Suburbia
Schleprock Lyrics
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The wolves run fast when the boredom breeds
Latchkey, ya gotta come clean,
Mission impossible at seventeen
As the perfect world turns
major malfunction in the heart of the concern
Another no-name on the failure freeway
Somewhere down in Suburbia it ain't right.... (x4)
No it ain't right
Dead ends scream a teenage warning,
Opportunity's not even knocking
learn to drown if you can't swim,
drop out if you can't drop in
And when lessons don't get learned
The dysfunctional, discouraged voices go unheard
Another closed door means more losers
The desperate youth stumbles down the avenue
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right (x4)
No it ain't right
Nowhere to go and nothing to do tonight
Dysfunctional, unintentional
Perpetual cycle been around you
Come after you
There's nothing nobody really wants to do
Oh, the wolves cry tonight
Out on the streets tonight
The lyrics to Schleprock's song "Suburbia" describe the monotony and restlessness felt by teenagers growing up in suburban neighborhoods. The lines "Side streets and the summer heat, the wolves run fast when the boredom breeds" paint a picture of young people aimlessly wandering through residential areas, searching for something to do to relieve their restlessness. The lyrics mention the concept of a "latchkey," a term used to describe children who come home from school to an empty house because both parents are working. The use of the term in the lyrics suggests a feeling of isolation and lack of adult guidance for these young people.
The chorus of the song repeatedly declares that something is not right in Suburbia. The lines "The dysfunctional, discouraged voices go unheard, Another closed door means more losers" speak to the feeling of hopelessness and despair that many of these teenagers experience. The song suggests that these young people are aware that they are trapped in this cycle but feel powerless to break free.
The idea of "the wolves crying tonight" in the final lines is a haunting image that suggests a sense of danger and unease in the otherwise mundane suburban landscape.
Line by Line Meaning
Side streets and the summer heat,
The hot summer streets are quiet and lonely.
The wolves run fast when the boredom breeds
People can become wild and unpredictable when they're bored.
Latchkey, ya gotta come clean,
It's time to be honest about the challenges of growing up alone and self-sufficient.
Mission impossible at seventeen
It feels impossible to navigate the pressures and expectations of teenage years.
As the perfect world turns
Society's idealized version of life is constantly in motion.
major malfunction in the heart of the concern
There is a big problem in the center of it all.
Another no-name on the failure freeway
Another faceless person stuck on the road to nowhere.
Who's to blame, Mother says it's a phase!
Nobody knows who is responsible for the problems, and some people dismiss them as a temporary stage.
Somewhere down in Suburbia it ain't right.... (x4)
Things are really wrong in this suburban setting.
Dead ends scream a teenage warning,
The lack of opportunities is a danger to young people.
Opportunity's not even knocking
There is no chance to succeed or improve the situation.
learn to drown if you can't swim,
If you can't keep up, you're going to suffer.
drop out if you can't drop in
If you don't fit in, you might as well give up.
And when lessons don't get learned
Despite the problems, people don't always change their behavior.
The dysfunctional, discouraged voices go unheard
People who are hurting and struggling are often invisible or ignored.
Another closed door means more losers
When opportunities are unavailable, more people fail.
The desperate youth stumbles down the avenue
Young people who lack support or guidance struggle down a difficult path.
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right (x4)
Things are really wrong in this suburban setting.
Nowhere to go and nothing to do tonight
There are no activities or options for entertainment or engagement.
Dysfunctional, unintentional
The problems are disorganized and unplanned.
Perpetual cycle been around you
This pattern of struggle and despair is ongoing and surrounds everyone.
Come after you
The challenges are personal and imminent.
There's nothing nobody really wants to do
People are bored and uninspired with their options.
Oh, the wolves cry tonight
The people are restless and discontented.
Out on the streets tonight
People are out and about, but there's nowhere for them to go or anything for them to do.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BUTCH WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Emil Dewantara
Side streets and the summer heat
The wolves run fast when the boredom breeds
Latchkey you gotta come clean
Mission impossible at seventeen
As a perfect world turns
Major malfunction in the heart of the concerned
Another no name on the failure freeway
Who's to blame, mother says it's a phase
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right
No it ain't right
Dead-ends scream a teenage warning
Opportunities not even knocking
Learn to drown if you can't swim
Drop out if you can't drop in
And when lessons don't get learned
The dysfunctional, discouraged voices go unheard
Another closed door means more losers
The desperate youth stumbles down the avenue
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right
Somewhere down in suburbia it ain't right
No it ain't right
Nowhere to go and nothing to do tonight
Dysfunctional, unintentional
Perpetual cycle been around you
Come after you
There's nothing nobody really wants to do
Oh, the wolves cry tonight
Out on the streets tonight
Keith Stegall
My buddy Jeff was one of the Guitar players in this band. I remember when this album came out and it got played on mtv, I was so proud of them. Jeff passed way several years ago.....I miss the hell out of that man.
Alex Dang
+Keith Stegall Sorry for your loss.
Sunflowers
Keith Stegall sorry guy...
Tucko1
I miss Jeff all the time. He was a co-worker and a great old friend....RIP Camp Snoopy....:( Schleprock played at my house a few times...:)
Lyudmila Pavlichenko
Took me forever to find this video. I remember seeing it when it came out. Sorry for your loss. Great band.
Jerry
i knew jeff to he lived in monrovia RIP i miss this guys and i also know sean
Piruz Nahavandi
I used to be in radio in high school, and we used to get these guys CDs all the time. I never played or listened to their music until now, like 17 years later. I wish I had given them a chance, I think they are pretty great. The 90's were great for music like this.
OM
Igualmente
WingZero75
I have been looking for this song for years now. I heard it on the radio and as they were saying the name, I hit a dead zone with the radio. Totally kick ass song.
🍕
For those of you who don't know, Schleprock changed their name to the Generators. They still play in all over! Fucking love them.