You Are In My Vision
Gary Numan / Tubeway Army Lyrics
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Like a t.v. screen but silent
Where the victims are all paid
By the hour
Staring at the ceiling
As she gyrates all around me
I'm trying to forget
Far too many people
For a quiet night with myself
Oh, I could be anyone
Tonight
Focus on a feeling
I've detected while I'm sleeping
Sing a chorus of 'on broadway'
And deny it all
You are in my vision
I can't turn my face
You are in my vision
I can't move my eyes
You are in my vision
I can't move at all
You are in my vision
Delicate bodies
That decay beneath their clothing
Play cards in an empty house
In Paris
The wreckage of a hero
Lies broken in the corner
And everyone pretends
They like to live that way
You are in my vision
I can't turn my face
You are in my vision
I can't move my eyes
You are in my vision
I can't move at all
You are in my vision
You are in my vision (repeat)
The Gary Numan song "You Are in My Vision" is a reflective and introspective track that explores individual isolation amidst a world of violence and decay. The lyrics describe the singer's struggle to escape the widespread scenes of violence that play out on their television screen. In this world, even victims are paid by the hour, indicating that violence has become a normalized commodity in society.
The singer attempts to find solace in themselves, but they are continuously surrounded by distractions. They describe a fleeting night with another person, but this encounter is characterized by both familiarity and disconnection. The singer is searching for something real, but they can't forget the sense of familiarity in their interactions. The next verse describes Paris, where even delicate bodies decay unknowingly beneath their clothing. This image once again emphasizes the theme of brokenness, as even the most beautiful things have an underlying sense of decay.
Throughout the song, the chorus repeats the line "you are in my vision," indicating that the singer is struggling to escape the reality around them. They are paralyzed by the world's ugliness, and they cannot move past it. Rather than promoting an optimistic view of the world, "You Are in My Vision" paints a bleak picture, emphasizing that even the victims of violence have become objects for consumption, and everyone pretend to enjoy their lives amidst the decay.
Line by Line Meaning
Fade to scenes of violence
The song sets a violent stage, flashing with images of violence, much like those on TV. But there's no sound. This is a world where people get paid to become victims of torture.
Like a t.v. screen but silent
The violence in this song is reminiscent of what we see on TV, but the difference is that while the visuals are there, the sound is not.
Where the victims are all paid
This world that the singer is navigating through is one where people are paid to be victims of violence.
By the hour
In this place, people get paid by the hour to be victims of torture and violence.
Staring at the ceiling
The artist is lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling as his mind wanders.
As she gyrates all around me
As the singer lies there, he reminisces about a sexual encounter he had with someone who wasn't new to sex work.
I'm trying to forget
The singer is lost in thought, trying to forget the encounter he had with a sex worker.
She's done this all before
The artist is reflecting on his sexual encounter with the sex worker and is realizing that she had a lot of experience in the field.
Far too many people
The artist is talking about wanting solitude, but the world is crowded with people and it's impossible to escape them.
For a quiet night with myself
The artist desires peace and quiet, but this is difficult to come by in a world that's filled with so many people.
Oh, I could be anyone
The singer feels invisible in this crowded world and wonders if he could simply become anyone else.
Tonight
The artist is yearning for something different, something that the present moment can't offer him.
Focus on a feeling
As the singer is trying to fall asleep, he starts to focus on a particular emotion that he has been feeling.
I've detected while I'm sleeping
The singer becomes aware of a feeling he has while he's sleeping, and he's trying to make sense of it.
Sing a chorus of 'on broadway'
The singer's mind starts to wander as he contemplates this emotion that he's feeling, and he begins to hum a song ('On Broadway').
And deny it all
Despite his humming and attempts to self-soothe, the artist is trying to repress or deny this emotion because it makes him uncomfortable.
You are in my vision
The artist is confronted with an image or a person that he can't forget or shake off.
I can't turn my face
This image or person is so powerful that the singer can't turn away from them.
I can't move my eyes
The singer is so fixated on this image or person that he can't take his eyes off of them.
I can't move at all
The image or person that's in the artist's head is so powerful that it's paralyzing him.
Delicate bodies
The song is depicting a world where people are fragile, where their bodies are decaying or falling apart.
That decay beneath their clothing
The people in this world are metaphorically falling apart, even though they may appear whole or functional on the surface.
Play cards in an empty house
The people in this world are living a meaningless existence. They're playing cards in a house that's empty, or lacks the things that make life meaningful (like love, connection or passion).
In Paris
The song locates this scene in Paris, a city that's usually associated with love or romance. But in the song's world, Paris is just another empty place where people are playing cards.
The wreckage of a hero
The song is exploring the aftermath of what happens when heroes fall. This line describes the wreckage or debris that's left in the wake of a hero's downfall.
Lies broken in the corner
This debris is lying shattered or broken, in a corner where it's been cast aside or forgotten.
And everyone pretends
Despite the fact that the hero is broken, everyone around the singer is putting on a show, going about their business as if nothing has happened. They are pretending that everything is okay.
They like to live that way
The characters in this song are pretending that everything is okay, despite the fact that everything around them seems to be falling apart or decaying. They're comfortable living in this way.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY ANTHONY JAMES WEBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind