Replicas

Replicas was the first Gary Numan album I bought. It is no understatement to say that when I first saw Tubeway Army perform Are "Friends" Electric? on Top Of The Pops, it was a life-changing moment. I had never heard or seen anything like it before, and I have been a Numanoid ever since that day (well, actually, I did stop following him through his dreadful late-eighties/early-nineties period, but became a bigger fan than ever after he released Exile in 1998.)

Anyway, Replicas is still one of Gary's greatest albums. A classic. My favourite track - so hard to choose - is probably Praying To The Aliens. Lucky I bought this Alien tie-pin when I went to see Dunkirk at the cinema this evening, isn't it? Not much more you can do but pray if the aliens are telepathic xenomorphs, right?

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