Replicas

A radio plays `white christmas'
It's been doing that for years
If someone leaves the station
Oh please don't talk to strangers
Can't you see they're not like us

The vacant flesh of u.d.'s
Stand leaning by the walls
You can feel them thinking over
Ways of merging with the thoughts
You never dare to dream

It must have been years
It must have been years

They want to relive all my memories
Give me `the service' daily
Maybe it was mother
I can't seem to remember
Much at all these days

Picture open doorways
No pick-ups by the taxi boys
Just a bed near the window
And an old lamp by my pillow
And the things i have to do

It must have been years
It must have been years

The driver wants to touch me
He mentions all the old cop bullshit
I try to back away
But he's so strong i just can't move
Maybe i don't want to anyway

The time to leave is always `soon'
I wonder if i'm lying
A vague feeling of panic
As a man leaves saying "thank you"
I blame it all on you

It must have been years
It must have been years

We are so fragile
Advertising lies that are whiter than yours
We are so fragile
They could give us a war just to keep us amused

We are so fragile
I could stay here inside and say it's all been done
We are so fragile
Just pretend i never tried, i'll leave it up to you


We are still so young
And it must be wrong but i'd do it all the same
We are really so shy
There's nothing i can do except believe in you


We could always go home
But everyone says this is the place to be
We are so unnatural
But you wouldn't understand, you only deal with men

We have a random on the westside
Personality malfunction
He says i can't give you anything at all
Just a room with a bad view of you
He sent a letter to a downstat
Saying sorry that i missed you
But i can't think of anything to do
He's addicted to the time track

We have a technical
We have a technical

He's in a hotel where they all go
Saying "boy, i've lost my memory"
It's so surprising
Just how quickly things can end
Like a hero on a platform of friends
This table is so crowded
With people that i don't know
And i never really turn
My thoughts on you
So the image breaks down again

We have a technical
We have a technical

I suppose it's very shady
At least until the lights go out
Advertising posters on the wall
And the young boys singing softly
Do they ever come back
Or is it always at the wrong time
I could crawl around the floor
Just like i'm real
And move a hand in front of my eyes

We have a technical
We have a technical

Down in the park
Where the machmen meet
The machines are playing `kill-by-numbers'
Down in the park with a friend called `five'

I was in a car crash
Or was it the war?
Well, i've never been quite the same
Little white lies like "i was there"


Come to "zom-zom's", a place to eat
Like it was built in one day
You can watch the humans
Try to run


Oh, look, there's a rape machine
I'd go outside if it looks the other way
You wouldn't believe
The things they do


Down in the park
Where the chant is "death, death, death"
Until the sun cries morning
Down in the park with friends of mine


"we are not lovers
We are not romantics
We are here to serve you"
A different face but the words never change

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

I saw him turn on
Like a machine in the park
Saying `please come with me'
But you've been there before
I saw him whirr away
Into the night
Like a nightmare on wheels
Saying `never again'

I'd give it all up for you
I'd even be a number just for you
The strangest living boy
You could ever wish to see
`that's me'
Yellowed newspapers
Tell the story of someone
`do you know this man?'
Tomorrow the cure
Only police ever
See night time for real
Turn on the light
And cry `no more, no more'

I was standing outside your door
Waiting for the grey men to go
When my mind turned on me
With a vengeance i had never known
My own
Everyone heard
The voice on the radio
Saying `why move around
And waste my time'
There are no
Independents anymore
The tape is a circle
But who really cares

I saw you behind the wall
I even heard you laugh at me
You disgust me tonight
With your answer to something new
That's you

Slowly the thought
"there is no one to replace"
Came into view
And he began to cry
Now only boys
That love only boys
The perfect picture
Of a boy/girl age

I'm praying to the aliens
I'm praying to the aliens

Grey overcoat
And he could be anyone
A random poll check
"do you ever think of women?"
They broke him down
Into a torn old queen
Living somewhere
Between dead and dying

I'm praying to the aliens
I'm praying to the aliens

There are no more
Do you begin to see?
The corner of my eye
Could give me away
Isn't it strange
How times change?
I can't imagine
Living any other way

I'm praying to the aliens
I'm praying to the aliens

it's cold outside
And the paint's peeling off of my walls
There's a man outside
In a long coat, grey hat, smoking a cigarette

Now the light fades out
And i'm wondering what i'm doing in a room like this
There's a knock on the door
And just for a second i thought i remembered you


So now i'm alone
Now i can think for myself
About little deals
And *issues*
And things that i just don't understand
Like a white lie that night
Or a slight touch at times
I don't think it meant anything to you


So i open the door
It's the `friend' that i'd left in the hallway
"please sit down"
A candle lit a shadow on a wall near the bed


You know i hate to ask
But, are `friends' electric?
Mine's broke down
And now i've no one to love


So i find out your reason
For the phone calls and smiles
And it hurts
And i'm lonely
And i should never have tried
And i missed you tonight
So it's time to leave
You see this means everything to me