Recent work has been as part of John Foxx and The Maths and he has had a number of collaborations including John Foxx & Steve D'Agostino, John Foxx and The Belbury Circle, John Foxx and Jori Hulkkonen, John Foxx & Robin Guthrie, John Foxx & Louis Gordon.
Metal Beat
John Foxx Lyrics
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Metal beat [Repeat: x4]
Jim Suit
Black hair
Dim skin
Gold teeth
The pulling of the lights
Reflecting in my eyes
Pick up a flip-top box from the vinyl seat
[Chorus]
Drift in
Drift out
We're gone
I'm here
Click on
Click off
No-no
Don't get too near
Name on the shatterproof glass
Melt into a mass
Let's slide across me in this heat
[Chorus]
The song "Metal Beat" is a post-punk/new wave track by John Foxx with a repetitive chorus of "Metal Beat" being chanted throughout the song. The lyrics of the song are minimalistic but still manage to convey a story. The song appears to be about someone riding in a car with a person named Jim Suit, who has black hair and dim skin with gold teeth. The singer seems to be scared of Jim Suit and is not comfortable when he gets too near. The line "trickle voice like a silver sheet" could be referring to Jim Suit's voice, which could be suave and deceptive. The singer mentions the pulling of the lights and the reflection in his eyes, which could refer to streetlights, giving us an image of a night drive in a dense city.
The second verse is similar to the first, with the singer drifting in and out and being afraid of Jim Suit. The line "Name on the shatterproof glass, melt into a mass" could refer to the singer's reflection on the window, which is melting as they slide along in the heat. It seems like the singer is trying to escape Jim Suit's grasp, perhaps a metaphor for a dangerous situation. The theme of fear and danger is reinforced through the repetitive chanting of "Metal Beat."
Line by Line Meaning
Metal beat
Title of the song
Metal beat
Repetition of the title
Metal beat
Repetition of the title
Metal beat
Repetition of the title
Jim Suit
Referring to a person named Jim wearing a suit
Black hair
Jim has black hair
Dim skin
Jim has dark or dim skin
Gold teeth
Jim has gold teeth
A trickle voice like a silver sheet
Jim's voice is soft and smooth like a piece of silver fabric that is flowing like a sheet of water
The pulling of the lights
The movement of the lights is reflected in Jim's eyes
Reflecting in my eyes
The lights are reflecting in the singer's eyes
Pick up a flip-top box from the vinyl seat
The singer picks up a cigarette box from a vinyl seat with a flip-top lid
Metal beat
Repetition of the title
Drift in
Come in slowly
Drift out
Go out slowly
We're gone
The people have left
I'm here
The singer is still here
Click on
Turn on something
Click off
Turn off something
No-no
Negative response or warning
Don't get too near
Don't come too close to me
Name on the shatterproof glass
Name is written on the unbreakable glass
Melt into a mass
The glass melts into a mass
Let's slide across me in this heat
Let's glide across each other's skin in the heat
Metal beat
Repetition of the title
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENNIS LEIGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind