Angels with Dirty Faces
Sham 69
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Who's got a dirty face then Angels with dirty faces Angels from nowhere places Kids like me and you Running fighting down the street Ain't got no money but I don't cry We're the people you don't wanna know We come from places you don't wanna go Angels with dirty faces Angels from nowhere places Kids like me and you I'm never sad but sometimes lonely Doing things someones told me We're the people you don't wanna know We come from places you don't wanna go Angels with dirty faces Angels from nowhere places Kids like me and you Angels with dirty faces Angels from nowhere places Kids like me and you I'm a rebel stuck with a label Trying to be someone in life We're the people you don't wanna know We come from places you don't wanna go Angels with dirty faces Angels from nowhere places Kid's like me and you
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Written by: MIRANDA ELEANOR DE FONBRUNE COOPER, BRIAN THOMAS HIGGINS, TIMOTHY MARTIN POWELL, MATTHEW DEL GRAY, LISA COWLING, NICK COLER, ROBERT EDWARD BRADLEY, KIESHA KERREECE FAYEANNE BUCHANAN, MUTYA BUENA, HEIDI RANGE
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Band BackgroundSham 69, a British punk band formed in 1976, is known for their gritty working-class anthems. The name of the band comes from a piece of graffiti that the band’s founder, Jimmy Pursey, saw in his neighborhood. The "69" represented 1969, the year of the skinhead movement.
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Song Inspiration"Angels with Dirty Faces" is a title inspired by the 1938 American crime film of the same name, starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien.
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Album AppearanceThe song was from their second studio album, "That's Life", which was released in 1978.
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Unique ConceptThe album “That’s Life” was arranged as a "cockney opera", and "Angels with Dirty Faces" was part of this narrative, making it rather unique for a punk album.
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Chart Performance"Angels with Dirty Faces" proved to be popular, charting at No.19 in the UK Singles Chart in 1978.
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Song ThemeThe song touches on themes of disillusionment and class struggle, reflecting the socio-economic issues in the UK at the time.
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Live Performances"Angels with Dirty Faces" is a time-honored favorite during Sham 69 live performances and continues to feature in their sets.
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Punk SubcultureThe song, like the band's other hits, is closely associated with the skinhead subculture, which is itself a part of the broader punk movement.
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CriticismEven though it achieved commercial success, "Angels with Dirty Faces" was criticized by some for appearing to romanticize a certain kind of working-class toughness that some felt was outdated and irrelevant.
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Continued RelevanceDespite these criticisms, "Angels with Dirty Faces" remains a vital part of Sham 69's song catalogue and a favorite among their fans, demonstrating the lasting impact of the band on the punk rock scene.
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Citation
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"Angels with Dirty Faces Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/5417812/Sham+69/Angels+with+Dirty+Faces>.
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