Angela
Jarvis Cocker Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Angela
(Angela)
An unfinished symphony
(Angela)

Angela
(Angela)
She is mobile poetry
(Angela)

And she's nearly 23
Making 450 an hour
Complimentary shower
They call her Angela

Angela, oh, Angela, Angela

Angela
(Angela)
Boom, you blew my mind
(Angela)

Angela
(Angela)
I feel the sap rising tonight
(Angela)

A dry stick at the end of a branch
And an overzealous hand
You can't glue it back, no
Snapped off by Angela

Angela, oh, Angela, oh

Angela, oh, Angela

Angela, Angela

Yeah, Angela
(Angela)
Oh, Angela
(Angela)

Angela
(Angela)
Oh, Angela




(Angela)
Oh, Angela

Overall Meaning

The song "Angela" by Jarvis Cocker is a story about a woman named Angela who is an escort or a sex worker. The lyrics depict Angela as an unfinished symphony, mobile poetry, and a young woman who is almost 23 years old and earns about $450 per hour. The lyrics suggest that Angela spends her life as a sex worker and is known by that name. The lyrics "complimentary shower" suggest that she works in a brothel where she is catered to by clients who provide her with luxuries.


The song implicitly critiques society's pervasive misogyny and its propensity to exploit women. Angela is described as mobile poetry, indicating that she can move and dance with ease - this is an attribute that symbolizes the way the sex industry brands female bodies. The lyrics "Boom, you blew my mind" and "I feel the sap rising tonight" refer to a euphoric sexual experience, but the following lines speak of a "dry stick at the end of a branch" and an "overzealous hand." The euphoria abruptly turns into violence and sexual violence. The lyrics illustrate how easy it is for women in the sex industry to experience trauma and violence. "You can't glue it back" means that once the harm has been done, it leaves permanent scars that can never be healed. Angela is a metaphor for all women who work in the sex industry and experience violence and trauma - her story is a symbol of the brutal and impersonal nature of the sex industry, which makes women pay the steepest price.


Line by Line Meaning

Angela
The subject of the song, a person named Angela.


An unfinished symphony
Angela is a person who is still figuring herself out, much like an unfinished work of art.


She is mobile poetry
Angela is a person who moves with grace and fluidity, much like poetry in motion.


And she's nearly 23
Angela is young and has her whole life ahead of her.


Making 450 an hour
Angela has a job that pays her well.


Complimentary shower
Angela's job involves taking showers with clients as a part of their service.


They call her Angela
Angela is known by this name to those who know her in the context of her job.


Boom, you blew my mind
Angela has left a strong impression on the artist.


I feel the sap rising tonight
The artist is feeling an inexplicable excitement or passion, much like the rising sap in a tree.


A dry stick at the end of a branch
The artist is comparing themselves to a lifeless, insignificant object at the edge of something greater.


And an overzealous hand
Someone or something has been too forceful or enthusiastic, causing damage.


You can't glue it back, no
The damage done cannot be undone or repaired.


Snapped off by Angela
Angela is the cause of the harm or damage, whether directly or indirectly.


Yeah, Angela
A repetition of her name, emphasizing her importance and presence in the singer's mind.


Oh, Angela
An expression of reverence or urgency towards Angela.


Oh, Angela
A rhetorical repetition, suggesting that Angela is always on the artist's mind.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, STEPHEN PATRICK MACKEY, TIM MCCALL, ROSS ORTON, MARTIN JAMES F CRAFT, SIMON EDWARD STAFFORD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Chriss Hill

Along with Julian Cope, David Bowie and Marc Bolan he's one of my favorites of the British rock scene. Deserves more recognition and exposure. Just that damn good

Plebian Peasant

Great song for a beginner on rocksmith

Sportvine69

How else were u supposed to find this song lol

Karl Smith

First song that I learned to play both on guitar and bass on rocksmith

Larry Davis

Maybe so, but a beginner ain't gonna play that blistering guitar solo.

brubeck_108

me :~)

Movie Night

That’s so funny you say that (3years ago...I guess I’m a little late, lol), because that’s exactly how I first discovered this song and came to enjoy it...because it is catchy, and it is an easy beginner song on Rocksmith.

Michael Does Life

Jarvis Cocker is a class act.

VandaB

I need to learn how to dance like jarvis #lifegoals

ModMokkaMatti

You can't do the dancing without the magnificent hand gesticulations. It's a package deal, and only Sir Jarv is capable of pulling it of at this level.

More Comments

More Versions