Basic J
Gary Numan & Tubeway Army & Tubeway Army Lyrics
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Over some ex-friends of mine
In zero cafe number 9
What you gonna say this time
Basic J, say, are you new here
New ones walking down the stairs
Pretty young thing but no-one cares
Do you always know your name
Jo the waiter smiled at me
Jo the waiter's company
I keep him in a book by my fireside
A drama is my perfect bride
The lyrics of Basic J by Gary Numan & Tubeway Army tell a story of a person witnessing a waiter, Jo, spilling wine over their ex-friends in a café. The song begins by introducing Jo the waiter and the setting, Zero Café number 9. The singer seems to be anticipating Jo's reaction to the situation and asks "what you gonna say this time?". As the song progresses, we see the singer observing Jo's behavior and noting that he is new there, and that no one seems to be interested in the pretty young thing who is walking down the stairs. Jo drops the tray, but still manages to remember his name.
Towards the end of the song, the singer reflects on his relationship with Jo, describing him as a companion kept in a book by a fireside. The singer refers to his life as a "drama" and suggests that Jo is his "perfect bride". The song's meaning is open to interpretation, but it appears to be a reflection on the themes of isolation, observation, and companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
Jo the waiter spilling wine
Jo, the waiter who is careless, made a mess by spilling wine
Over some ex-friends of mine
The spilled wine may have caused damage to some of the singer's former friends
In zero cafe number 9
The event happened at a specific location, Zero Cafe number 9
What you gonna say this time
The artist wonders what excuse Jo will give this time for spilling wine
Basic J, say, are you new here
The artist addresses someone named Basic J and asks if they are new to this place
New ones walking down the stairs
New people are arriving at the location, possibly heading down a staircase
Pretty young thing but no-one cares
Despite the appearance of a young and attractive person, nobody pays attention to them
Jo the waiter drops the tray
Jo continues to be clumsy and drops a tray
Do you always know your name
The artist questions if Jo is truly aware of his own identity and purpose
Jo the waiter smiled at me
Despite his mistakes, Jo remains friendly and smiles at the artist
Jo the waiter's company
Spending time with Jo brings the singer some level of comfort and enjoyment
I keep him in a book by my fireside
The artist metaphorically keeps Jo in a book as a reminder of their time spent together
A drama is my perfect bride
For the singer, the drama and chaos of everyday life is preferable to the stability of a romantic relationship
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY ANTHONY JAMES WEBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind