The Machman
Gary Numan / Tubeway Army Lyrics
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Like a machine in the park
Saying please come with me
But you've been there before
I saw him whirr away
Into the night
Like a nightmare on wheels
Saying never again
I'd give it all up for you
I'd even be a number just for you
The strangest living boy
You could ever wish to see
`That's me'
Yellowed newspapers
Tell the story of someone
`Do you know this man?'
Tomorrow the cure
Only police ever
See night time for real
Turn on the light
And cry no more, no more
I was standing outside your door
Waiting for the grey men to go
When my mind turned on me
With a vengeance I had never known
My own
Everyone heard
The voice on the radio
Saying `why move around
And waste my time'
There are no
Independents anymore
The tape is a circle
But who really cares
I saw you behind the wall
I even heard you laugh at me
You disgust me tonight
With your answer to something new
That's you
The lyrics of Gary Numan's song The Machman are open to interpretation, but it seems to be about the industrialization of society and the dehumanizing effect it can have on individuals. The references to the Machman and the machine illustrate this theme. The singer sees the Machman in the park and is invited to follow, but there is a feeling of familiarity and repetition. The Machman disappears into the night, leaving a sense of dread and a vow to never go with him again.
The singer then professes love and devotion, even being willing to sacrifice their individuality and become a number for their beloved. But there is a sense of loneliness and alienation, as the singer is described as the "strangest living boy" and identified in yellowed newspapers. The police are the only ones who truly experience the night, and there is a sense of hopelessness in the repetition of the tape and the inefficacy of the cure. In the final verse, the singer confronts their beloved, only to be laughed at and disgusted by the response.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw him turn on
I witnessed him activating himself
Like a machine in the park
He resembled a mechanical being situated in a recreational area
Saying please come with me
He pleaded for me to join him
But you've been there before
I already experienced what he requested from me
I saw him whirr away
He rapidly departed from my sight making buzzing sounds
Into the night
He vanished among darkness
Like a nightmare on wheels
His presence resembled a horrifying dream and moved swiftly
Saying never again
He declared that he won't appear again
I'd give it all up for you
I'm willing to relinquish everything for you
I'd even be a number just for you
I'm willing to take on an identity instead of being a person just for you
The strangest living boy
I'm a peculiar living male
You could ever wish to see
I'm a type of person you may desire to encounter
`That's me'
That statement refers to me
Yellowed newspapers
A newspaper that has aged and changed color
Tell the story of someone
The newspaper contains a narrative about an individual
`Do you know this man?'
The newspaper asks if the reader is familiar with the person in question
Tomorrow the cure
The resolution will come tomorrow
Only police ever
Only law enforcers get to see
See night time for real
They perceive the night in its true essence
Turn on the light
Trigger the light to be operational
And cry no more, no more
Stop weeping and never resume doing so
I was standing outside your door
I was physically located outside your door
Waiting for the grey men to go
I anticipated the departure of individuals who were uninteresting and dull
When my mind turned on me
Suddenly, my own brain became hostile towards me
With a vengeance I had never known
My brain became more ruthless than ever before
My own
I am the one responsible
Everyone heard
All individuals who were listening detected
The voice on the radio
The sound heard from the broadcast
Saying `why move around
Expressing themselves, the voice queried as to why moving was necessary
And waste my time'
They considered it as time-wasting
There are no
A lack of
Independents anymore
The existence of autonomous entities has come to an end
The tape is a circle
The recording is in a circular format
But who really cares
Does anybody genuinely have concern for this?
I saw you behind the wall
I caught a glimpse of you situated behind the barrier
I even heard you laugh at me
Your laughter was audible to me
You disgust me tonight
Your current behavior is repulsive to me
With your answer to something new
Your response toward a new situation
That's you
Referring to you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY ANTHONY JAMES WEBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind