| Gary Numan – I Am Dust Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| These are the completely wrong lyrics. This is “I Am Screaming” rather than “I Am Dust”. | |
| Tears for Fears – Who Killed Tangerine? Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| These lyrics are WAY off.. | |
| XTC – Respectable Street Lyrics | 4 years ago |
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A number of these lyrics are flat-out wrong, or was there a sanitized version for British radio or something? The version I know: Now they talk about abortion In cosmopolitan proportions to their daughters As they speak of contraception And immaculate receptions on their portable Sony entertainment centers ... Now she speaks about diseases And which sex position pleases best her old man Avon lady fills the creases When she manages to squeeze in past the caravans That never move from their front gardens ... Sunday church and they look fetching Saturday night saw him retching over our fence Bang the wall for me to turn down I can see them with their stern frown As they dispense the kind of look that says They're perfect |
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| Yeasayer – Reagan's Skeleton Lyrics | 7 years ago |
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These lyrics are not correct. The second verse should be: “Must've passed out when i came to, i'm tied up To my surprise by a young lady As her face grew sick, her nails tore round my heart Blood trickled down, economically The laughter from the dark was low at first But became good company I recognize the stench of burning flesh as they began to feed” And the bridge lyric is: “Oh the horror, what an awful way to fall in love” |
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| Yeasayer – Reagan's Skeleton Lyrics | 7 years ago |
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These lyrics are not correct. The second verse should be: “Must've passed out when i came to, i'm tied up To my surprise by a young lady As her face grew sick, her nails tore round my heart Blood trickled down, economically The laughter from the dark was low at first But became good company I recognize the stench of burning flesh as they began to feed” And the bridge lyric is: “Oh the horror, what an awful way to fall in love” |
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| Yeasayer – Reagan's Skeleton Lyrics | 7 years ago |
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These lyrics are not correct. The second verse should be: “Must've passed out when i came to, i'm tied up To my surprise by a young lady As her face grew sick, her nails tore round my heart Blood trickled down, economically The laughter from the dark was low at first But became good company I recognize the stench of burning flesh as they began to feed” And the bridge lyric is: “Oh the horror, what an awful way to fall in love” |
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| Gary Numan – I Die: You Die Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| @[keekeefries:17723] - That's an interesting interpretation, but I have never heard Gary sing it that way and it doesn't sound like that to me on the original recording. I would be interesting if it were true. Do you have anything to back that up? | |
| Gary Numan – Jo the Waiter Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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@[Monopatinista:17722] - You're correct that it hints at a homosexual encounter, but you can't use the lyric you're citing as proof, as you're quoting it wrong. The line is "It's very touching I'm so close to me" not as you put it. I always thought that line was very clever, by the way. "It's very touching I'm so close to me" is ironic and kinda deep. Gary is pointing out how alone the speaker is by pointing out how close he feels to himself, while at the same time drawing attention to the fact that there isn't anyone else that has to be close to. Awesome line. |
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| Gary Numan – The God Film Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I always thought this song was aimed at people who did sick and terrible things either in the name of religion, or in contrast to what they professed to believe. In the opening verse Gary seems to be commenting on the guilt that he is being forced to feel at the sight of a sexy/beautiful woman. "Please stop the God film/It's all wrong" says (to me) "Whoah! Why am I being made to feel ashamed by being turned on by this?" In the second verse, he seems to be pointing out the falseness of so-called faith healers or people who claim their religion can cure the evils of the world. "I must be broken" says (again, to me) "What is wrong with me that I don't believe in this stuff?" "Who on earth can I blame?" if not a god? The chorus, however, is the best part. Here Gary refers to the "Boys of image", the so-called believers, who profess to believe in a god but then do terrible atrocities in His name. Which leave Gary feeling depressed and alone/abandoned ("everyone I know has been and gone"). Wonderful song. |
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| Gary Numan – Trois Gymnopedies Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Gary's recording of this song (I believe, inspired by the Dubussey arrangement of the Satie composition) introduced me to Erik Satie, and I have been eternally grateful for it. Because of Gary, I have introduced a number of others to Satie and always get compliments when I play it for people. The Satie composition has become mine and my wife's song and it always comes with a special glow whenever we hear it. Thank you, Gary. |
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| Gary Numan – Jo the Waiter Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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You've very conveniently changed the lyrics to "he's very touching and so close to me" to help prove your point, but that's not was Gary wrote or sung. The lyrics are correct above: "It's very touching I'm so close to me". -- which can be interpreted a lot of ways. I always thought "It's very touching" we was being slyly ironic, meaning that it wasn't touching at all, but rather sad that he/the narrator was feeling very alone. Gary himself has said that Jo was intended to be a woman but that he intentionally wrote the lyric "jo the waiter held me close/behind the door marked 'gentlemen'" to be sexually ambiguous and make people think. Overall great song, IMO. |
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| Nine Inch Nails – Every Day Is Exactly the Same Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I know it's not what Trent intended, but when I first heard this song I happened to be reading a book about astrophysics and theories about the beginnings, and endings, of the universe. Along with the concept of The Big Bang we have the concept of The Big Chill. One Big Bang theory says that the universe's gravity eventually pulls the universe back to the singularity producing an endless cycle of: Big Bank, Big Crunch, Big Bang, etc. The Big Chill theory says that there isn't enough mass in the universe to bring it back together for continual Big Bangs, so what we will eventually have is: The Big Chill. Bodies, even down to the molecular level, in the universe will eventually get so far apart that they can no longer transfer energy between them. Eventually every day will be exactly the same: no energy, no movement, no variation. Everything is over. When I read that concept and it sunk in, and at the same time I heard these lyrics: "I can't remember how this got started Oh, but I can tell you exactly how it will end Every day is exactly the same" ...a chill went through me and the concept of the Big Chill really hit home. Synchronicity, I am sure, but the effect was wicked. So, that's what Iam reminded of now every time I hear this song. Brrrr... |
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| Gary Numan – Dead Heaven Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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"Thought I was asleep, lost to dreams": Numan writes a lot of songs, especially on "Sacrifice" but even on earlier albums like "Outland", about real dangers coming to him in dreams. A good example would be "Bleed" on the album "Sacrifice". Also a similar theme in the line "Thought I woke up, lost my faith/I was staring at the face of rage" as Numan has a number of songs that deal with waking up from a dream and have the malevolent force from his dream follow him into the real world. "I was dying in a big machine": A reference perhaps to songs like "My Dying Machine", "My Centurian", etc. Songs about being trapped in a machine and being helpless to to anything about it. The rest of the references are more the choices of single words in the lyrics that echo some of Gary's common themes: The Dark, The Angel Wars, Sacrifice, etc. |
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| Gary Numan – I Die: You Die Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| DJgif - "I Die: You Die" was not on the original British LP "Telekon". It was a single release after the album was released. The "I Die: You Die" track was added to the American release of the LP and "Sleep By Windows" was dropped, purely for commercial reasons I am sure, as "I Die: You Die" was the American single and therefore had to be on the album. | |
| Peter Gabriel – Here Comes The Flood Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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A couple of nits to pick here. First of all, I don't believe he says "Lord". The word Gabriel uses is "Lo" -- which changes the meaning significantly, as there is no mention of God here. This is not the biblical flood. This is a psychic flood of minds/mental energy built up like sympathetic radio waves that form (in Gabriel's sci-fi imagining) an overwhelming tidal force that consumes weaker minds and the minds that attempt to resist. Minds that are strong enough and open to becoming part of the Collective Mind merge with The Wave. The second nit is VERY minor, but he clear enunciates "We will" not "We'll". The line "We will say goodbye to flesh and blood" is very important, as it depicts the casting aside of the self within The Flood -- either in destruction or in a giving in to the Collective Mind. "We'll" diminishes the definitiveness of the statement. Lastly it's an important element that Gabriel's concept is that this wave is a sort of "accident". No purpose is behind this event. It happens, in his imagining, as a kind of natural disaster. Mental/psychic waves given clarity and strength by the coming of night build together into The Wave by happenstance. But once started, it can't be stopped. There are "early warnings" that it is coming, but once it starts individual minds either become part of it or are consumed by it. I love the "starfish" line, as it eludes to this as a possible "evolutionary" moment for mankind. And the glimpse at the lowly life-form of the starfish is perhaps presented as a metaphor for human beings as we know them before The Flood. The starfish is to us before The Flood as we are to what we evolve into after it -- the Collective Mind we then become. Amazing song, in my humble opinion. And to the earlier poster's point, the definitive version is either the one on Fripp's "Exposure" or the version on Gabriel's "Hits" compilation disks. |
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| Gary Numan – Dark Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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No, this song wasn't inspired by "Dark City", it was just put onto its soundtrack. "Dark" is in the middle part of the loose concept album "Exile" wherein a man sees a vision in a dream that shows him the truth of "God". Basically that "God" and "The Devil" are actually one and the same. In "Dark", the main character now gets the message that "God" ("The black Messiah, The one true divinity") knows The Secret is out and is coming for him. Religious people often talk about the "Light" of God shining on them or in them. Here Gary's character refers instead to God's "Dark" spreading and shining into the ones that have bought into The Lie, and he wants no part of it. |
