Big Audio Dynamite II's lineup consisted of: Mick Jones (vocals, guitar), Nick Hawkins (guitar, vocals), Gary Stonadge (bass) and Chris Kavanagh (drums).
When The Time Comes
Big Audio Dynamite II Lyrics
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Almost every night the sound is underground ground
You're too booming big out of poverty
And dreaming up the street
And the man who want to stand for his piece of land
Is pushed aside
'Cause he don't quite fit
Tryin' to make it quit
Go from behind
Call out the hitmen
Mercy make him stop and realise
That when the time comes
They're gonna terrorise
And I hear every day what you say
That the man's still got his right
'Cause when the time comes
They're gonna terrorise
A brother on the street
Met a small time hoakie hood who played guitar
They were strictly middle class
Saying this would never pass
They don't belong
Will people sing to this musical theme
And raise their voice
Or will we have to say
That they just can't play their guitar
Or go very far
Call out the hitmen
Mercy make him stop and realise
That when the time comes
They're gonna terrorise
And I hear every day what you say
That the man's still got his right
'Cause when the time comes
They're gonna terrorise
Sweet soul sister
Meets John from Leicester
And they fall in love
They just get by
On the government supply
But it's not enough
Call out the hitmen
Mercy make him stop and realise
That when the time comes
They're gonna terrorise
And I hear every day what you say
That the man's still got his rights
'Cause when the time comes
They're gonna terrorise
Coming to your street
Almost every night the sound is underground ground
You're too brooming big out of poverty
And cleaning up the street
And the man who wants to stand for his piece of land
Is pushed aside
'Cause he don't quite fit
Tryin' to make him quit
And twist his mind
Go from behind behind behind behind behind
The lyrics of Big Audio Dynamite II's song When The Time Comes describe the social inequality and marginalization of individuals who do not fit into society's predetermined mold. The song speaks directly to the struggles of those who come from impoverished backgrounds and dream of making it big in the world. It describes how those who try to stand up for their piece of land and make their dreams come true are often pushed aside and marginalized. The song urges these individuals to keep fighting and not give up, even in the face of adversity. The chorus of the song repeatedly stresses the importance of standing one's ground and not giving up, despite the obstacles that they face.
The song's lyrics also touch on themes of music and social class. It speaks about the struggles of those who do not come from wealthy backgrounds and how they often have to fight for recognition and respect in the music industry. The song describes how some people believe that those who are not from privileged backgrounds cannot succeed in music, while others believe that everyone should have the chance to make it big in the industry. The song's message is ultimately one of hope and perseverance, urging listeners to stand up for themselves and their dreams, even when the world tries to push them down.
Line by Line Meaning
Coming to your street
The singers carrying music are heading towards your street
Almost every night the sound is underground ground
The music being played is not mainstream and is considered underground
You're too booming big out of poverty
Despite coming from a poor background, you have achieved success
And dreaming up the street
You have dreams that involve the street you live on
And the man who want to stand for his piece of land
A person who wants to defend their land and property
Is pushed aside
They are being disregarded and disregarded by society
'Cause he don't quite fit
He doesn't fit into the mold of what society deems acceptable
Tryin' to make it quit
Trying to get the person to give up on their dreams
And twist his mind
To influence the person's thoughts in a negative or harmful way
Go from behind
To attack or undermine the person from behind
Call out the hitmen
To summon those who will use force to intimidate or harm others
Mercy make him stop and realise
Begging for mercy and asking the person to stop what they are doing and understand the impact of their actions
That when the time comes they're gonna terrorise
The act of terrorizing someone will happen in the future
And I hear every day what you say
I am aware of what you are saying daily through your actions and words
That the man's still got his right
The person still has rights regardless of their status in society
A brother on the street
A person on the street who is not a blood relative
Met a small time hoakie hood who played guitar
A person with questionable motives who plays guitar
They were strictly middle class
The two people were part of the middle class
Saying this would never pass
The two people believed their music would never gain acceptance
They don't belong
They do not fit in with the rest of society
Will people sing to this musical theme
Will people embrace the music and start singing along
And raise their voice
To show support by speaking up
Or will we have to say
Will society criticize them and say they cannot play their guitar or achieve anything
That they just can't play their guitar
Society may criticize their musical abilities
Or go very far
They may not achieve success or recognition
Sweet soul sister
A friendly, kind-hearted woman
Meets John from Leicester
Meets a man from a specific city in England
And they fall in love
The two people have romantic feelings for each other
They just get by on the government supply
They rely on government assistance to survive
But it's not enough
The government assistance does not provide enough to live comfortably
Behind behind behind behind behind
To attack or damage someone from the back multiple times
Contributed by Micah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.