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.
No-One Driving
John Foxx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel like fog beside the shine
Figure fades away
Someone takes my place
Meshing with the pictures on the pages
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one
The family's back from long ago
The voices burnt, the voices gold
Vapour trails go by
Voices on the lines
Nothing to come back to can't we fade?
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one
Someone's gone liquid in the sheets
A sudden smell of burning leaves
The old streets overgrown
Somewhere else to go
It's just another switchback can't we fade?
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one
In John Foxx's song No One Driving, the lyrics seemingly express the feeling of being lost and without direction. The singer feels like he is just a fog next to someone who is illuminated, and his figure fades away as someone else takes his place. The pictures on pages seem to mesh with the singer, as though he is blending in and being consumed by them. The repetition of "there's no one driving" creates a feeling of aimlessness, as though there is no one in control of life's journey, and everything is just happening without a clear purpose or direction.
The mention of "the family's back from long ago" and "voices burnt, the voices gold" evoke memories of the past, which might bring comfort or nostalgia. However, the vapour trails and the voices on the lines suggest that these memories are fleeting and perhaps even unattainable. The singer seems to be struggling with the idea that there is "nothing to come back to," as though there is no way to go back in time and recapture what was lost.
The final verse speaks to a sudden shift, as someone "has gone liquid in the sheets." The smell of burning leaves and the overgrown streets suggest a sense of abandonment and decay, as though everything is falling apart around the singer. The line "somewhere else to go" may be a nod to the idea of finding a new direction or purpose, but the final refrain of "there's no one driving" seems to suggest that this is easier said than done.
Overall, the lyrics of No One Driving speak to a sense of disconnection and uncertainty, as though the singer is searching for meaning in a world that feels out of control.
Line by Line Meaning
Seems like you were lit inside
You appear to have an inner light that illuminates you.
I feel like fog beside the shine
Next to your radiant aura, I feel like an insignificant, shapeless mass.
Figure fades away
Your distinct form and shape gradually disappear.
Someone takes my place
Another person replaces me in your presence.
Meshing with the pictures on the pages
I blend in with the images in front of me, almost becoming part of them.
There's no-one driving
No one is in control of the situation or direction.
The family's back from long ago
Remnants of my past relatives and memories resurface.
The voices burnt, the voices gold
The sound of the past is both darkened and illuminated.
Vapour trails go by
Delicate and fleeting streaks of condensation pass by.
Voices on the lines
Faint echoes and sounds resonate on the communication lines.
Nothing to come back to can't we fade?
There's nothing left to return to, can we simply disappear?
Someone's gone liquid in the sheets
Another person has transformed and melted into their bedding.
A sudden smell of burning leaves
The abrupt fragrance of flames consuming foliage.
The old streets overgrown
The once familiar paths are now overgrown and unrecognizable.
Somewhere else to go
There must be some other destination or journey to embark on.
It's just another switchback can't we fade?
It's just another turn on this twisting route, can we simply vanish?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENNIS LEIGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
William Millington
i remember buying this on gatefold double single in 1980 when i was 14 and thinking it was amazing!....played it to death, so under rated as a single.....perfection!
Charlie Day🇲🇱
Wish i could of grown up in a nicer generation, as a 25 year old in this world its hard to compare to what REAL life was back then. You hold those memories tight sir
raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAaaAAaaaaa
The C side is good too. Its all good
raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAaaAAaaaaa
@Charlie Day🇲🇱nah, people were nasty. Life was boring, dull, grim, grey. THIS MUSIC was a reaction thst but also seemed to offer an escape to something better
Cynzia_D
My favourite blue eyes from synthpop. I remember how i was astonished for the change He has made in the direction of his music, when i knew he was on the first album of Ultravox that was of a totally different sound , very post punk. Definitely love the synthpop direction. "METAMATIC" is a great album, this song, together with "Underpass" and "he's a Liquid" were absolutely magic. Seen this video for the first time in 1995 during a tv show about the history of pop music
Andrew Johnstone
Ultravox! This album was recorded in 76 so it pre dates any punk record in Britain
New Rose by The Damned was the first record released in Britain so calling them post punk is a tad absurd as Ultravox was recorded and released before any punk record
Not including any American bands 😕
JHatLpool
Every time I listen to this record, it just gets better and better.
Kazilikaya
I <3 John Foxx's futuristic, sci-fi inspired debut solo album!
Peztopher
Still have mine. But I'm American, so maybe it's a bit different.
Mark Hall
John foxx synth genius total classic the whole lp is mega brilliant ❤