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| Genesis – Turn It On Again Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| slick21's basically got it. My understanding is that the "Duke" album was a concept album of sorts that told sort of a life story of this character "Duke". In this chapter (Turn it On Again), Duke has basically become smitten with the host of a TV show and he is dreaming of what it would be like to tell her how he feels, introduce her to his friends, be intimate with her, etc. | |
| Gary Numan – You Are in My Vision Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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My favorite lines have always been: "The wreckage of a hero/lies broken in the corner/and everyone pretends/they like to live that way" And I have quoted those lines many times. I love the image of hypocrisy. Heroic deeds often have dire consequences and can be quite costly to the "hero". People like to point at heroes and pretend they would like to be one, but most are too afraid to pay the price. |
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| Gary Numan – Ancients Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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A great example of Gary trying to expound of the concept of "Gods" or forces/beings on a separate plane than us. The different "powers" they might possess. The subtle ways that they might affect our lives/universe. I like the lines "Some will die/In your name/Give their soul to you/For safe keeping". I like the way Gary turns the "god" concept around and puts the listener into the "godly" position. They die in YOUR name, and give THEIR soul to YOU for safe keeping. Nice twist. Oh, and a beautiful song. |
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| Gary Numan – A Subway Called 'You' Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| I always thought this song was pretty clearly written about a prostitute. The imagery Numan uses paints a seedy and sad portait and the music nicely slides and glides around the words. I also like how Numan depicts (his) emotional detachment. | |
| Gary Numan – Scanner Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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A song to his loved ones, I think, his children especially. He is telling them that there is no limit to what he would do or give of himself for them. He will always be there to guide them, help them and keep them safe -- even after death. I love the chorus. It seldom you see the expression of love coupled with the admission that it hurts sometimes to love and be committed to others at that level. Truly loving your family so much it pains you so see or imagine them suffering or lost. |
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| Gary Numan – Pray Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Pure Gary Numan science fiction at its best. | |
| Gary Numan – Moral Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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Mansion. you're not giving Gary enough credit. He's a pretty smart fellow and in this really shows. Gary's also perhaps a little fed up at this point with not being given his due. So he lets the pretenders have a bit of a lashing. In my mind at least, it is absolutely obvious that he very intentionally recalls 'Metal' here. He is saying to all the New Romantic poseurs that he's been there already and done that. He brings up the 'Metal' melody but cleverly submerges it into the background making a whole new atmosphere out of it. The recalling of the 'Metal' melody is crucial to the point he is making, and he makes that point brilliantly (IMHO of course). |
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| Gary Numan – Little Invitro Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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One of the most beautiful songs Gary has ever written. Again, as with 'Prayer For the Unborn', it is in response to he and his wife Gemma losing an unborn child. This time, however, the focus is on the sadness, disbelief and guilt that comes along with coming to grips with the loss. Incidently, I love how he closes the song out with the very powerful guitar chords. It sums up the sadness and rage he must have felt. It ends with the repeating subdued guitar -- once the rage is spent the grief continues... |
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| Gary Numan – I Die: You Die Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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Interesting, The lyric was originally printed on the inner album sleeve as: "Does everything stop when the old man fails? " However, I always thought it sounded like he was saying "tape" and not "man". I have no idea where "dame" came from... |
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| Gary Numan – Halo Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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Definitely my favorite song on Jagged. I thought initially that the lyrics were quite good. Listening to it yesterday and suddenly the full force of the song's meaning (at least to me) came crashing through. At first I took it to be some pretty straightforward lyrics about self delusion, but suddenly I realized that Gary was taking a very cleverly written dig at holier-than-thou, religious hypocrites. The first set of verses basically says "Hey, Religious Jealot: A) You think your sh-t doesn't stink. and B) You are lying to yourself and everyone else." The second set of verses is Gary saying: I'm better than you because I am honest about my inner demons and I own up to my mistakes. The chorus is Gary reiterating the theme that this "god" you people believe in is either a lie or worse yet, is crapping all over his "words" and all over your false, hypocritical front: your "white halo". |
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| Gary Numan – Halo Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Omega, I checked it out and I stand corrected. Thank you. | |
| Gary Numan – Steel and You Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Funny, I always had the impression that the song was directed at his guitar rather than his synthesiser. He hadn't quite fallen in love with the synth at this point in his career yet. | |
