On this day, 41 years ago John Foxx released the second 7” single taken from his debut and electronic music cult album Metamatic (released 18 January 1980). ‘No-One Driving’ (21 March 1980) was released in various versions, as a limited edition double 7" disc with three accompanying tracks, and as a single 7" singles a two track and three track version.
The single version is slightly different from the album version in sound mix and lyrics; the line "..someone's gone liquid in the sheets.." on the album version is replaced by "..someone's gone missing in the sheets..".
The single entered the UK Singles Chart at no. 32, remaining at the same position for a further week.
No-One Driving (Original 7” Releases)
7" single disc (two track version)
- "No-One Driving"
- "Glimmer"
7" single disc (three track version)
- "No-One Driving"
- "Glimmer"
- "Mr. No"
7" double disc (gatefold sleeve)
- "No-One Driving"
- "Glimmer"
- "This City"
- "Mr. No"
7" German release (different sleeve artwork)
- "No-One Driving"
- "Metal Beat"
All three B-sides were released together for the first time on the 2001 CD re-issue of the Metamatic album.
No-One Driving (Lyrics)
Seems like you were lit inside
I feel like fog beside the shine
Figure fades away
Someone takes my place
Meshing with the pictures on the pages
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one
The family's back from long ago
The voices burnt, the voices gold
Vapour trails go by
Voices on the lines
Nothing to come back to can't we fade?
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one
Someone's gone liquid in the sheets
A sudden smell of burning leaves
The old streets overgrown
Somewhere else to go
It's just another switchback can't we fade?
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
There's no-one driving
