the album."

    Vocalist Oliver Sykes added: "This was the turning point; it was the first one that Jordan really got his teeth into, and obviously you can hear that because it's very heavy on the electronica. It was floating around for ages, and I think it really started to shine when we took my vocal lead and used it [on the keyboard parts] for the chorus."
  • It was during the penning of this tune that the band realized that recently added keyboardist Jordan Fish was having a big impact on their songwriting. Bassist Matt Kean told Sugarscape: "We had already had a list of the songs and Jordan took it away and worked on the choruses and stuff. It was like - I remember listening to it back once Jordan had put a different stamp on it and we were like 'Oh this is CRAZY!' and at the time, he wasn't even in the band, he was just writing with us. I think its this song was the point where we were all like 'It's time to do something about this.'"
  • The Sempiternal album was penned with a concept in its structure. Every single song represents a different realization and it was made to be like a journey. Sykes explained to AllMusic: "The first song is the first step, and the second song is the second step. You can't really listen to track six, and then listen to track one. You have to figure out the first step before you can figure out the next thing. We tried to make that connect in every aspect with the songs and music and how they blended into each other. It goes from heavy and then gives you a breather. The songs are meant to reflect the emotions as well. It's not just random. We wanted to make it a journey you wanted to start at the beginning and end at the end rather than just hear one or two songs or put it on 'shuffle.'

    The first track, 'Can You Feel My Heart' is all about admittance," Sykes continued, "admitting you have a problem, and admitting something's wrong. That's the first step of the whole album. In my life, I had to admit certain things to go further. They all deal with different topics."
  • The song belatedly became a hit after blowing up on TikTok. "Can You Feel My Heart" vaulted from #7 to #1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart dated January 30, 2021 after it went viral on the social media platform.

Comments: 6

  • Korina from My Mum's FannyI keep seeing on Youtube that this song is about God and religion, but when will these people understand that it's not about religion. The band is literally atheistic
  • Roman from IndianaAlot of these lyrics have something to do with the Bible, like "he can hear you" Isaiah 65:24 for when it says can you hear the silence, "he can fix the broken" Psalms 147:6, and "he can feel your heart" Psalms 33:15.
  • Ashley Wamps from South DakotaI’m curious as to who the men in black are referred to as!! They definitely have me curious.
  • Rue Baker from Idk American Who acted in can you feel my heart music video?
  • Cookie Crumbs from MoorheadI really love can you feel my heart but I can't watch it because I don't know why but I heard the lyrics on my like Chromebook and I loved it think you can you post more videos and I just love it thank you thank you whoever made this song I just love it but my parents haven't heard it yet well I hope they can hear it one day well happy have a good day and I want you to make more videos
  • Holly from Florida This song is my Fricken Anthem right now! Love it... "I'm scared to get close, and I hate being alone. I long for that feeling to not feel at all...
    Can you fix a broken? Can you feel...Can you feel my heart???" Love it!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Does Jimmy Page Worship The Devil? A Look at Satanism in Rock

Does Jimmy Page Worship The Devil? A Look at Satanism in RockSong Writing

We ring the Hell's Bells to see what songs and rockers are sincere in their Satanism, and how much of it is an act.

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"They're Playing My Song

Wilder's hit "Break My Stride" had an unlikely inspiration: a famous record mogul who rejected it.

Judas Priest

Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

In The Cards

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.