City Out of Control
The Angels Lyrics


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Inside the canyons of glass and towering steel
The shadows and the footsteps that never stop to feel
The lights have changed from red to green
And 'yes I've changed my mind'
I pick up the phone and tell someone
Just get off my line!

Up on the corner, newsboy's daily blues
Of love and life and accidents and passing stranger's views
The valet hold no heroes
The dealer holds' he said
The sun goes down, the lights come up
Wheels turn in why'are head

You make connections
You win elections
That ain't gonna be enough

Cause the city is out of control
The city is out of control
The city can't you hear it
Crying out of control?

Runnin' out of time, you know it
Put it on the line, it's loaded
Fear erodes, hate explodes




Can't hold back now
Take your passion to the streets

Overall Meaning

The Angels’ song, City Out of Control, paints a vivid picture of a bustling metropolis filled with glass towers and towering steel. The lyrics describe how the city is in a state of chaos, with shadows and footsteps that never stop to feel. The lights frequently change from red to green, emphasizing the fast pace of city life. Despite the chaos, people still try to connect with each other. However, some connections only lead to frustration and a request to get off the line. The newsboy’s daily blues resonate through the streets, with stories of love, life, accidents, and passing stranger's views. The valet holds no heroes, and the dealer holds none, as the sun sets and the city lights up.


City Out of Control highlights the inherent tension and chaos that often characterizes city life. The song emphasizes that no matter how hard you try, true connections and wins in elections may not be enough to keep the city from spiraling out of control. The chorus repeatedly cries out that the city is out of control, as fear erodes and hate explodes. Instead of being passive, the song encourages people to take their passion to the streets and to put it all on the line.


Line by Line Meaning

Inside the canyons of glass and towering steel
Amongst the concrete jungle of skyscrapers and buildings


The shadows and the footsteps that never stop to feel
The darkness and the hurried movement devoid of emotions


The lights have changed from red to green
Traffic signals change from red to green


And 'yes I've changed my mind'
Admitting to a change of opinion


I pick up the phone and tell someone
Calling someone directly


Just get off my line!
Demanding the other person to hang up the phone


Up on the corner, newsboy's daily blues
On the street corner, the newspaper boy shares updates


Of love and life and accidents and passing stranger's views
About relationships, existence, unexpected events, and opinions of strangers


The valet hold no heroes
The parking attendant is not heroic


The dealer holds' he said
The gambler holds the cards firmly


The sun goes down, the lights come up
The day ends, and the city lights start to glow


Wheels turn in why'are head
Thoughts and questions keep circling around in one's mind


You make connections
You build relationships


You win elections
You succeed in winning votes


That ain't gonna be enough
That's insufficient


Cause the city is out of control
Because the city has gone rogue


The city is out of control
The city has gone rogue


The city can't you hear it
Can't you hear the chaos in the city


Crying out of control?
Is crying due to being out of control?


Runnin' out of time, you know it
The situation is running out of time, and it's evident


Put it on the line, it's loaded
Risk everything as the stakes are high


Fear erodes, hate explodes
Fear weakens, and hate intensifies


Can't hold back now
Can't restrain anymore


Take your passion to the streets
Take your intense emotions to the public




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD PATRICK NEESON, JOHN CARRINGTO BREWSTER JONES, RICK BREWSTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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