| Gary Numan – Time To Die Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I always loved this song. Especially since it reminds me that Gary and I share a favorite movie: Blade Runner. This song is essentially a synopsis of Roy Batty's (Rutger Hauer) final speech from "Blade Runner" where he is dying before Decker's (Harrison Ford) eyes. I get the impression that Gary related much to the Batty character. At least as much that Gary too has many indelible memories, both good and bad, that will be lost forever when he dies. As do we all, I suppose... |
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| Gary Numan – I Dream Of Wires Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| I love how as our world become increasingly "wireless" this song is becoming more and more relevant. | |
| Gary Numan – Bombers Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Actually, if I am not mistaken, "Bombers" was to be the name of Gary's band at one point, and this was to be a theme or signature song. The "Bombers" were Garys crew and they fight "at zero feet", meaning on the ground rather than in the air. The rest of it I took to be descriptions of their world at zero feet, the world around them they were "at battle" with. | |
| Gary Numan – Halo Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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Um.. The correct chorus should read: "Does God bleed on the world?" ...not WORD. Oh, and this song kicks copious quantities of ass. |
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| XTC – Big Day Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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The middle song in the "marraige section" of the Skylarking concept album. Sandwiched between "Earn Enough For Us" and "Another Satellite". Two songs about Marraige and Infidelity respectively. This is the song about a married man giving sage advice to a man about to be married. |
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| XTC – Earn Enough For Us Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| A song obviously about the pressures and stress of trying to make ends meet in a marraige/family. Fits nicely in the "marraige section" of the Skylarking "life to death" concept album. See "Big Day" and "Another Satellite". | |
| XTC – Another Satellite Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I was thinking about this song this morning, pondering its place in the Skylarking "concept" - which is basically tracing a life, from beginning to end. Following the story as told on the CD: After "Earn Enough For Us" a song about the strains and pressures of marraige and providing for a family, and "Big Day" a song about a married man giving sage advice to another man about to be married, we have "Another Satellite". At first I simply thought it was a song about an unconsummated relationship and left it at that. Now suddenly I see it as a story of infedelity. This man is married: "My heart is taken...". "Aren't you aware of the gravity", the seriousness? or the wife? The man is flirting with another woman whom is obviously smitten with him "So circling we'll orbit another year" - the situation goes on for quite some time. She continues to attempt to steal away his heart "Moon still tries to steal the tide away". And he rebuffs her, gently at first, "I'm happy standing...", and more forcefully later, "Abort you mission let's just say you tried...". It's a song about a long time extramarital affair. (IMHO, of course) |
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| Gary Numan – Dead Heaven Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Coming from the CD 'Exile', itself something of a concept album, this song supposedly shows some of the revelations the 'lead character' of the Exile story sees in his visions. Visions that reveal to him the Ultimate Lie of God. Heaven and Hell are the same place, God and The Devil the same person. He sees angels urinating on the graves of children, 'God' rejoicing in the pain and suffering of human beings, the Virgin Mary raped by the Three Wise Men, etc. | |
| Gary Numan – A Prayer For The Unborn Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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Specifically, this song was about Gary and Gemma (his wife) losing their unborn child. It really highlights Gary's frustration with the prevalent belief in God that he does not share. It is an angry slap in the face to a God he feels does not exist and in the face of those that share a belief in that God that obviously was not there when they could have used His help. The hypocracy of singing to a God you don't believe in is rather large, but I think intentional. Much like ANdy Partridge of XTC when he wrote "Dear God". He uses that hypocracy to underline what he sees as a ridiculous and maddening weakness in his fellow man. I love the power of this song and how clearly Gary illustrates his pain, sorrow and frustration. |
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| Gary Numan – A Child With The Ghost Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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It's true that this song was dedicated to Paul, but it has even deeper meaning to me even beyond the obvious. Gary Numan wrestles often with the fact that he does not believe in God. His best friend dying obviously hit him hard and he had to come to grips with the fact, in his point of view, that Paul didn't move on to a "better place". He would never again have the opportunity to talk to him. Find out why he did the things he did, tell him how he felt about him or say goodbye in person. It conveys the sorrow of a person who sees death as an Ultimate End, with no further opportunities for communication or redemption. Also the frustration at other's mistaken (again, his POV) beliefs that there is an afterlife. I love the line "Some games are hard to lose" meaning (to me) that the belief in God is a convenient crutch to so many people and then "But you don't have to play" -- belief in God is not a requisite thing, like so many seem to think it is. Finally, "You let your heart slip away" feels to me like a parting shot at his old friend for giving in to his demons and submitting to death. |
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