Movement

"Movement" is a multifaceted love song that explores themes of profound admiration, inspiration, and the transformative power of a partner's presence. At its core, the song is an ode to a lover, where their physical grace and the way they carry themselves become a metaphor for their entire being. Hozier uses the concept of 'movement' in both a literal and figurative sense. Literally, he is captivated by the physical grace of his partner. Figuratively, their existence 'moves' him emotionally and spiritually, inspiring him to become a better version of himself. The lyrics express a form of worship and awe, where the lover is seen as a powerful, almost divine force of nature. The song delves into the idea that a person can change your entire world unconsciously, simply by being themselves, as captured in the line, 'You're movin' without movin'.' It equates this profound, effortless influence with the power of a deity, suggesting that true love can feel like a spiritual or seismic event.

The song is a profound and passionate ode to a lover, perceived through the lens of their physical and metaphorical movement. The narrator begins by describing the act of watching their beloved, whose every action is graceful and fluid, like observing someone through the distorted tranquility of water at the bottom of a pool. There's a captivating stillness in their lover's presence; they can be profoundly moving without making a single gesture. Every time they do move, however, it creates a deep emotional response in the narrator, a feeling of being fundamentally stirred and changed.

This admiration elevates the lover to a near-mythic status. The narrator sees them as something natural and instinctual, like a bird in motion or the story of Jonah being moved within the belly of a great fish—a force of nature, an inevitable and powerful event. The lover is compared to iconic dancers like Sergei Polunin and Fred Astaire, but these comparisons are ultimately dismissed. The lover's movement is something more fundamental and powerful, akin to the Titan Atlas holding up the heavens, yet doing so with the effortless grace of someone deep in sleep. Their impact on the narrator's world is immense but unconscious and innate.

The chorus is a direct and impassioned plea. The narrator urges their lover to 'move me,' to continue this act of stirring their soul. This movement is described as natural and unrestrained, like the swaying of a willow tree, something done instinctively without the need for pretense or performance. It's a raw and honest expression that inspires the narrator and reminds them of everything they aspire to be. The lover's essence is so profound and multifaceted that the narrator admits they could never fully define or encapsulate what this person means to them.

As the song builds, the music swells, mirroring the escalating emotion in the lyrics. The narrator's perception of their lover's movement becomes almost a spiritual experience, a 'rite of movement.' It's a sacred, private ceremony between them. The initial gentle observation transforms into a powerful crescendo, a desperate and loving command for this transformative movement to continue. The lover is a catalyst for the narrator's own emotional and existential awakening, a force that both grounds and elevates them. The song closes on this peak of feeling, a testament to the sheer, world-altering power of a loved one's presence and motion.

"Movement" was written entirely by Hozier and produced by Hozier and Markus Dravs. The song was released on November 14, 2018, as the second single from his album Wasteland, Baby!. Hozier revealed that the primary inspiration for the song came from seeing a 2015 viral video of Ukrainian ballet dancer Sergei Polunin performing a routine to his own hit song, "Take Me to Church". Hozier was so struck by Polunin's talent and expressive power that it sparked the ideas central to "Movement". He stated, "That performance itself gave rise to ideas for this song, so I was incredibly proud to work with Sergei on this video." Polunin subsequently starred in the official music video for "Movement," bringing the inspiration full circle. In a behind-the-scenes video, Hozier explained his creative process, noting that it's often easier to "write a song about dancing" than to write a dance song. The song began on the piano and was intentionally structured to modulate from a minor to a major key, creating a dynamic shift that mirrors the song's emotional crescendo.

"Movement" does not follow a rigid, traditional rhyme scheme, instead opting for a more fluid structure that prioritizes emotional delivery and narrative flow. It utilizes a mix of perfect rhymes (e.g., "be" and "me" in the chorus) and slant rhymes to maintain a poetic quality without sounding forced. The song's rhythm is one of its most defining features. It starts with a slow, deliberate tempo, creating a sense of intimacy and observation. As the song progresses towards the chorus and bridge, the rhythm becomes more pronounced and powerful, driven by a building stomp-clap beat and a more forceful piano. This rhythmic crescendo mirrors the lyrical content, escalating from quiet admiration to an impassioned plea. The interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical rhythm is crucial; Hozier's vocal phrasing often stretches or syncopates against the underlying beat, adding to the song's soulful and emotionally charged feel. The tempo noticeably ramps up in the latter half, a conscious production decision made with Markus Dravs to give the song a dynamic gear shift and an exciting sense of release.

