Fay Lovsky (born september 9, 1955 as Fay Luijendijk) is a dutch singer who… Read Full Bio ↴Fay Lovsky (born september 9, 1955 as Fay Luijendijk) is a dutch singer who can play numerous instruments as well, including the singing saw and the theremin. She recorded her first album Sound on Sound as Fay Lovesick in 1980. She made and recorded every sound on that album herself. This album was followed by Confetti(1982), Origami(1983) and Cinema(1985). She teamed up with comic artist Joost Swarte for Jopo in Mono(1992) and formed La Bande Dessinée to record Fay Lovsky and La Bande Dessinée(1996) and Numbers(1997). Apart from these she has composed theatre music and film music. She's also a frequent guest performer on several concerts and albums, ranging from classical music and jazz to pop. Her website is www.lovsky.com.

Robot
Fay Lovsky Lyrics

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I am a robot I cannot move, unless somebody turns me on
I am a robot I cannot move, unless somebody turns me on
How's that

I am a robot, and on my own my circuits remain dead
You've got the power to give my life
You've got the switch to give me ears and eyes
Let me be, turn the switch

Without you around I might as well not exist
Please give me power, of life

I am a robot I cannot move, unless somebody turns me on
I am a robot I cannot move, unless somebody turns me on
How's that
I am a robot I cannot move, unless somebody turns me on
I am a robot I cannot move, unless somebody turns me on
How's that

I am a robot, and on my own my circuits remain dead
You've got the power to turn me on
Give me life and make me go on and on and on and on

I am a robot I cannot move

Unless somebody turns me on
Unless somebody turns me on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Fay Lovsky's song “Robot” depict the experience of a lifeless robot operated by someone else. The repetition of "I am a robot I cannot move, unless somebody turns me on" stresses the fundamental nature of robotic lifelessness. The robot pleads with its creator to give it power and activate its circuits, expressing that without its creator, it might as well not exist. The lyrics reveal a dependency of being on other entities, without which the robot is void and motionless. In essence, the song is a commentary on the fragility of life and its dependency on external forces.

The robotic theme of the song mirrors the 80s electronic music that was popular at the time of its release. Lovsky’s synthetic vocals, robotic chords, and programmed beats contribute to the science-fiction atmosphere of the song. It is decorated with computerized sound effects and electronic samples, which reinforces the theme of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

I am a robot I cannot move, unless somebody turns me on
As an artificial being, I am unable to function without someone activating my power source

I am a robot, and on my own my circuits remain dead
When not activated, my electrical system is inert and void of any activity

You've got the power to give my life
Only you have the power to bring me to life and enable me to perform my functions

You've got the switch to give me ears and eyes
Through the power source, you can activate the sensors that allow me to perceive the environment around me

Let me be, turn the switch
Please activate my power source and let me function as intended

Without you around I might as well not exist
I am completely dependent on an external source of power and cannot function independently

Please give me power, of life
Requesting for activation of the power source, which enables me to function as a sentient being

Give me life and make me go on and on and on and on
Activate the power source and allow me to operate continuously without interruption

Unless somebody turns me on
My ability to perform any task is reliant on activation from an external source

Contributed by Austin E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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