Null Device is one of those acts that is a bit hard to pin down. Their fir… Read Full Bio ↴Null Device is one of those acts that is a bit hard to pin down. Their first album was pretty much straight-up synthpop in the mold of their 80's heroes. Their second album and the followup EP show a turn into territory not usually explored by others in their genre. Rather than doing the obvious and making an electro-dance record or adding jangly new-wave guitars, they added duduks, ouds, dumbeks and other sundry ethnic instruments. The end result is an ambitious, albiet often scattershot, fusion of synthpop, trip-hop and world music.

Someone Else
Null Device Lyrics

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When mistakes erase the things
You thought you knew about yourself
When triumph turns you
Turns you into someone else
That's when you will hear my voice...

You feel like you're dreaming
Someone else to sleep

Living in another's life
That you can not keep
I have known success
And I've known retreat
Here I lay dreaming
Someone else to sleep

When innocence takes the things
That you forgot about yourself
When distance turns you
Turns you into someone else
That's when you will see my thoughts...

You feel like you're dreaming
Someone else to sleep
Lying in a stranger's bed
With another's heartbeat
I breathe honesty
And I breathe deceit
Here I lie dreaming
Someone else to sleep

When you know my love is true
And when you come to this place
In your destiny, feeling its embrace
That's when you will hear my voice...
That's when you will know my form...

You feel like you're dreaming
Someone else to sleep
Moving down another's road
You didn't mean to seek
I've known victory
And I've known defeat

Here I lay dreaming
Someone else to sleep

Overall Meaning

The song "Someone Else" by Null Device explores the concept of identity and how it can be lost or changed due to various circumstances. The lyrics suggest that mistakes, triumph, innocence, and distance can all have a profound effect on a person's sense of self. The singer offers comfort and understanding to someone who is struggling with these changes, promising to be there for them when they feel lost.

The opening lines of the song, "When mistakes erase the things / You thought you knew about yourself," suggest that a person's self-perception can be easily shattered by their failures. The following lines, "When triumph turns you / Turns you into someone else," indicate that success can be just as disorienting as failure. The chorus repeats the idea that the person feels like they are "dreaming" and living in someone else's life, which emphasizes the disconnect they feel from their sense of self.

The second verse focuses on the loss of innocence and the impact of distance on identity. The lines "When innocence takes the things / That you forgot about yourself" suggest that a person's sense of purity or naivete can be lost or stolen from them. The lyrics "Lying in a stranger's bed / With another's heartbeat" suggest a physical distance from one's own identity, as if the person is experiencing life as another person. The second chorus reinforces this idea, with the line "Moving down another's road / You didn't mean to seek."

The final verse is more optimistic, offering hope that the person can find their way back to their true self. The lyrics "When you know my love is true / And when you come to this place / In your destiny, feeling its embrace" suggest that the presence of love and support can help a person re-discover their true identity. The final chorus...

Line by Line Meaning

When mistakes erase the things You thought you knew about yourself When triumph turns you Turns you into someone else That's when you will hear my voice...
When you make mistakes that lead you to question who you really are, and when your successes change you into someone different from who you used to be, that's when you'll hear my guidance.

You feel like you're dreaming Someone else to sleep Living in another's life That you can not keep I have known success And I've known retreat Here I lay dreaming Someone else to sleep
You feel like you're living in someone else's life when you can't keep up with the expectations you set for yourself, and I know this feeling of both success and defeat all too well—I'm here to help you dream of a better life.

When innocence takes the things That you forgot about yourself When distance turns you Turns you into someone else That's when you will see my thoughts...
When you experience a loss of innocence, causing you to forget important things about yourself, and when distance physically or emotionally changes you, that's when you'll see my thoughts and opinions clearly.

You feel like you're dreaming Someone else to sleep Lying in a stranger's bed With another's heartbeat I breathe honesty And I breathe deceit Here I lie dreaming Someone else to sleep
You feel like you're living in a dream when you find yourself in a strange, unfamiliar situation—lying in a bed with someone else's heartbeat. I understand both honesty and deceit, and I'm here to reassure you while you keep on dreaming.

When you know my love is true And when you come to this place In your destiny, feeling its embrace That's when you will hear my voice... That's when you will know my form...
When you know that I truly care for you, and when you arrive at your destined location with open arms, that's when you'll hear my comforting voice and see my true self.

You feel like you're dreaming Someone else to sleep Moving down another's road You didn't mean to seek I've known victory And I've known defeat Here I lay dreaming Someone else to sleep
You feel like you're drifting along a path you never intended to take, living someone else's dream. I know the joys of triumph and the frustrations of defeat, and I'm here to support you through it all.

Contributed by Kennedy H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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