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Just A Job To Do Lyrics
It's no use saying that it's alright, it's alright.
But where were you after midnight, midnight.
Heard a Bang, Bang, Bang; Down they go
It's just a job you do
Cos the harder they run, and the harder they fall.
I'm coming down hard on you.
Now no-one saw what you looked like, what you looked like
Like a stranger you came out of the night, out of the night
Cos someone put the word on you, and I hope my aim is true.
Cos I got a name, and I got a number, I gotta line on you
I got a name, and I got a number, I'm coming after you
Don't keep saying that it's alright, it's alright,
It seems you went just a little too far this time
Heard a Bang Bang Bang, and down you go,
It's just a job I do,
Cos the harder you run the harder you fall,
I'm coming down hard on you, hard on you - I hope my aim is true.
I got a name, and I got a number, I got a line on you
I got a name, and I got a number, and I'm coming after you
Keep running, Keep running; city to city
Even if you're innocent,
You can cause too much embarrassment
And though your heart is breaking,
And you know there's no mistaking.
Cos you feel your life line breaking (keep running, keep running)
You can feel your hands are shaking (keep running, keep running)
And no-one answers the telephone
You can never never ever go home alone
and though your heart is aching
and you know there's no mistaking.
The footsteps close behind.
Now don't pretend that you sleep at night, but sleep tight
And can't you feel that the time is right, it's alright.
Heard a Bang Bang Bang, and down you go
Oh no-one really cares
Cos the harder you run, and the harder you fall.
I'm coming down hard on you, hard on you - I'm hoping that my aim is true.
I got a name, and I got a number, I got a line on you
I got a name, and I got a number, I'm coming after you
I got a name, and I got a number, I got a line on you
I got a name, and I got a number, I got a job to do.
But where were you after midnight, midnight.
Heard a Bang, Bang, Bang; Down they go
It's just a job you do
Cos the harder they run, and the harder they fall.
I'm coming down hard on you.
Like a stranger you came out of the night, out of the night
Cos someone put the word on you, and I hope my aim is true.
I got a name, and I got a number, I'm coming after you
It seems you went just a little too far this time
Heard a Bang Bang Bang, and down you go,
It's just a job I do,
Cos the harder you run the harder you fall,
I'm coming down hard on you, hard on you - I hope my aim is true.
I got a name, and I got a number, and I'm coming after you
Even if you're innocent,
You can cause too much embarrassment
And though your heart is breaking,
And you know there's no mistaking.
Cos you feel your life line breaking (keep running, keep running)
You can feel your hands are shaking (keep running, keep running)
And no-one answers the telephone
You can never never ever go home alone
and though your heart is aching
and you know there's no mistaking.
The footsteps close behind.
And can't you feel that the time is right, it's alright.
Heard a Bang Bang Bang, and down you go
Oh no-one really cares
Cos the harder you run, and the harder you fall.
I'm coming down hard on you, hard on you - I'm hoping that my aim is true.
I got a name, and I got a number, I'm coming after you
I got a name, and I got a number, I got a job to do.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I've heard the hitman idea too, but I think the line "Keep running keep running, city to city, even if you're innocent" disproves this. It suggests that most people would think he wouldn't run if he was innocent. If a hitman were after someone, they wouldn't care about innocence, they're gonna kill you regardless.
Because this "can cause to much embarrassment" it makes me think he's running away from a trial. That would make the narrator something like Dick Tracy, a cop (the fugitive) or a bail bondsman.
@T.G. Reb close, but look at the lyric again: "Even if you're innocent // You can cause too much embarrassment"
@T.G. Reb close, but look at the lyric again: "Even if you're innocent // You can cause too much embarrassment"
This is about the fugitive being punished regardless of guilt - this isn't a bounty hunter or detective...
This is about the fugitive being punished regardless of guilt - this isn't a bounty hunter or detective...
...this is an ASSASSIN. "Well, BANG-BANG-BANG, and down you go" (because we all know everyone survives three bullet wounds just fine and that's the standard procedure to disable someone you wish to apprehend.)
...this is an ASSASSIN. "Well, BANG-BANG-BANG, and down you go" (because we all know everyone survives three bullet wounds just fine and that's the standard procedure to disable someone you wish to apprehend.)
Even the chorus: "I got a name, and I got a number..." England under the harsh rule of the union-busting Tories of 'The Iron Lady', in the...
Even the chorus: "I got a name, and I got a number..." England under the harsh rule of the union-busting Tories of 'The Iron Lady', in the 1980s? With the Cold War giving all manner of carte blanche for morally questionable acts by government?
a name and a number....James Bond, 007?
A government ASSASSIN (remember, not a regular spy, but someone specifically sanctioned to kill) maybe going after people who MIGHT be bad, or might NOT, doing ethically grey things 'for Queen and Country' (and maybe sweeping some scandal under the rug, too)
From what I understand, and I believe this was a direct quote from Phil Collins, that this song was an interpretation of Dick Tracy.
It appears that Mike Rutherford wrote this song right around the time the Falkland Island's war was occurring and the war was very controversial in British social life, especially among artistic communities. The lyrics appear to have been purposely left open ended in terms of whether whether the pursuer or pursued is a good guy or a bad guy.
Personally I've always thought of this song as being narrated from the perspective of a law man or soldier. Jaded about the bureaucracy above them, and dedicated to getting the bad guys for the good of society even if some innocent guy theoretically might buy it sometime. I always picture Pachino's homicide detective from Heat, or a Mitch Rapp / Scot Harvath anti-espionage character from a suspense novel.
Personally I've always thought of this song as being narrated from the perspective of a law man or soldier. Jaded about the bureaucracy above them, and dedicated to getting the bad guys for the good of society even if some innocent guy theoretically might buy it sometime. I always picture Pachino's homicide detective from Heat, or a Mitch Rapp / Scot Harvath anti-espionage character from a suspense novel.
@theospeak1 yeah, the Tory government of the era had been pretty hard on the general populace (reacted to labor strikes with harsh reprisals); the PM was even known as "The Iron Lady" Also it was the Cold War and HM gov't was doing some pretty ethically-questionable things 'for the public good'.
@theospeak1 yeah, the Tory government of the era had been pretty hard on the general populace (reacted to labor strikes with harsh reprisals); the PM was even known as "The Iron Lady" Also it was the Cold War and HM gov't was doing some pretty ethically-questionable things 'for the public good'.
And even the chorus is a pretty big sign that the 'narrator' is someone that does 'bad things for good(?) reasons' - having a name AND a number...like maybe a certain gov't agent from literature with a sanction to assassinate...
And even the chorus is a pretty big sign that the 'narrator' is someone that does 'bad things for good(?) reasons' - having a name AND a number...like maybe a certain gov't agent from literature with a sanction to assassinate...
It's more like "The Fugitive" really.
I remember reading somewhere that the song is actually about a hitman for hire.
It doesn't sound as though the pursuer has any intention of taking his target in alive. Guilty or not, the fugitive would "cause too much embarrassment" if he was allowed to defend himself in court.
ummm....lets see...ive got a name...ive got a number...and BANG BANG BANG...yeah...this song is about a hitman.
Just heard the album & song lately. I think it can also be a text by a Human Rights organization following a person or state which are violating peoples rights or lives. It's kind of calling them out & saying that they are keeping an eye on them & watching their illegal acts which will make them sleepless at night. Maybe??