Down in the Park
Gary Numan / Tubeway Army Lyrics
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Where the mach-men meet the machines
And play 'kill-by-numbers'
Down in the park with a friend called five
I was in a car crash
Or was it the war
But I've never been quite the same
Little white lies like I was there
Like it was built in one day
You can watch the humans
Trying to run
Oh look there's a rape machine
I'd go outside if he'd look the other way
You wouldn't believe
The things they do
Down in the park
Where the chant is "death, death, death"
Until the sun cries morning
Down in the park with friends of mine
We are not lovers
We are not romantics
We are here to serve you
A different face but the words never change
Gary Numan's song "Down in the Park" paints a cryptic picture of a dystopian future world where technology seems to have taken over entirely. The seemingly innocent title of the song is misleading as the macho men are meeting with machines to play kill-by-numbers, creating an eerie atmosphere where we imagine human life in a completely different context. Numan's vocals are as important as the lyrics, he shares this observation with his listeners, adding emphasis to the dark tone of the song. The singer of the song recalls a traumatic event, but they can't seem to remember if it was a car crash or at war, and it's still affecting them until this point. With little white lies, they try to convince others that they had been there. Then, Numan describes a local eatery called Zom-Zom's, which seems to have been built overnight, and the humans are attempting to flee from something ominous. The rape machine mentioned in the lyrics plays on this unsettling feeling related to the loss of control and the unknown. The singer of the song is afraid to go outside, indicating even more fears about what's awaiting him in the outside world.
The last stanza of the song puts the singer into perspective as someone who is not a lover nor a romantic, but in this world, he is a performer. He is here to serve his audience and offer them a glimpse of this stark, dark world. He is here to prove a point, and the words that he speaks are necessary for us to understand the dystopian world that Gary Numan has created in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in the park
The scene is set in a park
Where the mach-men meet the machines
Men who act like machines gather together
And play 'kill-by-numbers'
They engage in a game where killing is mechanical
Down in the park with a friend called five
The artist is in the park with a friend named Five
I was in a car crash
The artist was in a car accident
Or was it the war
The singer is uncertain if it was a car crash or the war that changed him
But I've never been quite the same
The singer has been permanently altered by traumatizing experiences
Little white lies like I was there
The artist tells small lies to cover up the truth
Come to "Zom-Zom's", a place to eat
There is a restaurant named Zom-Zom's in the park
Like it was built in one day
The restaurant was constructed quickly
You can watch the humans
The mach-men can observe the natural humans in the park
Trying to run
The humans try to flee the mach-men
Oh look there's a rape machine
There is a machine that is designed to rape
I'd go outside if he'd look the other way
The singer wants to avoid the machine
You wouldn't believe
The things they do
Down in the park
The park is a dark and twisted place
Where the chant is "death, death, death"
The mach-men chant about death
Until the sun cries morning
They continue this chant and activity until daybreak
Down in the park with friends of mine
The singer is also with other associates in the park
We are not lovers
There is no physical intimacy between the artist and associates
We are not romantics
They do not believe in romance
We are here to serve you
The artist and associates see themselves as providing a service
A different face but the words never change
The faces of the mach-men may be different but the theme of their actions remains the same
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gary Anthony James Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pinkfloydandsydbarretttour5569
RIP Ced. What an amazing drummer.
@freedumbfree2055
Gary Numan is so cool, way ahead of his time.
@estate5858
Yesssss!
@user-qd6zn7my8h
In terms of complexity, regarding musical structure organized around pitch, duration of notes, timing, and change of direction creating suspense, momentum, and deep attention grabbing texture, Mr. Numan is the most underrated Pop artist in the last 50 years.
@mjp96
Saw him tonight in Boston. 66 and incredible. Looks and acts 36.
@stevendimmock4791
Wow!! Cedric's drumming on this track is nothing short of amazing. He was worth every penny because of what He could give to a song.
@mariopollano
THE DRUMMER
@fuckamericanidiot
Pleasure Principle is 50% about the drums. Cedric Sharpley was tremendous.
@lunarsabbatical7906
With all the techno Cedric keeps the beat clean and crisp fitting in perfectly with the song
@dynjarren8355
@@fuckamericanidiot He had a great groove and style that made the songs special. His drumming was something I noticed right away because it stood out! He was great!