Musically, "Movement" is a gospel-pop and R&B ballad that demonstrates Hozier's signature style of building from quiet introspection to a powerful, soaring climax. The song begins with minimalist instrumentation, featuring twinkling piano keys, organ, and Hozier's resonant vocals at the forefront. It employs a slow-build, incorporating a stomp-clap rhythm that gradually intensifies, adding a layer of raw, physical energy that complements the lyrical theme of motion. A key musical technique is the modulation from a minor key in the verses to a major key, a deliberate choice by Hozier to create a dynamic and emotional shift in the track. His vocal performance is central, moving from a gentle, almost hushed tone to a powerful, commanding howl, conveying a wide spectrum of emotions from tender awe to passionate desperation. Lyrically, the song is rich with literary devices, primarily through its use of powerful metaphors and similes drawn from mythology and nature to describe the object of his affection, enhancing the song's spiritual and reverent tone.

Upon its release, "Movement" was met with generally positive reviews, with critics praising its intense emotionality and powerful composition. The song achieved moderate commercial success, peaking at number forty on the Irish Singles Chart and number eleven on the US Billboard Digital Sales Chart. A significant part of its cultural impact comes from its music video, which features celebrated Ukrainian ballet dancer Sergei Polunin. The video, directed by Us (Chris Barrett and Luke Taylor), beautifully visualizes the song's theme of emotional physicality and has amassed over 36 million views on YouTube. The collaboration was a deliberate nod to Polunin's viral 2015 dance performance to Hozier's "Take Me to Church," which had served as an inspiration for "Movement." However, the association later drew some controversy after Polunin made homophobic and sexist remarks on social media, which Hozier publicly condemned, calling the dancer's views "troubling" and "fucking depressing." Despite this, the song remains a fan favorite and a key track in Hozier's discography, often highlighted for its lyrical depth and powerful blend of sensuality and spirituality.

Hozier masterfully weaves mythological and biblical references into "Movement" to elevate the subject of his admiration.

• Atlas: The line, "Honey, you, you're Atlas in his sleepin'" is a powerful metaphor. In Greek mythology, the Titan Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens for eternity. By describing his lover as Atlas asleep, Hozier suggests they effortlessly carry the weight of his entire world, possessing immense, unconscious power.
• Jonah: The lyric "Like Jonah on the ocean / When you move, I'm moved" references the biblical story of Jonah, who was swallowed by a great fish. This imagery conveys a sense of being helplessly but willingly carried along by a powerful, inevitable force, surrendering to the overwhelming influence of his lover's 'movement.'
• Willow Tree: The request to "Shake like the bough of a willow tree" uses natural imagery to symbolize grace, flexibility, and unrestrained, natural motion. It evokes a sense of beautiful, uninhibited freedom that he wishes his lover to embody.
• Water/Drowning: The opening verse, "I still watch you when you're groovin' / As if through water from the bottom of a pool," creates a dreamlike, almost surreal atmosphere. It symbolizes the distorted, mesmerizing, and immersive way he perceives his lover, as if he is completely submerged in their presence.

The most significant recurring phrase in the song is the central plea of the chorus: "So move me, baby." This line acts as the song's core thesis, a direct and vulnerable request for the emotional and spiritual impact the singer's lover has on him. Its repetition, especially as it builds in intensity, underscores the song's central theme of being profoundly affected by another person. The phrase is often followed by imagery of natural, uninhibited motion, such as "Shake like the bough of a willow tree / You do it naturally." This juxtaposition reinforces the idea that the lover's power is innate and effortless. Another key recurring motif is the line, "When you move, I'm moved," which appears early in the song. This simple statement establishes the cause-and-effect relationship at the heart of the lyrics, where the physical action of the lover creates a deep internal reaction in the singer. This motif is the foundation upon which the more complex metaphors of Atlas and Jonah are built, returning the song's grand-scale comparisons to a simple, personal truth.