Replicas
Gary Numan and The Tubeway Army Lyrics
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I suppose it was the shame
But they didn't even try
You see we'd never met
And they didn't have names
There was nothing I could do
So I turned on the crowd
'It could have been you'
And they seemed to think
That I looked that way
Or maybe I was wrong
So I said
Do you know Mr. wall
And they looked the other way
And then they smiled at me
But the police came
And I said it was me
And I just walked away
The lyrics to the song "Replicas" by Gary Numan & Tubeway Army describe a very confusing and tumultuous scene. The singer seems to have gone through some sort of public shaming or embarrassment, though it's unclear exactly what happened. They mention that they didn't even know the people involved, and that there was nothing they could do about it. In response, the singer turns on the crowd and starts yelling at them, seemingly blaming them for what happened. They ask if anyone knows someone named Mr. Wall, but when no one responds, the police come and the singer takes the blame and walks away.
This song is actually about a future society where humans have been replaced by machines, and the singer is a human who has been caught trying to replicate himself in order to blend in. It's a very bleak and dystopian world, and the confusion and chaos that the singer experiences reflects that.
Line by Line Meaning
It was hard to avoid
I found it difficult to escape from what I had done
I suppose it was the shame
Perhaps it was due to my embarrassment of the situation
But they didn't even try
Those involved didn't attempt to help or change their behavior
You see we'd never met
I had never met the people involved
And they didn't have names
I didn't know the names of those involved
There was nothing I could do
I was unable to change the situation
So I turned on the crowd
I redirected my frustration towards others around me
And I screamed 'you and you'
I singled out specific individuals in the crowd
'It could have been you'
I suggested that anyone in the crowd could have been in my situation
And they seemed to think
The crowd appeared to interpret my words in a particular way
That I looked that way
They believed I had a particular appearance or demeanor
Or maybe I was wrong
Perhaps my assumptions were incorrect
So I said
I spoke up again
Do you know Mr. wall
I asked the crowd if they were familiar with someone named Mr. Wall
And they looked the other way
The group avoided answering my question
And then they smiled at me
Despite their silence, the crowd maintained a friendly appearance
But the police came
Law enforcement arrived at the scene
And I said it was me
I took responsibility for my actions
And I just walked away
I departed from the situation without further incident
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY ANTHONY JAMES WEBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind