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The City Lyrics
This city never sleeps
I hear the people walk by when it’s late
Sirens bleed through my windowsill
I can’t close my eyes
Don’t control what I’m into
This tower is alive
The lights that blind keep me awake
With my hood up and lace untied
Sleep fills my mind
Don’t control what I’m into
London calls me a stranger
A traveller
This is now my home, my home
I’m burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I’m blazing on the street
What I do isn’t up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two
The pavement is my friend
Hey, and it will take me where I need to go
I find it trips me up
And puts me down
This is not what I’m used to
The shop across the road
Fulfills my needs and gives me company
When I need it
Voices speak through my walls
I don’t think I’m gonna make it
Past tomorrow
London calls me a stranger
A traveller
This is now my home, my home
I’m burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I’m blazing on the street
What I do isn’t up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two
And my lungs hurt
And my ears bled
With the sound of the city life
Echoed in my head
Do I need this to keep me alive?
The traffic stops and starts
But I need to move along
London calls me a stranger
This is not my home
I’m burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I’m blazing on the street
What I do isn’t up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two
I hear the people walk by when it’s late
Sirens bleed through my windowsill
I can’t close my eyes
Don’t control what I’m into
This tower is alive
The lights that blind keep me awake
With my hood up and lace untied
Sleep fills my mind
Don’t control what I’m into
A traveller
This is now my home, my home
I’m burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I’m blazing on the street
What I do isn’t up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two
Hey, and it will take me where I need to go
I find it trips me up
And puts me down
This is not what I’m used to
The shop across the road
Fulfills my needs and gives me company
When I need it
Voices speak through my walls
I don’t think I’m gonna make it
Past tomorrow
A traveller
This is now my home, my home
I’m burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I’m blazing on the street
What I do isn’t up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two
And my ears bled
With the sound of the city life
Echoed in my head
Do I need this to keep me alive?
The traffic stops and starts
But I need to move along
This is not my home
I’m burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I’m blazing on the street
What I do isn’t up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two
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I think this song is about being alone in a big city. It seems strange in that kind of position, but the fact of the matter is, no matter how busy you are, things are a bit more hollow and empty without somebody to crawl home to at the end of the day. Things feel a bit bigger and less friendly.
'And my lungs hurt And my ears bleed With the sound of the city life.'
Also the 'What I do isn't up to you' gives me the impression that it's somebody that's just moved out of home. Defying their parents.
And they've found themselves a little bit alone. That line about finding company 'when I need it' really hits home. But you can't back out, it'll only just proves your parents right. So you struggle on with life.
The chorus is so beautiful
:)
:)
This is definitely Ed's own story of moving to London and all the hardships of trying to make a living out of singing. But you also get to understand how he was lost in the city at first and trying to feel comfortable ("this is now my home") but at the end it turns out that you really can't force that ("this is NOT my home.") And of course being a teenager at the time he was happy to be out the influence of his parents ("can't control what I'm into.")
I also love the Sticky Studios version which has another verse which just makes the meaning even clearer. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHQzvmkuINs )