Crime In The City
Neil Young Lyrics

Well, the cop made the showdown
The cop asserted his authority and thought he was in control.

He was sure he was right
The cop was confident he had the correct information.

He had all of the lowdown
The cop had insider information regarding the crime.

From the bank heist last night
The cop had information about a recent robbery at a bank.

His best friend was the robber
The cop's closest companion was actually the perpetrator of the crime.

And his wife was a thief
The cop's spouse was also involved in illicit activities.

All the children were killers
The cop believed that all young people were dangerous.

They couldn't get no relief
The citizens were unable to find a sense of calm or safety.

The bungalow was surrounded
The authorities had surrounded a building in search of suspects.

When a voice loud and clear
Someone spoke up, loudly and without fear.

Said, come on out with your hands up
The authorities demanded that the suspects turn themselves in.

Or we'll blow you out of here
The authorities threatened to use force if the suspects did not comply.

There was a face in the window
A person looked out of a nearby window.

The TV cameras rolled
The media was present to capture the scene.

Then they cut to the announcer
The news coverage shifted to the anchor person.

And the story was told
The news program relayed the information about the crime to viewers.

The artist looked at the producer
The singer-songwriter made eye contact with the music producer.

The producer sat back
The music producer relaxed in his seat.

He said, "What we have got here
The producer began to share his perspective on the situation.

Is a perfect track
The music recording was flawless.

But we don't have a vocal
The recording was missing a singer.

And we don't have a song
The producer had no lyrics to work with.

If we could get
The producer began to fantasize about how to complete the recording.

These things accomplished
Once these basic needs were met.

Nothin' else could go wrong"
The producer felt validated that everything would be perfect if these things were accomplished.

So he balanced the ashtray
The producer moved a nearby ashtray to better position himself.

As he picked up the phone
He decided it was time to make a call.

And said, Send me a songwriter
The producer asked for assistance regarding writing the lyrics for a new song.

Who's drifted far from home
The producer wanted a writer who was experienced and creative.

And make sure that he's hungry
The producer requested an ambitious, talented songwriter.

Make sure he's alone
The writer should have the freedom to work independently.

Send me a cheeseburger
The producer also ordered a meal to be delivered.

And a new Rolling Stone
The producer requested a music magazine to get inspiration from.

Yeah "There's still crime in the city"
Despite the authorities' efforts, crime still persists in the city.

Said the cop on the beat
The police officer assigned to that area expressed his frustration at the situation.

I don't know if I can stop it
The cop was unsure if he had the power to do anything about the high crime rate.

I feel like meat on the street
The officer believed he was in a dangerous, vulnerable position.

They paint my car like a target
The cop had noticed vandals or criminals had marked his vehicle to be a target.

I take my orders from fools
The cop was not happy with the leadership in his area.

Meanwhile some kid Blows my head off
Despite all of his precautions, the officer knew he could still be a victim of violent crime.

Well, I play by their rules
The cop felt like he didn't have a choice but to comply with those giving him orders.

That's why I'm doin' it my way
Although the cop follows orders, he tries to do so in his own unique way.

I took the law in my hands
The cop took matters into his own hands to enforce the law.

So here I am in the alleyway
The cop found himself in a seedy part of town enacting justice.

A wad of cash in my pants
The officer received money as part of his own justice efforts.

I get paid by a ten year old
The officer's payment came from a young child involved in illicit activities.

He says he looks up to me
The child criminal admires the police officer.

There's still crime in the city
The officer recognizes that crime will always be present in their community.

But it's good to be free
Despite the difficulties of his job, the officer appreciates the freedoms he has.

Now I come from a family
The officer continued to share stories about his own history.

That has a broken home
His family life was troubled.

Sometimes I talk to Daddy
He still has a relationship with his father.

On the telephone
Their communication is limited.

When he says that he loves me
His dad expresses affection for him.

I know that he does
The officer trusts that love from his father exists.

But I wish I could see him
Despite the distant relationship with his dad, he still longs for a closer bond.

I wish I knew where he was
The officer is unsure of his father's location.

That's the way
The way things are.

All my friends are
His peers are similar to his family situation.

Except maybe one or two
There are a few exceptions to his family/friend status quo.

Wish I could
He yearns for a change.

See him this weekend
He would love to have a chance to see his dad soon.

Wish I could walk in his shoes
The officer wishes he could experience his father's life for a while.

But now I'm doin' my own thing
Despite the challenges of his family life, he is forging his own path.

Sometimes I'm good, then I'm bad
The officer is human and has some inconsistencies.

Although my home has been broken
The officer's home life has left some scars.

It's the best home I ever had
Regardless, he finds a sense of belonging there.

Well, I keep gettin' younger
The officer reflects on his youthful self.

My life's been funny that way
His experiences have been unpredictable and diverse.

Before I ever learned to talk
He is remembering his earliest moments.

I forgot what to say
But his memory is inconsistent and spotty.

I sassed back to my mom
As he got older, he got sassy with her own mother.

I sassed back to my teacher
As a student, he became even more sassy.

I got thrown out of Bible school
His behavior resulted in him getting kicked out of his religious school.

For sassin' back at the preacher
His attitude even landed him in trouble with a religious leader.

Then I grew up to be a fireman
Despite his wayward youth, he found a career as a firefighter.

Put out every fire in town
He became a trusted protector and hero in his community.

Put out anything smokin'
He was on the scene to deal with any potential threat.

But when I put the hose down
Despite his bravery, there were consequences to his actions.

The judge sent me to prison
His behavior led to him getting incarcerated for a long time.

He gave me life without parole
The punishment was severe and strict.

Wish I never put the hose down
The officer regrets some of his past choices and their outcomes.