Réplicas
Tubeway Army Lyrics


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It was hard to avoid
I suppose it was the shame
But they didn't even try

You see we'd never met
And they didn't have names
There was nothing I could do
So I turned on the crowd
And I screamed, "You and you"
"It could have been you"

And they seemed to think
That I looked that way or maybe I was wrong

So I said "Do you know Mr wall?"
And they looked the other way
And then they smiled at me





But the police came and I said it was me
And I just walked away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tubeway Army's song Replicas seem to be exploring themes of shame, guilt, and betrayal. The singer of the song appears to have witnessed something terrible happen, but feels powerless to do anything about it. The shame of their inaction seems to be eating away at them, as they turn on the crowd and proclaim that "it could have been you." However, the crowd does not seem to understand the pain that the singer is going through, and instead turns their back on them. The singer is left feeling abandoned and alone.


The second half of the song sees the singer grappling with their feelings of guilt and shame, as the police arrive on the scene. In an act of what appears to be self-sacrifice, the singer takes the blame for whatever has happened, and walks away. The ambiguity of the lyrics means that it is unclear exactly what has occurred, but it is clear that the singer is struggling with complex emotions and a sense of moral responsibility.


Overall, the lyrics of Replicas are powerful and evocative, capturing the pain and confusion of a terrible event that leaves the singer feeling powerless and alone. The song is a poignant exploration of themes of guilt, shame, and the sometimes cruel indifference of the world around us.


Line by Line Meaning

It was hard to avoid
It was difficult to ignore


I suppose it was the shame
I guess the reason was due to feeling guilty


But they didn't even try
But they didn't put in any effort


You see we'd never met
You see, we had not encountered each other before


And they didn't have names
And those individuals lacked any identifiers


There was nothing I could do
I was powerless in the situation


So I turned on the crowd
So, I redirected my focus to the audience


And I screamed, "You and you"
And I shouted, "You are also part of this problem!"


"It could have been you"
"You could have been in my shoes"


And they seemed to think
And the onlookers appeared to contemplate


That I looked that way or maybe I was wrong
Either I appeared suspicious or I was incorrect


So I said "Do you know Mr Wall?"
Therefore, I asked, "Are you familiar with Mr. Wall?"


And they looked the other way
However, they ignored me and averted their gaze


And then they smiled at me
Afterward, they grinned in my direction


But the police came and I said it was me
But when the authorities arrived, I confessed that I was at fault


And I just walked away
And then I left without saying another word




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY ANTHONY JAMES WEBB

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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