☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a personal experience of the singer, where he was waiting for something and listening to his breath.
- He feels like a man who listens to life and seeks a fire that could easily burn everything.
- The singer describes how he was surrounded for hours by the sound of thinking metal and knew that something was wrong.
- He remembers the feeling when everything fell apart and he doesn't believe in prayers or a god.
- The singer could talk about horror and show the pieces, but he just wants to forget.
Interpretation
In the lyrics of the song 'God Only Knows' by
Gary Numan, it's about an experience the singer had. He describes how he was waiting for something while listening to his breath, like a man listening to life. He was looking for fire that could either take him or leave him, that could simply burn everything. The law of oxygen reminds him of that.
He was surrounded by the sound of thinking metal for hours and knew something was wrong. He can tell you what fear is, it's the smell of burning, and he's been close before. He waited a long time. Only God knows how he survived. It seemed like an eternity. Only God knows how he survived. He doesn't like the memory. Only God knows how he survived. Only God knows how he survived.
He remembers the feeling he will remember forever, how everything fell apart. He doesn't believe in prayers, he doesn't believe in a God. Now he questions everything. The dreamer is gone. He's an old man.
He could tell you about horror, he could show you the pieces, but he just wants to forget. He's not sure if he saw it, he's not sure if he heard it. He just screamed, 'I can't get out. I can't get out.'