Numbers
Kraftwer k Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't wanna be a number
Just like being a prisoner
I just wanna stay free
Don't wanna be a number three
Oh, I don't wanna be a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Signing on the dot
Thought I had it made
They treat you just insane
Oh, I don't wanna be no 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
You are just a number
And I ain't got a name
You are just a number
And I ain't got a name
Sitting in a prison cell
Numbers on the chest
Age is just a number
Mummy does know best
Oh, I don't wanna be no 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
You are just a number
And I ain't got a name
You are just a number
And I ain't got a name
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
I don't wanna be a number
Just like being a prisoner
I just wanna stay free
Don't wanna be a number three
Oh, I don't wanna be no 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
You are just a number
And I ain't got a name
You are just a number
And I ain't got a name
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
The lyrics to "Numbers" by Kraftwerk highlight the issues and challenges of being reduced to a mere number in society. The song expresses the desire to not be just another statistic or prisoner, but instead be seen as a unique individual with a name and an identity. The song starts with the counting of numbers from one to eight, indicating the idea of being turned into a mere number by society. The lyrics convey how signing on the dot can make you feel as though you have lost your identity, and you are just a number.
The lyrics further note that being just a number means being treated inhumanely and with disregard for one's unique personality. The song follows this by referencing a prison cell and the numbers that inmates are forced to wear, again emphasizing the notion of a lack of identity, name, and individuality. The line "Mummy does know best" is intriguing because it reinforces how this isn't just a universal human struggle but something that is affecting multiple generations.
Overall, "Numbers" is a protest against the dehumanizing effects of modern society, where people are reduced to mere numbers, and identity is lost. The song urges people to resist this dehumanization and assert their individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Counting numbers that represent people, and the implication that being assigned a number removes one's individuality and identity
I don't wanna be a number
The desire to maintain individuality rather than being assigned a number
Just like being a prisoner
Simile comparing being assigned a number to being confined or controlled
I just wanna stay free
The desire to maintain freedom and autonomy
Don't wanna be a number three
Specifically identifying the number three as one that is unwanted and unimportant
Signing on the dot
Reference to signing legal documents that often involve being assigned a number or identification
Got my name on the form
Implication that one's name is insufficient for identification and must be accompanied by a number or other identifier
Thought I had it made
Belief that having a name and/or identity was sufficient for success or satisfaction
They treat you just insane
Implication that being assigned a number dehumanizes and leads to mistreatment
You are just a number
Direct statement that being assigned a number removes individuality and identity
And I ain't got a name
Statement implying that one's name is not enough for identification
Sitting in a prison cell
Reference to institutional settings where assigned numbers are common
Numbers on the chest
Reference to identification badges or other means of identification that use numbers
Age is just a number
Statement implying that even age can be used to remove individuality and identity
Mummy does know best
Possible reference to advice from a loved one to avoid being labeled or numbered
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RALF HUETTER, FLORIAN SCHNEIDER-ESLEBEN, KARL BARTOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stevechabalik6985
Forty damn years old and this STILL sounds like something from another galaxy.
@Loom.Design
„Zurück in die Kuhzunft!“ 😎
@arleatriceburroughs1455
Fax
@elizsantos2000
60 yrs old here still jamming to this!
@BixbySnyder209
That’s cos it is
@GrasshopperRDG
@@elizsantos2000 🤚🏼
🤛🏼🤛🏼🤛🏼🤛🏼🤛🏼...😃💚*🙏🏼
@PatrickReese-c3l
I'll be 55 next month and I'm a true B boy. I Lived Hip Hop all my life, and this still gives me the same joy of the Culture. How I wish I could go back.
@Hawaii96720
I feel ya. Born and raised in Hilo Hawaii 1971.
@tezsgino
I'd love to join you! This was it for me, too.
@PatrickReese-c3l
Because of HIP Hop, the condition of the inner city across the Country is Known. Also, because of HIP Hop the WHOLE WORLD has taken some of our Flavz and added it to the Mainstream European style. Brands make the style we created.