This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
At last we meet again, dear God
Hear the angels sing
The funerals are nicer, when we know you're there
when the angels sing
sometimes I try so hard to understand the things you do
I like to question you when it all comes down
Hear the angels sing
chorus:
stand up strong feel the pain
when the angels sing
love and death don't mean a thing
till the angels sing
the prisoners pray when they're on death row
when the angels sing
the junky cries for love, but its all run out
When the angels sing
the sins of the world, and its cold on the streets and you're all alone
And the tears they start to fall when it all comes down
Hear the angels sing
chorus:
stand up strong feel the pain
when the angels sing
love and death don't mean a thing
till the angels sing
little by little, day by day
I watch the children play
'cause life and death don't mean a thing
till the angels sing
when the angel of death, comes a looking for me
Hear the angels sing
I hope I was everything I was supposed to be
when the angels sing
There's gotta be a heaven, cause I've already done my time in hell
and a little baby's born, when it all comes down
Hear the angels sing
repeat 2nd chorus:
Hear the angels sing
The funerals are nicer, when we know you're there
when the angels sing
sometimes I try so hard to understand the things you do
I like to question you when it all comes down
Hear the angels sing
chorus:
stand up strong feel the pain
when the angels sing
love and death don't mean a thing
till the angels sing
the prisoners pray when they're on death row
when the angels sing
the junky cries for love, but its all run out
When the angels sing
the sins of the world, and its cold on the streets and you're all alone
And the tears they start to fall when it all comes down
Hear the angels sing
chorus:
stand up strong feel the pain
when the angels sing
love and death don't mean a thing
till the angels sing
little by little, day by day
I watch the children play
'cause life and death don't mean a thing
till the angels sing
when the angel of death, comes a looking for me
Hear the angels sing
I hope I was everything I was supposed to be
when the angels sing
There's gotta be a heaven, cause I've already done my time in hell
and a little baby's born, when it all comes down
Hear the angels sing
repeat 2nd chorus:
Lyrics submitted by toterkater
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truly a great... shows some of the spiritual questions everyone struggles with... even with all the crappy christian music out now, very few songs written about God can dare to touch the honesty of this one.
"The primary focus of the album is a mixture of feelings, from the deeply personal 'When the Angels Sing', a heartfelt homage from frontman Mike Ness to his late grandmother (whom would even wear the band's t-shirts while shopping in support of her grandson) …"
punknews.org/review/1510/social-distortion-white-light-white-heat-white-trash
Mike Ness wrote the song after his grandmother passed away. It isn't really so much about her as it is about how no matter what you believe, you'll never have definitive answers until you die yourself.
"...life and death don't mean a thing Till the angels sing." - you can believe whatever you'd like, but nothing really has any meaning for anyone until "the angels sing" - you die. Answers aren't really available until then.
Mike says he hopes he was everything he was supposed to be - he hopes so because he doesn't know exactly what he was supposed to be and nothing has any real, tangible meaning until after death. There's much that even people of faith don't understand - prisoners on death row pray, junkies cry for love but can't get any, and it's cold on the street when you're all alone. No one can really understand the why until "the angels sing".
this song...shows a diffrent side of mike ness...makes me want him even more~:)
Social D played this song when I went to their show last year, and after it was over, Mike pointed to a kid that couldn't have been more than 7 years old and asked him to come on stage. Some of the elders in the crowd started laughing and pointing and shit...and then Mike began explaining how "This child will carry on the messages of our generation. All you older people out there need not pull the superiority-granted-by-age shit, because this child can't help how old he is. This child is our future, and rather than expel him, we must accept and teach him." Stuff like that. Almost brought me to tears. Mike Ness is truly a great man.
that is fucking awsome all hail mike ness
I agree with HayseedPunxGirl This is one of the best songs written that has to do with God.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this song about a child Mike Ness had and died? That's what my cousin, a huge Social D fan told me. I remember he later played it in dedication to Dennis, founding member of the band, when he passed away.
dont forget...the old school has a responsibility to raise the new school the right way....
fuck god