The release of their second album "Replicas" in 1979 finally gave Numan the success he had been trying to achieve from the start with the single "Are Friends Electric?", the song topping the British charts for four weeks. The band's cold electronic take on minimalistic pop took a little while to catch on with the music audience at large, but proved to be of lasting influence. Combining the artistic and poetic tendencies of David Bowie (especially the Berlin years) with sequenced synthesizers along the lines of Kraftwerk presaged the whole genre of techno-pop in the 1980s.
In late 1979, after the success of "Replicas", Numan dropped Tubeway Army and went on to record as a solo artist.
It's also worthy of note that during 1979, while his band "Ultravox" were on hiatus, Billy Currie collaborated with Gary on material for both "Replicas" and Gary's first solo album "The Pleasure Principle".
The official website can be found here: www.garynuman.co.uk
Are You Real
Tubeway Army Lyrics
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You could almost be me
What do you mean
"oh, nothing, nothing at all"
Room 8 top floor
I've seen this man before
Are you real?
Cold metal voice
Of no one's friend it could be mine
My reflection
Is no longer me at all
Am I a fake
Of the man and are you of me
Are you real?
Is it me, is it you
Relax in a backroom
Oh me oh my oh wouldn't you
I know your face
Your connection is broken, boy
Nothing is new
Remember? I've got no time
Are you real?
Is it me, is it you
Real? Real? Real?
The lyrics of Tubeway Army's song "Are You Real" are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The song is written in second person narrative and appears to be a conversation between two individuals in a hotel room. The singer seems to be inquiring about the authenticity of his companion's existence. He questions if the other person is real, or if they are just an idea of themselves. There is a sense of paranoia, confusion, and dissociation throughout the song.
The lyric "no one's alive, you could almost be me" suggests that the singer feels alone and that his companion is a figment of his imagination. He questions their existence and motives repeatedly. He seems to be struggling with his sense of self and identity as he contemplates whether he is real or not. The line "cold metal voice of no one's friend it could be mine" implies that the singer is questioning whether he is a machine or a human.
Line by Line Meaning
No one's alive
There's no one alive or present here to engage in a conversation.
You could almost be me
The lack of individuality and life in this place is such that anyone could fit in and become interchangeable with someone else.
What do you mean
The singer is asking for clarification on something that has been said.
"oh, nothing, nothing at all"
The response to the artist's question is dismissive and unhelpful.
Room 8 top floor
The artist is providing a location identifier for the current setting.
I've seen this man before
The singer recognizes someone in the room from a previous encounter.
Are you real?
The singer questions the authenticity and distinctness of others in this place, emphasizing the lack of individuality and life here.
Is it me, is it you
The artist is grappling with a sense of identity and existential uncertainty, wondering if they are no longer themselves or if they are simply indistinguishable from others here.
Cold metal voice
The artist describes an impersonal and lifeless tone in someone's voice.
Of no one's friend it could be mine
The artist identifies with the coldness and rigidity of the voice, recognizing that it could belong to them as easily as anyone else in this place.
My reflection
The singer is observing their own appearance in a reflective surface, but they no longer recognize themselves fully.
Is no longer me at all
The artist feels a sense of lost identity and detachment from their self-image.
Am I a fake
The singer is questioning the authenticity of their identity and whether it has been replaced by something else.
Of the man and are you of me
The singer wonders if others in this place are experiencing similar feelings of loss and confusion about their own identity.
Relax in a backroom
The singer is describing a place of seclusion and reprieve from the dullness and lifelessness of the main setting.
Oh me oh my oh wouldn't you
The artist is expressing a desire for companionship and connection in this backroom setting.
I know your face
The artist recognizes someone else in this room from a previous encounter.
Your connection is broken, boy
The singer is commenting on how disconnected and disjointed everything in this place seems to be, telling someone else that their connection or communication is also flawed.
Nothing is new
The singer emphasizes the stagnancy and monotony of their surroundings, suggesting that everything is always the same without any meaningful change or development.
Remember? I've got no time
The artist is reminding someone else of a previous encounter or conversation, but also indicating that they are too preoccupied with their own concerns to engage in additional discussion.
Are you real?
The artist repeats this question, emphasizing the continued confusion and uncertainty about the presence and authenticity of others in this place.
Real? Real? Real?
The artist repeats this word multiple times, emphasizing the persistent questioning and doubt about what is truly real in this environment.
Contributed by Claire T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.