Oakland Ca home cooked funk rhythm and bues served hot from the soul.
Back On The Streets Again
Tower of Power Lyrics
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In the country, in the jungle
Had to kick and scratch
Stand some back, in the jungle
At first I had an honest dream
Then the dike broke through
The scheme I had so gently planned
Soon that fell through
Now I'm back, back (back, back, back on the streets again)
I'm back, (back, back, back on the street again)
It's a gold plated world
When you ain't got a dime for a phone call, in the jungle
Makes me feel so bad
To be standin' in the welfare line
My so called friends aren't here today
They don't even know my name
If I get a second chance
I do believe I'll feel the same
I'm back, back (back, back, back on the streets again)
I'm back, (back, back, back on the street again)
(horn break)
Well I'll sing a song
And then keep control of my action, in the jungle
Living in them streets
Makes a man turn death away
Life right now is just a dirty word
There's no place for me to go
The look I wear up on my face
Let's everybody know that
I'm back, back (back, back, back on the streets again)
I'm back, (back, back, back on the street again)
I'm back, (back, back, back on the street again)
I'm back, back, back, back (back, back, back on the streets again)
Makes me feel so bad
To be back on the steets again
Fell asleep in the park last night
Sunday paper feel uptight
Hope the lord now give to me
What's before me imitate
?
Back on the streets again
The lyrics to Tower of Power's song Back on the Streets Again speaks to a story of struggle and overcoming adversity. It begins with the singer's initial struggle, where he had to compete in the country - in the jungle, where he had to kick and scratch to stand some back. Though he started with an honest dream, his plan soon fell through when the dike broke, leaving him to pick up the pieces. The song then goes into the chorus, where he reflects on being back on the streets and the difficult moments he faced in his journey. He talks about life being a dirty word and his friends' absence, concluding that he feels bad about being in the welfare line.
The horn break in the middle of the song adds to its soulful melody's emotion, emphasizing the struggle and pain the singer feels. The song ends with the singer hoping that the Lord will give him the strength and guidance to overcome his challenges and a chance to make a better life for himself. Overall, the lyrics convey a message of hope and determination, encouraging listeners to keep pushing on no matter how tough the road may be.
Line by Line Meaning
I had to compete
I had to fight for my survival
In the country, in the jungle
In a place where the only rule is to survive
Had to kick and scratch
I had to fight with everything I had
Stand some back, in the jungle
Stand up for myself when others tried to put me down
At first I had an honest dream
At first, I had a genuine ambition
Then the dike broke through
Then something went wrong
The scheme I had so gently planned
The plan I had so carefully crafted
Soon that fell through
Soon that plan failed
Now I'm back, back (back, back, back on the streets again)
Now I'm back to where I started
It's a gold plated world
It's a world that's all about money and materials
When you ain't got a dime for a phone call, in the jungle
When you are really down on your luck and have no one to turn to
Makes me feel so bad
It makes me feel terrible
To be standin' in the welfare line
To be in a position where I need to ask for help
My so called friends aren't here today
My supposed friends are nowhere to be found
They don't even know my name
They don't even remember who I am
If I get a second chance
If I get another opportunity
I do believe I'll feel the same
I believe I'll still feel stuck and helpless
Well I'll sing a song
I'll try to find some joy amidst my struggles
And then keep control of my action, in the jungle
And then try to keep myself safe and in control
Living in them streets
Living in the harsh realities of life
Makes a man turn death away
Makes a person fight to stay alive
Life right now is just a dirty word
Life feels miserable and pointless
There's no place for me to go
I have nowhere else to turn to
The look I wear up on my face
The expression on my face
Let's everybody know that
Tells everyone that I'm suffering
I'm back, back (back, back, back on the streets again)
I'm back to where I started from
Makes me feel so bad
It makes me feel terrible
To be back on the steets again
To be back in the harsh realities of life
Fell asleep in the park last night
I had to sleep in the park last night
Sunday paper feel uptight
Even the Sunday paper couldn't make me feel better
Hope the lord now give to me
I hope God will give me what I need
What's before me imitate?
What's in front of me, what should I do?
Back on the streets again
Back to where I started
Contributed by Miles F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.