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Haunted Lyrics
And I can not be saved
Not by you
Not by God
I want to bleed
And I can hardly breath
Look at me
Falling down
Before your eyes
All I've needed
Takes me away from you
All I've wanted
Takes me away from you
All I live for
Takes me away from you
All I'd die for
Takes me away from you
And this is not my voice
Not my face
Not my life
It belongs to you
And you will not believe
The things i've seen
The things i've done
All in your name
All I've needed
Takes me away from you
All I've wanted
Takes me away from you
All I live for
Takes me away from you
All I'd die for
Takes me away from you
Not by you
Not by God
I want to bleed
Look at me
Falling down
Before your eyes
Takes me away from you
All I've wanted
Takes me away from you
All I live for
Takes me away from you
All I'd die for
Takes me away from you
Not my face
Not my life
It belongs to you
The things i've seen
The things i've done
All in your name
Takes me away from you
All I've wanted
Takes me away from you
All I live for
Takes me away from you
All I'd die for
Takes me away from you
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One of my favorite Numan songs.
As for interpretation, at first it seems that he is not talking to or about God. I think there is deliberate ambiguity here that leaves you wondering if he's talking about romantic love or God - which is something that could certainly be said of many songs about strong, deep love. And given works like "In a Dark Place", Numan is no stranger to conflicting thoughts about God.
My thought is that it could be about one of, or some combination of:
He truly loves this woman but that she cannot change or save him, and his thoughts, desires, and compulsions tend to take him away from her - but nonetheless, he still belongs to her.
He is speaking in the third person as a "believer" - a hypocritical believer. One who professes to believe in and love the word of God, but their every thought, feeling, desire, and action - even those done in God's name - contradict this belief and take them farther and farther away from their God.
It may seem odd, but I'm reminded of a James Mercer lyric: "As you talk to me, too much you're assuming We don't always want what's right."
Our feelings and desires aren't always "right" and we don't necessarily want to be "saved" from them.
I agree with your first interpretation, as he addresses the object of the song in the second person, and God in the third person - as an aside - and the rest of the song proceeds in the second person.
I agree with your first interpretation, as he addresses the object of the song in the second person, and God in the third person - as an aside - and the rest of the song proceeds in the second person.
Also, I'm not sure it is necessarily addressed at a lover. It could be addressed at anybody close to him, a good friend, a mentor, or even society. It might be addressed at a particular community, such as the church, or an ambitious or over-zealous parent. Perhaps it is left deliberately ambiguous so as to be addressable at anybody the...
Also, I'm not sure it is necessarily addressed at a lover. It could be addressed at anybody close to him, a good friend, a mentor, or even society. It might be addressed at a particular community, such as the church, or an ambitious or over-zealous parent. Perhaps it is left deliberately ambiguous so as to be addressable at anybody the listener desires - the mark of a good entertainer: he sings about the listener and not about himself.
hands down best song of gary numan's. i dont think any other artist has adapted to the new age of music better than he has. to me, this song is full of hate and resentment for the women he loves, yet he just can't stop the feeling, no matter how much he trys, no matter how much it tears him apart. now that right there is true love.
I also think it's about the one he loves. Have you seen some of Numan's performance of it live? The looks on his face, precious! He even gives a wicked grin to his wife that is watching...
I thought it was supposed to be from the perspective of someone who participated in the violent acts of the Christian Crusades, and he's learning that everything he did in the name of god displeased him. It probably isn't what it is, however, because from what I know, Gary Numan is a staunch atheist.
stand out track on the album for me both musically and lyrically, gary numan is not an atheist, dont believe the hype