diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 932df78..0b85862 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -144,7 +144,9 @@ The following options are available :
 -  port (the port of the server receiving the request)
 -  path (the path of the request)
 -  query (the query string of the request)
--  body (the entire request body)
+-  raw\_body (the entire request body as is)
+-  body (the entire request body unmarshalled by content-type
+   i.e. xmlrpc, json, form-urlencoded, falling back on raw\_body)
 -  headers (the headers of the request)
 
    Backwards compatible matchers:
diff --git a/vcr/config.py b/vcr/config.py
index 1faef3b..7655a3a 100644
--- a/vcr/config.py
+++ b/vcr/config.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class VCR(object):
             'path': matchers.path,
             'query': matchers.query,
             'headers': matchers.headers,
+            'raw_body': matchers.raw_body,
             'body': matchers.body,
         }
         self.record_mode = record_mode
diff --git a/vcr/matchers.py b/vcr/matchers.py
index 91bce11..96c5190 100644
--- a/vcr/matchers.py
+++ b/vcr/matchers.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import json
+from six.moves import urllib, xmlrpc_client
 import logging
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -30,12 +32,29 @@ def query(r1, r2):
     return r1.query == r2.query
 
 
-def body(r1, r2):
+def raw_body(r1, r2):
     if hasattr(r1.body, 'read') and hasattr(r2.body, 'read'):
         return r1.body.read() == r2.body.read()
     return r1.body == r2.body
 
 
+def body(r1, r2):
+    if hasattr(r1.body, 'read') and hasattr(r2.body, 'read'):
+        r1_body = r1.body.read()
+        r2_body  = r2.body.read()
+    else:
+        r1_body = r1.body
+        r2_body  = r2.body
+    if r1.headers.get('Content-Type') == r2.headers.get('Content-Type') == 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded':
+        return urllib.parse.parse_qs(r1_body) == urllib.parse.parse_qs(r2_body)
+    if r1.headers.get('Content-Type') == r2.headers.get('Content-Type') == 'application/json':
+        return json.loads(r1_body) == json.loads(r2_body)
+    if ('xmlrpc' in r1.headers.get('User-Agent', '') and 'xmlrpc' in r2.headers.get('User-Agent', '') and
+        r1.headers.get('Content-Type') == r2.headers.get('Content-Type') == 'text/xml'):
+        return xmlrpc_client.loads(r1_body) == xmlrpc_client.loads(r2_body)
+    return r1_body == r2_body
+
+
 def headers(r1, r2):
     return r1.headers == r2.headers