The Rods are an American heavy metal band formed in 1980 by David "Rock" Fe… Read Full Bio ↴The Rods are an American heavy metal band formed in 1980 by David "Rock" Feinstein (guitar, vocals), Steven Starmer (bass, vocals), and Carl Canedy (drums, vocals). After the first album Starmer was replaced by Garry Bordonaro. Feinstein had first come to mainstream attention after playing in Elf with his cousin Ronnie James Dio. The Rods' sound differed considerably from Elf, adopting a more traditional heavy metal sound compared with the blues rock sound that Elf preferred. Their first album was originally released independently as Rock Hard in 1980 and the following year the band was signed by Arista Records, who reordered the album tracks and released it simply titled The Rods. Their second album Wild Dogs followed in 1982 and was re-released in 2004.

The Rods' third album, released 1983, was entitled In the Raw. In 1984 Canedy and Bordonaro played on Jack Starr's album Out of the Darkness with Rhett Forrester of Riot and Gary Driscoll of Rainbow. Then in 1984 the Rods released their fourth studio album Let Them Eat Metal and recorded the album The Rods Live. Their album Heavier Than Thou was originally released in 1986. An album was also released the same year, entitled Hollywood under the name Canedy, Feinstein, Bordonaro & Caudle (all of the band members). Rick Caudle handled lead vocals on that album, with Feinstein only playing guitar. Following poor sales of their final two albums the group split up.

Canedy is also a producer of heavy metal bands, and his credits include Anthrax's Armed and Dangerous and Spreading the Disease, Exciter's Violence & Force, Overkill's Feel the Fire, Possessed's Beyond the Gates and Roxx Gang's Love 'Em and Leave 'Em.

In 2008 the Rods announced that they were reuniting with the line-up of Feinstein, Bordonaro and Canedy, and in August 2008 they played at the Metal Rock Fest in Lillehammer, Norway. The album Vengeance was released in 2011 to positive reviews, and The Brotherhood of Metal was released in 2019.

Discography
Rock Hard (1980), reissued as The Rods (1981)
Full Throttle (EP) (1981)
Wild Dogs (1982)
In the Raw (1983)
The Rods Live (1983)
Let Them Eat Metal (1984)
Hollywood (1986) – released under the name Canedy, Feinstein, Bordonaro & Caudle
Heavier Than Thou (1986)
Vengeance (2011)
Brotherhood of Metal (2019)
Rattle The Cage (2024)

Angels Never Run
The Rods Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm ready to fight
Like a dog ready to bark
Just out on the prowl
I've not got any home

You better run, you better hide
And wait for the night
When you find the heat is on you know

Angels never run

I'm going to get high
And I don't care if you live or die
Just cruising the road
Turning it up, going to make it explode

You better run, you better hide
And wait for the night
When you find the heat is on you know
Angels never run
Angels never run
Angels never run

I'm ready to fight
Like a dog ready to bark
Just out on the prowl
I've not got any home

You better run, you better hide
And wait for the night
When you find the heat is on you know
Angels never run
Angels never run
Angels never run
Angels never run

Angels, angels, angels never run

Angels, angels, angels never run
Angels never run

Overall Meaning

In this song, The Rods are describing a fierce determination and readiness to fight. The singer is compared to a dog ready to bark and prowling around without a home. The lyrics suggest that the person is a rebel, someone who is not afraid to take risks, and even seems to enjoy the rush of danger. This is illustrated by the lines, "I'm going to get high, and I don't care if you live or die, just cruising the road, turning it up, going to make it explode."

The chorus, "You better run, you better hide, and wait for the night when you find the heat is on you know, angels never run," implies that the singer is invincible and unstoppable, and even when things get tough, they won't back down. The repeated "Angels never run" reinforces this idea and suggests that the person is somehow special or blessed. The song implies an attitude of defiance, and it's clear that the singer is ready to take on the world.

Overall, the lyrics suggest a rebellious spirit, a sense of invincibility, and a readiness to fight. The metaphor of the dog adds to this idea of someone who won't be tamed, while the reference to angels suggests a kind of spiritual protection.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm ready to fight
I am prepared to engage in a struggle

Like a dog ready to bark
I am as alert and ready for action as a dog who is about to bark

Just out on the prowl
I am wandering about with purpose, looking for something to do or someone to engage with

I've not got any home
I am without a settled dwelling place, wandering aimlessly

You better run, you better hide
I am a force to be reckoned with, and you would be wise to flee or take cover

And wait for the night
The danger I pose will be most acute when darkness falls

When you find the heat is on you know
When you are confronted with the intensity of my energy, you will recognize the danger

Angels never run
I am like an angel in that I will not retreat in the face of adversity or danger

I'm going to get high
I will seek pleasure and altered states of consciousness through drug use

And I don't care if you live or die
I am not concerned about the welfare of others, and will engage in risky behaviors even if they may have deadly consequences for myself and others

Just cruising the road
I am driving aimlessly and without concern for any particular destination

Turning it up, going to make it explode
I will increase the intensity of my activities and behaviors to the point of extremity and potential destruction

Angels, angels, angels never run
I am like an angel, unwavering in the face of adversity and never seeking to flee

Contributed by Declan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS