Like Real People Do

"Like Real People Do" is a profound exploration of vulnerability, acceptance, and the healing power of love in the face of past trauma. The song uses the central metaphor of a body being unearthed from the dirt to symbolize a person being rescued from a state of emotional death or deep-seated pain. The narrator is this exhumed body, covered in the "bugs and the dirt" of his past, representing his flaws, secrets, and sorrows. His lover is the one who digs him up, and the song is his quiet, intimate confession and plea.

The core theme is the desire for a relationship that is not defined by past baggage. The mutual agreement, "I will not ask you where you came from / I will not ask you, neither should you," is a powerful statement about unconditional acceptance. It’s a conscious decision by both individuals to love each other as they are in the present moment, without needing to excavate and judge each other's histories. This suggests a mature, empathetic form of love that recognizes everyone carries burdens.

The refrain, "We should just kiss like real people do," is the heart of the song's message. It represents a longing for normalcy and simple, unadulterated intimacy. After experiencing profound hurt, the act of a simple kiss becomes a powerful symbol of grounding and reality—a way to connect on a basic, human level, free from the complexities of their respective pasts. The song ultimately suggests that true connection doesn't require full disclosure of every scar, but rather a gentle, shared commitment to move forward together into a new, more hopeful reality.

The song begins with the narrator's quiet, unsettling reflection directed at a lover. He recalls the night they met, an image clouded with "bugs and the dirt." A haunting question arises: what was the lover doing digging in the earth? What secrets or past sorrows were they trying to bury right before their hands found the narrator and, metaphorically, pulled him from his own state of burial or emotional death? This imagery suggests the narrator himself was lost, inert, and lifeless until this person unearthed him.

Following this strange and intimate memory, a mutual pact is established, born of a shared understanding of having a difficult past. The narrator declares he will not probe into his lover's history, and he expects the same in return. It’s an agreement to let the past lie dormant and not define their present. The focus is to shift entirely to the here and now, to a simple, pure act of connection. He implores his lover, whom he calls "Honey," to just kiss him. This isn't a passionate, overwhelming kiss, but one that is gentle, normal, and human—something "like real people do." It's a plea for a love grounded in simple, present reality, free from the complications and shadows of what came before.

The narrative continues as the narrator recognizes a familiar pain in his lover's eyes. He sees a constant, searching look that reminds him of someone else from long ago who also "dug," suggesting a past relationship where he was perhaps scrutinized or where past traumas were exhumed without resolution. Because he recognizes this pattern of seeking and the pain it can cause, he reassures his lover that he won't ask why they were "creeping" or hiding. He understands on an intuitive, sorrowful level the reasons behind their secrecy, acknowledging a shared experience of having things to hide. This shared, unspoken knowledge creates a deeper, albeit melancholic, bond between them.

The song concludes by reinforcing this central agreement. The refrain repeats, emphasizing the mutual decision to not question each other's origins or pasts. The desire remains simple and profound: to connect through a kiss, to experience a love that is straightforward, accepting, and real. It’s a conscious choice to build a new reality together, one based on tender intimacy rather than the excavation of old wounds. The repetition underscores this as the foundational principle of their relationship, a gentle mantra for their shared attempt at healing and normalcy.

"Like Real People Do" was written by Irish artist Andrew Hozier-Byrne and released on his debut studio album, Hozier, on September 19, 2014. Hozier wrote much of his early music, including the songs for this album, in the attic of his family home in County Wicklow, Ireland. The album's creation was a period of intense reflection for Hozier, often following the end of his first relationship, which prompted him to explore themes of love, loss, and self-acceptance.

The song's lyrical inspiration is deeply rooted in Irish history and literature, particularly the phenomenon of 'bog bodies'—naturally mummified corpses found in peat bogs—and the poetry of Seamus Heaney, who wrote extensively about them. Hozier has spoken about his fascination with the imagery of someone digging up a body and falling in love with it, seeing it as a metaphor for rebirth and overcoming a violent past through love. This reflects his broader artistic tendency to blend natural, earthy imagery with themes of love, religion, and social commentary. In May 2024, to celebrate the album's 10th anniversary, Hozier released a new version featuring sounds of nature from County Wicklow, with a portion of the royalties going to conservation efforts.

The rhyme and rhythm of "Like Real People Do" are crafted to support its conversational and intimate tone. The song's rhythmic foundation is a steady, repetitive bass note played by the thumb on the guitar, creating a constant, heartbeat-like pulse that feels both grounding and hypnotic. The tempo is slow and unhurried, allowing space for the lyrics and the gentle, finger-picked melody to unfold.

The rhyme scheme is generally simple and follows patterns like ABCB, as seen in the first verse ("scary"/"dirt"/"digging"/"earth"). This avoids complex or forced rhymes, making the lyrical delivery feel more like natural speech or a private thought process. The pre-chorus and chorus use more direct couplets ("from"/"you," "lips"/"do"), which gives the central message a clear and memorable structure. The rhythm of the vocal melody often works in a fluid, almost spoken-word counterpoint to the steady guitar, enhancing the song's feeling of a personal, heartfelt confession.

