Angel by Aerosmith Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling The Celestial Paradox of Rock’s Seraphic Ballad
Lyrics
Ya move on; can’t move them
I’m gonna get your kicks from the 911
It’s moving; so soothing
Your passions deplete, it’s just looking to feed
Your own fantasy
The blind side of you is a bad dream come true
That you can’t see
From an Angel’s Eye
Kiss Your Life Goodbye
From An Angel’s Eye
Ain’t no place to hide
Tell me what you see through an Angel’s Eye
The halo; on fire
You never really know till it’s do or die
Your devil’s desire
Your running in place like a rat in a race
Going no where
The evil you speaks from the tongue of the freaks
So don’t go there
From an Angel’s Eye
Kiss Your Life Goodbye
From An Angel’s Eye
Ain’t no place to hide
What ya gonna do when the angel’s come
What ya gonna do when you come undone
I’m gonna get your kicks from the 911
Ya so bad; can’t hold them
From an Angel’s Eye
Kiss your life goodbye
From an angel angel angel’s eye
Ain’t no place to hide
Fallen Angel
Fallen Angel
Fallen Angeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel.
Straddling the line between the divine and the damned, Aerosmith’s ‘Angel’ is more than a rock ballad; it’s a poetic exploration of the human condition and its constant flirtation with the metaphysical edges. Released off their 1987 album ‘Permanent Vacation’, ‘Angel’ quickly soared to become one of Aerosmith’s most iconic tracks, but the lyrical tapestry woven by Steven Tyler and Desmond Child is often overshadowed by the song’s musical magnetism.
To dissect ‘Angel’ is to walk through a gallery of sonic and symbolic mastery, where the hedonistic cries of mortal vice brush against the serene feathers of the otherworldly. Every verse yields a different shade of meaning, offering a complex narrative that easily evades first-glance interpretation, imploring a deeper dive into its profound lyricism.
The Siren’s Call to the Edge of Sin and Salvation
Contrary to initial impressions of the song as a love-laden serenade, ‘Angel’ is a complex interplay between temptation and virtue. The lyrics set up a duality where the titular ‘Angel’ serves both as a beacon of hope and an avatar of ruin. Aerosmith paints a celestial entity that both promises and threatens, signifying the inner battle between one’s better angels and personal demons.
The idea of being kissed goodbye ‘From An Angel’s Eye’ suggests a departure from innocence, a metamorphosis combustible as the ‘halo on fire’. The track delves into the ambivalence of making choices under circumstances that seem preordained by a ‘devil’s desire’. It poses philosophical questions about autonomy, destiny, and the consequences of one’s actions.
A Run Through The Maze of Existential Parody
Aerosmith doesn’t shy away from illustrating the absurdity of the human plight. The phrase ‘running in place like a rat in a race, going nowhere’ is a hard-hitting commentary on existential stagnation. The song’s characters are trapped within their own cyclical patterns, seeking but never reaching, touching upon the motifs of futility that often haunt those who dare to peer too closely into life’s void.
This metaphorical depiction challenges listeners to ponder their own participation in the rat race of life. Are our passions truly satiated, or are they simply a ‘deplete’ in search of an unattainable fantasy? The unease of these questions coupled with the track’s charged sonics ensures a lingering aftertaste of contemplation.
The Phantasmagoria of a Fallen Angel
The repeated cry of ‘Fallen Angel’ towards the song’s climax is a torrential outpour of vulnerability. It’s a masterful stroke highlighting the descent from grace, not just a physical tumble but the experiential fall from one’s own ethical high ground. In a wicked twist, one’s own transformation into the fallen provides the most honest of reflections.
This theme resonates with mythology and religious imagery, often depicting the fall as a necessary passage to true insight. ‘Angel’ reimagines this fall not simply as a failure or sin, but as an integral part of the human journey towards self-awareness, embracing it with a melodious grasp that’s as harrowing as it is beautiful.
The Lingering Echoes of ‘What ya gonna do’
The song’s infectious rhetorical question, ‘What ya gonna do when the angel’s come’, hammers in the inevitable confrontation with one’s own soul. It’s a question of preparedness and moral inventory. Steven Tyler’s vocal prowess imbues these words with a haunting resonance, transforming the query into an anthem of anticipation and existential reckoning.
It’s a line that sticks, playing on loop in the listener’s mind long after the final chords fade. The hook invites self-reflection, prompting an inward glance to question our readiness for our final judgement or our day of reckoning, be it celestial or internal.
The Hidden Meaning Behind the ‘911’
While ‘911’ may hastily be interpreted as an emergency call for help, within the lyrical scope of ‘Angel,’ it seems to symbolize a deeper yearning for a thrill, a call to a higher power when every mundane escape fails. It’s laced with the irony of seeking rescue while simultaneously indulging in the very thing one needs saving from.
Through these numerals, Aerosmith conjures the image of a modern sinner, who in their pursuit of pleasure, inadvertently dials into a greater quest for salvation. This clever juxtaposition cements ‘Angel’ as a testament to the intricacies of the human spirit caught in the throes of contradiction.
