Nightlife
Sharpe Numan Lyrics

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Looking through windows like a T.V. screen
Nothing is ever black and white
A sex film distraction for an armchair stud
He's in love for the night

Looking through windows of expensive cars
This weeks flavour inside
She's working for the company

She's In love for the night

Nightlife
I've seen it all
Nightlife
Like pictures of war
Nightlife
Strangers in bed
Nightlife
Try to forget

Looking through windows like and old peep show
I'm listening to breathing and lies
Don't tell mother or the man next door
Girls in love for the night

Looking through windows at a friend of mine
She's like a knife in my heart

But you can get used to any thing
I'm in love for the night

Overall Meaning

In "Nightlife" Sharpe Numan sings about the dark side of the night scene in the city. The song describes a world that is far from the stability and certainty of the daylight hours, and instead comes alive with distractions, illusions, and fleeting moments of passion. The opening lines "Looking through windows like a T.V. screen, Nothing is ever black and white" underscore this theme, suggesting the elusive, ever-shifting nature of the city nightlife. The "sex film distraction for an armchair stud" demonstrates the distance between the audience and the reality of what is happening in the city streets, which is often distorted by the media and other filter mechanisms.

Sharpe Numan shifts the focus to the people inhabiting this world as he sings about an employee in an expensive car and his temporary love. The description of what could be a relationship and passion for the week shows that the night does not differentiate between men nor women. The lyrics "Strangers in bed, Try to forget" allude to the transience of these midnight trysts, hinting that these moments hold little meaning and may be just temporary solace.

The song’s chorus "Nightlife, I've seen it all, Like pictures of war" emphasizes the sharp contrast between the peace in daylight hours and the darkness of night. The line implies that nightlife can be dangerous and perhaps violent, citing a comparison to images of war. Like many of Sharpe Numan's early songs storytelling is at the forefront of the song leaving a lot of room for interpretation, and the lyrics often reflect themes of alienation, transformation, and loss.

Line by Line Meaning

Looking through windows like a T.V. screen
Observing the world around you from a detached, passive perspective

Nothing is ever black and white
Life is complex and nuanced, with no clear distinctions

A sex film distraction for an armchair stud
Watching erotic content from a place of comfort and safety, devoid of emotional connection

He's in love for the night
Temporary infatuation with no deeper emotional attachment

Looking through windows of expensive cars
Peering inside the lives of the privileged and wealthy

This weeks flavour inside
The latest trend or popular attraction, transient and fleeting

She's working for the company
Participating in the nightlife industry, potentially as a sex worker

She's In love for the night
Finding temporary affection in a place of impersonal transactions

Nightlife I've seen it all
Jaded by excessive experience and exposure to the nightlife scene

Nightlife Like pictures of war
A brutal and unrelenting environment, with casualties and consequences

Nightlife Strangers in bed
Sexual encounters with unknown partners, devoid of commitment or intimacy

Nightlife Try to forget
Attempting to erase the memories and consequences of a debauched lifestyle

Looking through windows like and old peep show
A voyeuristic, illicit activity that is secretive and shameful

I'm listening to breathing and lies
Being deceived and manipulated by partners who are only interested in physical pleasure

Don't tell mother or the man next door
Having to keep one's nightlife activities hidden from society and family

Girls in love for the night
Women who are similarly engaged in fleeting and temporary relationships

Looking through windows at a friend of mine
Seeing someone you care about engaging in dangerous and destructive behavior

She's like a knife in my heart
Experiencing emotional pain and conflict as a result of intimate relationships

But you can get used to any thing
Becoming desensitized to difficult or traumatic situations through repetition and exposure

I'm in love for the night
Entering into temporary infatuations as a form of escape or distraction

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Bill Sharpe, Gary Anthony Webb, Gary Anthony James Webb

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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