Inner city life, inner city pressure
The concrete world is starting to get ya
The city is alive, the city is expanding
Living in the city can be demanding

You pawned everything, everything you owned
Your tooth brush jar and a camera phone
You don't know where you're going
You cross the street, you don't know why you did
You walk back across the street

Standing in the sitting room
Totally stint and your favorite jersey is covered in lint
You want to sit down but you sold your chair
So you, you just stand there, you just stand there
(You just stand there)

Inner, inner city, inner city pressure

Counting coins on the counter of the 7/11
From a quarter past six 'til a quarter to seven
The manager, Bevin, starts to abuse me
Hey man, I just want some muesli

Neon signs, hidden messages
Questions, answers, fetishes
You know you're not in high finance
Considering second hand underpants

Check your mind, how'd it get so bad?
What happened to those other underpants you had?
Look in your pockets, haven't found a cent yet
Landlord's on your balls, "Have you payed your rent yet?"

Inner, inner city, inner city pressure
Inner, inner city, inner city pressure

Pressure, pressure

So you think maybe you'll be a prostitute
Just to pay for your lessons, you're learning the flute
Ladies wouldn't pay you very much for this
Looks like you'll never be a concert flautist

You don't measure up to the expectation
When you're unemployed, there's no vacation
No one cares, no one sympathizes
You just stay home and play synthesizers

Pressure, pressure

Inner, inner city, inner city pressure
Inner, inner city, inner city pressure

What are you searching for, hidden treasure?
All you'll find is inner city pressure
You've lost perspective like a picture by Escher
It's the pressure, pressure

Pressure, pressure


Lyrics submitted by deadsy2307

Inner City Pressure Lyrics as written by Jemaine Clement Bret Mckenzie

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Inner City Pressure song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

12 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    soooooo funnnnny

    two tone beaton April 27, 2008   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song: Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.” That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
When We Were Young
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Album art
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.