Replicas
Tubeway Army (Gary Numan) Lyrics
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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
'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
The lyrics to "Replicas" by Tubeway Army, written by Gary Numan, seem to speak to a sense of isolation and the disconnection that can come with living in a technological age. The first lines reveal a sense of helplessness - "It was hard to avoid/I suppose it was the shame." The singer feels powerless in the face of some unnamed force that has brought them to this place of shame. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the source of this shame is the fact that the singer is different from those around them. They have never met, they don't have names. And yet, the singer is somehow to blame for this difference. The lines "It could have been you" and "And they seemed to think/ That I looked that way/ Or maybe I was wrong" suggest that the singer is considered an outsider simply because they are unlike those around them.
This sense of isolation and difference is echoed in the line "So I said/Do you know Mr. Wall/And they looked the other way/And then they smiled at me." Here, the singer is trying to connect with others by asking about a mutual acquaintance; but again, they are rebuffed. Finally, when the police come, the singer takes the blame for something, and is able to walk away - perhaps suggesting that by accepting some sort of responsibility, they are able to find a sense of belonging.
Overall, it is clear that the themes of "Replicas" are complex and somewhat ambiguous. However, the sense of disconnection and isolation that pervades the song is a common one in modern life, and the lyrics seem to speak to a sense of searching for belonging that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
It was hard to avoid
It was impossible to ignore, the situation was so big and intense.
I suppose it was the shame
Probably because of the shame it brought, they didn't bother trying.
But they didn't even try
The people involved didn't make an effort, that's why it was inevitable.
You see we'd never met
It was meaningless to have empathy for strangers on a personal level.
And they didn't have names
These strangers didn't have an identity, so they were unimportant in the situation.
There was nothing I could do
It was out of my control, so it wasn't my responsibility.
So I turned on the crowd
I turned towards the audience, blaming them for not doing anything to prevent this situation.
And I screamed 'you and you'
I pointed at individuals in the crowd, implying their personal responsibility in the matter.
'It could have been you'
I emphasized that the same thing could have happened to anyone in the audience.
And they seemed to think
They looked as if they were trying to figure out who caused the problem.
That I looked that way
They thought that I probably had something to do with it, based on my appearance or behavior.
Or maybe I was wrong
Perhaps I was mistaken in thinking that they were looking at me accusingly.
So I said
I spoke up to clarify the situation.
Do you know Mr. wall
I asked them if they were familiar with the person who caused this event.
And they looked the other way
They avoided eye contact and ignored my question.
And then they smiled at me
After a moment of silence, they responded by smiling, perhaps dismissing the question altogether.
But the police came
The authorities arrived at the scene.
And I said it was me
I took the responsibility and confessed that I was the one behind the situation.
And I just walked away
After admitting my fault, I left the scene, not looking back.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY ANTHONY JAMES WEBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind