Helpless Automaton

This is one of my favorite songs that nobody's heard, and to be honest, the only Men At Work song (apart from Land Down Under) that I like.

Personally, I feel that this song is more appropriate nowadays, especially with the internet and new technology.

i agree with you aett, this is also one of the songs that i like that no one knows about... taking into account that Men At Work songs are rather more down to earth than the usual eighties imagery and metaphor kinda crap, i would say that its just a complaint about... i donno... some worker from some utility company whose job is just to make sure the company is not losing money and cutting people out of service... or something along the lines, i cant help it to see it that way... hehe, anyway this is one nice song, Men at Work were an intresting band... and that "distrusted not rusted" line, i love it!

there was an undeniable robot craze in the 80s in pop music and this song's good enough to stand with the best, like mr roboto and sigue sigue sputnick.

Spamming the comments tonight but i think this song is about a guy whos in love and tries hard to block it out out, sowmwhat like a robot that cant / shouldn't feel emtions but no matter how hard he tries there still there... the verse

"I went to the man, I told him a robot is what I am, But he just smiled, said I was a fractious child "Distrusted not Rusted" That's why I feel so disgusted But I know he's wrong, 'cause I haven't felt this way for very long"

is more of a self reflection in the sense that the "man" could be himself trying to convince himself that he had no feelings but instead comes back with he reply "yes, you have but you've tried so hard to bury them that are new / alien to you and they may disgust you but thats the way it is."

Either way i think its a song about someone trying to bury feelings of love and using the TV, computer or whatever else emotionless distraction is there to convince himself that he doesnt have feelings either but never quite succeeding

Underrated gem from a wonderful album

the romance angle is solid. but i detect dystopian underpinnings also. sometimes as an artist, "stuff" just comes thru. the thing about the docket and the machine in the pocket. could even see the NWo federated digital id there. ther is a new app called docket for your... quackcine records if you like

My take was this was a person who, after a breakup, develops a dangerous obsession with his paramour. "Love me or I'll kill myself - or you!" He has a gun (machinery) in his pocket, and he waits outside her apartment but turns away at the last moment. His analyst is no help - "You're not a machine, but you're an untrustworthy human, and you're behaving in an emotionally immature manner," words unheard by someone who feels controlled by outside forces. Ultimately, the endangered lover seeks a restraining order, or some other such conveyance which calls upon the "automaton" to appear in court ("docket").

OR it's a 1980s dystopian theme, with common imagery in use at the time LOL

[Edit: better word choice]