Triangle
T-Power Lyrics
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And the mice they were squealing in my prison cell
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
Oh to start the morning, the warden bawling
Get up out of bed you, and clean out your cell
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
Oh the screw was peeping and the lag was sleeping
As he lay weeping for his girl Sal
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
On a fine spring evening, the lag lay dreaming
And the seagulls were wheeling high above the wall
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
Oh the wind was sighing, and the day was dying
As the lag lay crying in his prison cell
And that auld triangle, went jingle bloody jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
In the female prison there are seventy women
And I wish it was with them that I did dwell
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
The lyrics to "Triangle" by T-Power depict the experiences and emotions of a prisoner in his cell. The singer describes a "hungry feeling" that overcomes him, while the mice in his cell squeal. The reference to the "auld triangle" jingling and jangling evokes the sound of a prison bell or alarm. This recurring sound is heard along the banks of the Royal Canal, symbolizing the confinement and rigid routine of prison life.
The morning starts with the warden's authoritative voice, demanding that the prisoners get out of bed and clean their cells. The sound of the triangle is heard again, emphasizing the prison's control over the inmates. The singer mentions a screw (prison guard) who peeps, while a lag (a prisoner) sleeps and weeps for his girl Sal. This suggests the despair, longing, and separation that inmates face, as well as the constant presence of the triangle sound.
The song takes a momentary shift as the narrative moves to a beautiful spring evening, symbolized by seagulls soaring above the prison walls. The lag, lying in his cell, is dreaming. However, the wind sighs, and the day dies, implying the sadness and hopelessness of prison life. The triangle sound returns, this time with intensifying language, the addition of "bloody" indicating a heightened sense of frustration and desperation.
The final verse mentions a female prison with seventy women, and the singer expresses a wish to be with them instead. This line draws attention to the gendered nature of imprisonment and highlights the longing for companionship and freedom. Once again, the triangle jingles and jangles along the banks of the Royal Canal, symbolizing the inescapable presence and routine of prison life.
Line by Line Meaning
A hungry feeling, came o'er me stealing
I was overcome by a strong feeling of hunger
And the mice they were squealing in my prison cell
I could hear the mice making squealing noises in my cell
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
The old triangle instrument made a rhythmic jingling sound
All along the banks of the Royal Canal.
This sound echoed throughout the area near the Royal Canal
Oh to start the morning, the warden bawling
In the morning, the warden would shout loudly to wake us up
Get up out of bed you, and clean out your cell
We were instructed to get out of bed and tidy our cells
Oh the screw was peeping and the lag was sleeping
The guard was peeping through and the prisoner was peacefully sleeping
As he lay weeping for his girl Sal
The prisoner cried as he thought about his girlfriend Sal
On a fine spring evening, the lag lay dreaming
One evening in spring, the prisoner laid down and dreamt
And the seagulls were wheeling high above the wall
Seagulls were flying in circles high above the prison wall
Oh the wind was sighing, and the day was dying
The wind was making a sighing sound and the day was coming to an end
As the lag lay crying in his prison cell
The prisoner was crying while lying in his cell
And that auld triangle, went jingle bloody jangle
The old triangle instrument made an intense and chaotic jingling sound
In the female prison there are seventy women
In the women's prison, there are a total of seventy women
And I wish it was with them that I did dwell
I longed to be with those women in the prison
And that auld triangle, went jingle jangle
The old triangle instrument continued to make its rhythmic jingling sound
All along the banks of the Royal Canal
This sound could be heard throughout the area near the Royal Canal
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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