Are 'Friends' Electric? (5:21)

“Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” is a 1979 song written by Gary Numan, released under the name of his then-band Tubeway Army as a single and on the album Replicas. According to Are ‘Friends’ Electric? Songfacts, the song is about man living among robots - how you can lock yourself away in a dark room away from any other human.

The single reached number 1 in the UK in June 1979, remaining there for four weeks, and was the first of two chart toppers for Numan that year, the other being “Cars”.

Production
Despite being over five minutes long and possessing, in the words of its composer, “no recognisable hook-line whatsoever”, the single topped the UK charts and is notable for being the first electronic/synthesizer-based record to become a hit in the post-punk era. Whilst the track’s new and distinctive sound stood out at the time, sales also benefitted from the record company’s use of a picture disc and Numan’s striking, “robotic” performance on the TV shows The Old Grey Whistle Test and Top of the Pops. “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” has been a mainstay of Numan’s concerts since its release and appears on all ten of his official live recordings to date. A semi-acoustic version appeared on the 2006 Jagged tour setlist.

Music and lyrics
The song tells the tale of a lonely and paranoid man; its themes of alienation and isolation were a Numan hallmark at this time in his career.