Dead End Justice
The Runaways Lyrics

I'm a blond bombshell and I wear it well
I'm a confident, attractive young woman and I take pride in my appearance.

You're momma says you go straight to hell
Your mother disapproves of your actions and behavior.

I'm sweet sixteen and a rebel queen
I'm young and rebellious, and I don't conform to society's expectations of me.

I look real hot in my tight blue jeans
I know I look good in my tight clothing, and I use my looks to my advantage.

Dead end kids in the danger zone
Children who are trapped in a life of danger and despair.

All of you are drunk or stoned
All of you engage in risky behaviors with drugs and alcohol.

Dead end kids you're not alone
You may feel alone, but there are others like you who are struggling.

You sleep in the street when you're not at home
You don't have a home to go to, so you sleep in public places.

Long hot summers make you wanna fight
The heat and discomfort of summer can make you feel aggressive or confrontational.

The roar of the city lasts all night
The noise and commotion of the city continues throughout the night.

You like drugs you like brew
You enjoy illicit drugs and alcohol.

You won't believe what I can do to you
I am fearless and confident in my abilities, and I can do anything I set my mind to.

I got away clean with my fake ID
I was able to avoid getting caught using my fake ID.

No more school or mommy for me
I have left behind the safety and structure of school and my maternal figure.

Stealing cars and breaking hearts
I engage in dangerous and risky activities, such as stealing cars and manipulating people's emotions.

Pills and thrills and acting smart
I seek excitement and adventure, and I consider myself to be intelligent and savvy.

In the naked city, spaces ain't that pretty
In the harsh reality of the city, there is little beauty or comfort.

As I was getting dusted, I happened to get busted
As I was using drugs, I was caught by the authorities.

Oh yes, I was arrested, oh God, how I protested
I was arrested and I fought back against the injustice of the situation.

They beat me with a board, it hurt just like a sword
The authorities used physical violence to punish me, and it was extremely painful.

They kicked me in the eye, my brain began to fry
The physical abuse caused me to become disoriented and mentally unstable.

This is like a movie, I know I'm gonna scream
The situation is so surreal and extreme that it feels like a scene from a movie, and I am overwhelmed by my emotions.

All the pain that I feel makes me feel mean
The pain and suffering I have endured has made me angry and bitter towards the world.

It's so sad and crazy here, I think I'm gonna cry
The situation is so tragic and insane that I am overcome with emotions and want to cry.

If I don't wake up from this dream
If I don't escape from this terrible situation, it will continue to feel like a nightmare.

I think I'm gonna die
I am so scared and overwhelmed that I feel like I might die.

Where am I?
I am disoriented and confused about my surroundings.

Your in a cheap run down teenage jail that's where
You are in a juvenile detention center that is in poor condition and not well-maintained.

Oh my God
I am shocked and terrified by my situation.

Yeah, blondie you're gonna be here till your 18 so get used to it
You will be detained until you are legally an adult, and you need to accept that reality.

Behind the bars, there's a superstar
Despite their current situation, there are talented and remarkable individuals among the detainees.

Who never had a chance, she could sing, she could dance
There are people here who had the potential for success, but never had the opportunity to pursue it.

You don't sing and dance in juvie honey
The detention center is not a place where you can pursue artistic or creative interests.

Behind the walls, they've seen it all, gotta have, gotta have
The detainees have been exposed to a great deal of trauma and hardship, and have developed a need for certain basic necessities.

Justice, justice
A call for fairness and equality.

Don't want your law and order
The current legal and authority systems are not working for the youth and need to be reformed.

Or world wide disorder
The current system has the potential to create chaos and instability on a global level.

What you in for? Wouldn't you like to know?
I am reluctant to share the reason for my detention, as I feel it is personal and not anyone else's business.

Behind the fence, there is no defense
Once you are detained, you lose your freedom and your ability to protect yourself from harm.

There's murder, rape and bribery in and out, burglary
The detention center is a place where criminals of all sorts are present, including violent and corrupt individuals.

You don't look so tough, oh, I been around
I may not look intimidating, but I have been through a lot and am not easily shaken.

On the planet sorrow, there is no tomorrow gonna get
In a place filled with despair and hopelessness, it can be difficult to envision a better future.

Justice, justice
A need for fairness and equality in society.

Don't want your law and order
The current legal and authority systems are not working and need to be reformed.

Or world wide disorder
The current system has the potential to create chaos and instability on a global level.

You can't turn off the tears
It is difficult to hide or suppress your emotions, even in a tough situation.

They crawl in juvenile hall cruel reform schools
The youth in detention centers and reform schools are often subjected to cruel treatment and lack compassion from the authority figures.

They don't smile, they got no bail or jury trial
The detainees have no reason to smile and lack even basic human rights like bail or a fair trial in court.

Joan, lets break out tonite okay Cherie, what's the plan?
Let's escape from this place and regain our freedom; do you have any ideas for the escape plan?

You grab the guard, in the prison yard
You distract the guard and take control of the situation in the prison yard.

Get his keys and gun, we'll run
Take the guard's keys and weapon, and make a run for it.

My old man's waiting outside in a van is he handsome?
My father is waiting for us outside in a van; are you attracted to him?

You'll see ?cause you know, we gotta be free
We need to escape from this life of confinement and oppression and embrace our freedom at all costs.

We'll go far through the prison yard
We'll navigate through the prison yard and make our way to the exit.

You and me, we will be free
Together, we can escape this detention center and enjoy our freedom.

Just be safe, don't be late
Make sure to stay safe during the escape, and don't be late for our designated rendezvous point.

If you see the guard don't hesitate
If you run into the guard, act quickly and don't hesitate to take action.

But Joan I'm getting tired, I've run out of fire
I'm starting to feel drained and out of energy for the escape plan.

I can't go any farther but Cherie you must try harder
I've reached my limit, but you must keep pushing through and finish the plan.

Joan, I'm down, my ankle, I can't go on, but I can't leave you
I am injured and can't continue on with the escape plan, but I don't want to abandon you.

What do I do? Save yourself you know what you gotta do
You need to prioritize your own safety and escape, as you are the only one who can complete the mission.

Oh my God
I am shocked and devastated by the reality of the situation.