Operating Tracks
Front 242 Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Standing so tall / The ground behind
No trespassers / On every floor
A garden swing / And another door
She makes it clear / That everything is hers
A place of abode
Not far from here
Ms. Van de Veer
All that belongs to / No-one sees
Curtains that waver / When evening falls
Inclosed by fences / Smothered by wood
Who stands behind / The shadows of the trees
A place of abode
Not far from here
Ms. Van de Veer
Standing so tall / But no-one sees
No trespassers / Whan evening falls




A garden swing / Smothered by wood
Shw makes it clear / The shadows of the trees

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Front 242’s Operating Tracks touches upon the idea of living in isolation and privacy. The first verse describes a seemingly grand and imposing living space, closed off to outsiders with the use of fences and warnings against trespassing. The second verse delves deeper into the sense of privacy, with curtains in place and shadows providing cover. Despite the outward appearance of grandeur, the lyrics suggest a feeling of loneliness and lack of human connection as emphasized by the absence of anyone else around. The swinging garden seat, which would normally be a place of relaxation and contemplation, has been “smothered by wood” - possibly implying an additional layer of cover to prevent outside eyes from observing.


The repeated focus on Ms. Van de Veer, the owner of the abode in question, suggests that the songwriter may be commenting on a person’s desire for ownership and control over their private space. The lyrics suggest that this is where many people find their sense of security, yet at the same time, realizing that it borders on isolation and seclusion. The overall interpretation of the song is that while in one sense, it is important to have control over your own life, and surroundings, being too guarded can lead to a lack of human connection and ultimately a certain emptiness in one's life.


Line by Line Meaning

Standing so tall / The ground behind
A description of a tall structure with a solid foundation


No trespassers / On every floor
The building is off-limits to outsiders on all levels


A garden swing / And another door
There are additional features to the building such as a garden swing and another entrance


She makes it clear / That everything is hers
An indication that the owner of the property is possessive of her belongings


A place of abode
A dwelling place


Not far from here
In close proximity to the current location


Ms. Van de Veer
The name of the property owner


All that belongs to / No-one sees
The owner's possessions are kept private


Curtains that waver / When evening falls
The curtains on the property move with the wind during sunset


Inclosed by fences / Smothered by wood
The property is surrounded by wooden fences


Who stands behind / The shadows of the trees
An unknown presence is lurking behind the shadows of the trees


Standing so tall / But no-one sees
Despite the height of the building, the owner is still able to keep her privacy


No trespassers / Whan evening falls
The owner is extra vigilant during the night when there are no visitors around


A garden swing / Smothered by wood
The garden swing is adorned with wooden decorations


Shw makes it clear / The shadows of the trees
The owner is very clear about what belongs to her and is aware of the unknown presence around the property




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

@clewismessina6630

F242 were masters at creating atmosphere. Extraordinary musicianship, especially given the challenges and unchartered territory electronic music was when they wrote this.

@primitivebeans

Also have a pretty much flawless discography... The comeback album was not as good but everything up to 93 is pretty much solid gold. I make sure to keep these albums in my car... One of my absolute favorite bands

@eduardogaldino8510

Yes man! Back then is just like today ,if you show up with techniques that are 200 years ahead of time,: Germanic tribes man...

@JanHagstrom-ww8uu

​tttttt5tttt55t5t5555y66666gggyggggygggggggggggygg6gg6gyyyggggggggggggg68k von z

@jVkult

This is how I dance to every song...ever. 

@gwenkorinek4879

+Josip Fackovic LOL, me too :D

@Chris_WG

me too buddy! Heck yeah!

@peerx7866

Spasmytic in one way, or another ?

@macmann1956

Yup - Front 242 stole my moves !

@semyonsemyonovicsemyonov

same here, lol.

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