Rat Trap
The Boomtown Rats Lyrics

There was a lot of rocking going on that night
The atmosphere was energetic and lively that night

Cruising time for the young bright lights
Young people were hanging out and enjoying their time

Just down past the gasworks, by the meat factory door
The location where this scene is taking place

The five lamp boys were coming on strong
A group of young guys are out and about, feeling confident and assertive

The Saturday night city beat had already started
The vibrant nightlife scene of the city was already underway

And the, the pulse of the corner boys just sprang into action
The energy of the youth in this neighborhood is infectious

And young Billy watched it all under the yellow street light
A young man named Billy observes the excitement from a distance

And said "tonight of all nights, there's gonna be a fight"
Billy predicts that tonight's energy could lead to violence

Billy don't like it living here in this town
Billy dislikes living in this town

He says the traps have been sprung long before he was born
Billy feels trapped in his current situation

He says "hope bites the dust behind all the closed doors"
Billy feels that there is no hope or optimism for his future

And pus and grime ooze from its scab crusted sores
The town is portrayed as unclean, diseased, and suffering

There's screaming and crying in the high-rise blocks"
The high-rises are described as chaotic and full of emotion

It's a rat trap Billy, but you're already caught
The town is like a trap and Billy is already a part of it

And you can make it if you wanna or you need it bad enough
If Billy has enough determination and desperation, he could escape this town

You're young and good-looking and you're acting kind of tough
Billy is young, attractive, and exuding confidence

Anyway it's Saturday night time to see what's going down
The weekend is a time for socializing and having fun

Put on the bright suit Billy, head for the right side of town
Go out and enjoy yourself in the lively part of town

You don't know what it is but, there's got to be more
Billy is dissatisfied with his current situation and is seeking something better

You'd better find a way out, hey kick down that door
In order to escape his situation, Billy may need to force his way out

In this town Billy says "everybody's trying to tell you what to do"
People in this town are overbearing and don't allow for much freedom

In this town Billy says "everybody says you gotta follow rules"
Billy feels like he's always being told what to do and how to behave

You switch from your left to right
At a crosswalk, Billy is following directions to cross the street

You push in that button and that button comes alight
As Billy presses the crosswalk button, it lights up

And hits you
Billy feels the weight of conformity and being told what to do

Hey Billy take a walk, take a walk, take a walk
Someone is urging Billy to leave this place and explore somewhere else

Her mind's made up, she walks down the road
A young woman named Judy has decided to leave her current situation

She finds Billy down at the Italian cafe
Judy encounters Billy at a cafe

And when he's drunk it's hard to understand what Billy says
Billy is difficult to understand when he's intoxicated

But then he mumbles in his coffee and he suddenly roars
Billy starts talking loudly and forcefully while drinking his coffee

It's a rat trap Judy; and we've been caught
Billy, like Judy, is trapped in this town and is expressing his frustration