"Like Real People Do" is notable for its minimalist and intimate production, which enhances its lyrical themes.

• Musical Style: The song is primarily an acoustic folk ballad. The arrangement is sparse, featuring a finger-picked guitar melody over a steady, thrumming bass line that runs almost continuously throughout the track. This creates a hypnotic, soothing, and slightly melancholic atmosphere. The song is in the key of A Minor, a common choice for introspective and emotional music. Musically, it is considered less complex than many popular songs, which contributes to its raw and honest feel.
• Vocal Delivery: Hozier's vocal performance is gentle, soft, and whisper-like, drawing the listener into the song's intimate, conversational space. This delivery makes it feel like a personal confession rather than a public performance, reinforcing the themes of secrecy and vulnerability.
• Literary Techniques: The song functions as a narrative told from a first-person perspective, creating a homodiegetic narrator who is a character within his own story. The central literary device is the extended metaphor of the bog body. The lyrics also employ direct address ("I had a thought, dear"), which establishes a deeply personal and conversational tone. The use of macabre and gothic imagery ("bugs and the dirt," "dug long ago") contrasts with the tender and simple plea for a normal kiss, creating a powerful emotional juxtaposition.

"Like Real People Do" is a fan-favorite track from Hozier's critically and commercially successful self-titled debut album. While not released as a major single like "Take Me to Church," it has garnered significant cultural resonance for its lyrical depth and emotional honesty. Critics praised it as a standout track, highlighting its "pretty" folk sound and compelling storytelling. The song's use of macabre, gothic-inspired metaphors has been frequently analyzed by fans and critics, who connect it to Hozier's deep interest in Irish folklore, history (specifically bog bodies), and the poetry of Seamus Heaney.

The song gained wider recognition after being featured in popular media, most notably in the TV series The Walking Dead, where its themes of death, rebirth, and finding humanity in a broken world resonated strongly with the show's narrative. Its gentle, intimate quality has made it a popular choice for personal playlists and has inspired fan art and tattoos. In May 2024, a new version featuring sounds of nature was released as part of the UN's Sounds Right initiative, directing royalties to environmental conservation and further cementing Hozier's reputation as an artist committed to social and environmental causes.

"Like Real People Do" is built around a powerful central metaphor comparing a budding romance to the archaeological discovery of a bog body.

• The Unearthed Body: The narrator describes being "pulled from the Earth," which symbolizes being saved from a state of emotional numbness, depression, or isolation. The "bugs and the dirt" clinging to him represent past traumas, mistakes, and personal flaws that he carries. This imagery casts the narrator as someone impure and damaged, yet natural and worthy of discovery.
• Digging and Burying: The act of digging is twofold. The lover is digging, potentially burying their own past, while simultaneously unearthing the narrator. This suggests both characters are dealing with their own histories. The line "I knew that look, dear, eyes always seeking / Was there in someone that dug long ago" implies past relationships may have involved painful, invasive questioning, making the current lover's gentle acceptance all the more significant.
• Honey and Sweet Lips: The term "Honey" and the line "put your sweet lips on my lips" contrast sharply with the dark, earthy imagery of dirt and bugs. Honey symbolizes the sweetness, purity, and healing power of the lover's affection. It represents a simple, natural goodness that can cleanse or soothe the narrator's past.
• Kissing "Like Real People Do": This recurring phrase symbolizes a desire for normalcy and authentic connection. It's a plea to strip away the supernatural or macabre elements of their meeting and their respective pasts, and to ground their relationship in a simple, tangible, human act of love. It represents the ultimate goal of their pact: to be present and real with each other, despite their 'unreal' beginnings.

The song's structure and meaning are built around several key recurring elements:

• "Like real people do": This is the central lyrical motif and the song's title. It acts as the emotional thesis, encapsulating the desire for a simple, authentic, and normal love, free from the ghosts of the past. Its repetition in the chorus transforms it from a simple wish into a gentle, guiding principle for the relationship.
• The Pact of Un-asking ("I will not ask you..."): The lines "I will not ask you where you came from / I will not ask you, neither should you" form a recurring refrain that establishes the core agreement between the two lovers. It is the verbalization of their mutual acceptance and their choice to let the past remain buried.
• Imagery of Digging and Earth: The concept of being dug from the "earth" and the allusions to a past digger ("someone that dug long ago") is a foundational motif. It represents the excavation of trauma and the act of being saved, while also hinting at the dangers of probing too deeply into old wounds.
• Contrast of Sweet and Unclean: The recurring contrast between the "sweet lips" and "honey" of the lover and the "bugs and the dirt" of the narrator's past is a significant motif. It highlights the healing, cleansing power of love against the darkness of personal history.