Noise : Noise


What's it to you?
If I feel
Just a face in the wall
Crawling out of the crowd
Now look at me
You cry 'Rust'
Like a leaf in the fall
I fly in the sky, don't you? 

What's it to you?
This noise noise
Like a plaque on the wall
One of these days
I'll just leave
As boys drown
You feel like young Gods
You know all young Gods must fade 

What's it to you?
Going down boys
Like a screw in the wall
My lovers never leave
Play war like Marines
Just noise noise
And just roar roar
One of these days

It Must Have Been Years
('Replicas' album, 1979) 

A radio plays 'white christmas'
It's been doing that for years
If somebody leaves the station
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 up for 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

I'm An Agent
('Telekon' album, 1980) 

Send in eyes
Thoughts of crashing, all those pictures
Send in thoughts of John the God 

Send in dreams
Lovers on corners, clean my sheets
Your only chance is to break the states 

We are clean
Don't ask - I'm an agent 

Send in change
Secretaries, nothing more
'You can be replaced, you know' 

Send in chance
Bad conditions, talk of leaving
Talk of walking out on me 

We are clean
Don't ask - I'm an agent 

Send in you
Send in pain, send in lies
Send in words that I believed 

Send in you
Stick on pretty aircraft nose
Nothing much to care about 

Send in you
Just watch the face, you're sure to see
Something, give this game away 

Send in you
Get her out, get her out
Call me, just don't say the name 

We are clean
Don't ask - I'm an agent

Jo The Waiter
('Tubeway Army' album, 1978) 

Jo the waiter worked for me
Serving wine in basement bars
Only madmen ever stay, 'Got no time'
If you're mindless please take mine 

Jo the waiter held me close
Behind the door marked 'Gentlemen'
Just for now that's all I need
Won't someone call me 'Friend' 

Long gone. I recall good times
I must confess I cried 

We burned out and the line went dead
At six o'clock I felt so alone
I crawled inside, 'Where else to go?'
I could be dead for all you know
Every day I died for you
Valium boys with painted eyes
Young men need love special
I don't think I want it at all 

Long gone. I recall good times
I must confess I cried 

Me I've retired to a back street flat
Picture 'Eyes in a cold steel frame'
The freaks arrive
Broken needles and blood
'What you on man to get those eyes?' 

It's very touching I'm so close to me
False smiles I've rehearsed for days
Come inside you won't know I'm wrong
Give me your heart I'm so quickly gone