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Angels Lyrics
There are no angels left in America anymore
They left after the Second World War heading west
Stopping briefly in Japan during the 60's
Then in Tiananmen Square during the last decade
They kept heading west to who knows where
What are they after?
What are they looking for?
A messiah who never comes?
A virgin birth?
A perfect drug?
A sign, any kind of sign?
Anything that looks slightly out of the ordinary
Flying over fields and factories
Momma's going off her head
Daddy's bringing home the bacon
Open up the pearly gates
Fruit of salty lubrication
Tangled up in arms and legs
I can barely touch the bottom
Now I'm working up a sweat!
I'm ready now
I'm ready now
I can barely touch my own self
How could I touch someone else?
I am just an advertisement
For a version of myself
Like molecules in constant motion
Like a million nervous tics
I am quivering in anticipation
Like the sunlight on their wings
I'm ready now (don't look back)
I'm ready now (I'm ready for this)
I'm ready now
The sensuous world - the smell of the sea
The sweat off their wings - the fruit from the trees
The angel inside - who will meet me tonight
On wings of desire - I come back alive
I'm ready
I'm ready (I put the dogs outside)
I'm ready
I'm ready (to take that ride)
I'm ready now
I'm ready now (to take that wine)
I'm ready now but where are you?
They left after the Second World War heading west
Stopping briefly in Japan during the 60's
Then in Tiananmen Square during the last decade
They kept heading west to who knows where
What are they after?
What are they looking for?
A messiah who never comes?
A virgin birth?
A perfect drug?
A sign, any kind of sign?
Anything that looks slightly out of the ordinary
Momma's going off her head
Daddy's bringing home the bacon
Open up the pearly gates
Fruit of salty lubrication
Tangled up in arms and legs
I can barely touch the bottom
Now I'm working up a sweat!
I'm ready now
I'm ready now
How could I touch someone else?
I am just an advertisement
For a version of myself
Like molecules in constant motion
Like a million nervous tics
I am quivering in anticipation
Like the sunlight on their wings
I'm ready now (don't look back)
I'm ready now (I'm ready for this)
I'm ready now
The sweat off their wings - the fruit from the trees
The angel inside - who will meet me tonight
On wings of desire - I come back alive
I'm ready (I put the dogs outside)
I'm ready
I'm ready (to take that ride)
I'm ready now
I'm ready now (to take that wine)
I'm ready now but where are you?
Song Info
Submitted by
laocoon On Aug 14, 2007
More David Byrne
Like Humans Do
Glass, Concrete & Stone
Dance On Vaseline
Miss America
Tiny Apocalypse
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Good song. Makes me think that David is wanting to move stronger in his Christianity.
I think it is the opposite of trying to become more religious. Or maybe it is a conflict, as he has said before that he didn't believe in a god. Since this album was inspired by a death in his family, I think David is simultaneously angry with life and confused by it. I can't really find the exact meaning, but I don't think many of his songs have a very direct meaning. To me the most emotional part of the song is the end when he repeats "I'm ready now" until finally ending with "But where are you." So he keeps saying he is ready for something, but what? And now that he has decided he is ready, he realizes that this person is missing and that he is alone. It's a tough song to grasp, but it is clearly emotional.