Angels on the Balcony

one of my fave blondie tracks next to union city blues and dreaming - no idea what it means though - something about looking back at the long gone past. she has an incredible voice - real deep and husky on this one.

It's actually "Angels ON the Balcony," and it's about a theater

"...a distant row" - a row of seats.
"..long retreat" - the aisle down leading from the back to the front, "..singing on the corner" - this probably refers to Fred Astaire(?) in "Singing in the Rain", an old movie.

Most old theaters had balconies.

Love this song... very moody and ghostly. Evokes images of an empty (maybe abandoned) theater, possibly haunted by ghosts/memories, etc...

I agree with Capitalist; I also interpret the song to be about memories of a once great theater, probably an old movie palace. I imagine a beautiful old place that's in ruins, where kids sneak in and explore.

The "theater's sky" verse seems a reference to the little star lights (no longer working) and the painted clouds that some movies palaces had on the ceiling to give the audience the illusion that they were sitting outside.

I have lovely memories of the Fine Arts Theater in Chicago--very much like the movie theater described here (minus the star lights). I used to love sitting in the balcony of that theater when watching film.

In the track by track notes for the box set Against The Odds, Jimmy Destri explained that the song is “…basically a recap of a local legend from a theater in Brooklyn… all the kids would tell a story about a ghost at the Loews 46th Street Theater. It was a greaser who got stabbed and died on the balcony.” cit. Last.fm

The first time I heard Angels on the Balcony, the preceding instrumental song sounded similar in style to the Beatles' "Wild Honey Pie." I felt "Angels on the Balcony" was about the Beatles, however, it took new meaning after Lennon's death. The song refers to an "Angel On the Balcony"; the first verse refers to an after-glow in a distant row--a Beatles Concert, perhaps? The "ghost" referred to in that verse could be John Lennon as well, because at that time the Beatles were gone, and John Lennon took up residence at the Dakota in NYC. The second verse with its ominous words "Silent light in the theatre's sky Phantom cigarette and a silent cry The door swings open and it's cold outside Run and hide, run and hide" could refer to the night Lennon was murdered. The song moves into Beatlesque riffs and then on to the break: "They can still see him singing on the corner, singing songs That never fade away, fade into the kids that come along" John Lennon's music along with all the Beatles' songs have done just that. The final verse "Memory in a silent seat Melody on a long retreat Like an angel on a balcony Like an angel on a balcony" refers to one angel although the title contains "Angels" It can't be denied that John Lennon's melody making is on a long retreat. Now for the cover art: The picture of the group depicts the appearance of more than one contemplating jumping (symbolizing the deep grief many of us felt at John Lennon's passing). The background skyline is 8th Avenue, where the Strawberry Fields Memorial now is. The guitars and coat look similar to what the Beatle once owned. The producer of the album is Michael Chapman. The murderer is Mark David Chapman. Very eerie co-incidence.