Native these words seem to me
All speech directed to me
I've heard them once before
I know that feeling
Stranger emotions in mind
Changing the contours I find
I've seen them once before
Someone cries to me
Chorus:
O O O O
The look and the sound of the voice
O O O O
They try, they try
O O O O
The shape and the power of the voice
O O O O
In strong low tones
Forceful and twisting again
Wasting the perfect remains
I've felt it once before
Slipping over me
(Chorus)
Sweetly the voices decay
Draw on the lines that they say
I'd lost it once before
Now it cries to me
(Chorus)
All speech directed to me
I've heard them once before
I know that feeling
Changing the contours I find
I've seen them once before
Someone cries to me
The look and the sound of the voice
O O O O
They try, they try
O O O O
The shape and the power of the voice
O O O O
In strong low tones
Wasting the perfect remains
I've felt it once before
Slipping over me
Draw on the lines that they say
I'd lost it once before
Now it cries to me
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
It is about the process of finding inspiration to write a song.
The lyrics come from within, hence "native" to him, and mean something to him, hence "all speech directed to me".
He draws from his emotions and past experiences that he has "seen/heard/felt/lost once before"
The "Voice" has double meaning: the narrative voice of the lyrics, and the voice of the singer (and by extension, the performance by the band).
"they try, they try" refers to the lyrics, and/or the performers, trying to convey the songwriter's message/story/artistic vision/etc.
About the terrible impact that authority in general has on any individual. Unlike The Clash, and other such socialy active bands, Ultravox songs were about elemental phenomena in life. And also from an aspect of psyche. Or whatever.
It's about Propaganda. It's strange how people never see politics in songs
land of make believe by Bucks Fizz was an anti Margaret Thatcher song
Just like P:Machinery by Propaganda
P-Machinery Song by Propaganda OverviewLyricsVideosListenArtists Main results Motor power, force, motion, drive Power, force, motion, drive Motor power, force, motion, drive Power, force, motion, drive, propaganda On joyless lanes we walk in lines A calm but steady flow Accompanied by loud commands Our strength is running low Another hope feeds another dream Another truth installed by the machine A secret wish the marrying of lies Today comes true what common sense denies Rotating wheels are destiny in flame the city lies Machines call out for followers far out into the night The calls of the machines drowning in the steam Another hope feeds another dream Another truth installed by the machine A secret wish the marrying of lies Today comes true what common sense denies The calls of the machines drowning in the steam On joyless lanes we walk in lines A calm but steady flow Our strength is running low Another hope, another dream, another truth Installed by the machine, installed by the machine