Citylife from Invasive EP by James Paddock
A story told from the perspective of a corrupt and aged politician, whose constituency is uprising against him. Witnessing destruction far outside the scope of his ability to contain, he stays obstinately confined in his ivory tower in a vain attempt to ignore the danger he is in.
Cities can be a haven for deep-seated corruption. High-rise structures provide a sense of self-righteousness for the wealthy and powerful. Palaces, churches, and military headquarters are built to house the elite and self-righteous, and potentially protect them from outside harm. Monuments are constructed as effigies of man's hubris – we flaunt our own sense of self-importance with the construction of enormous structures that often-underpaid workers spend huge amounts of energy and time erecting, with some even dying in the process.
However, recent times, along with the destruction of the Twin Towers, have shaken people's faith in these structures. Skyscrapers are now generally perceived as easy targets for domestic attacks, and government buildings are among to first to be stormed and razed by a disenchanted populace.
It’s unclear whether this character's intentions have been earnest all this time. Does he actually care about protecting and sustaining his people, or is he concerned only with the safety of himself? Either way, he seems unwilling to put forth a shred of effort in the right places, and this ultimately leads to his downfall.
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Tracklist
| 3. | Citylife | 6:38 |
Lyrics
Open the window and breathe the ozone
In my tower of glass in a concrete jungle
Took all I had to rise up from my throne
I prefer to keep safe from the outside rabble
Just ignore the thunder
Coming from below
'Cos the earth will rumble
With cries of a world in limbo
We are here
Living a high and mighty life
Floating inches from the sky
Shut your ears
And quickly close the blinds, yeah
What does the man in the street know about life?
I was fine, resting these old bones
What can I do in these times of peril?
All I can do to get myself involved
Is proselytise to the restless cattle
But I do my best to stay out of trouble
I guess that's the way the city crumbles
We are here
Living a high and mighty life
Floating inches from the sky
Shut your ears
And quickly close the blinds, yeah
What does the man in the street know about life?
(Close the blinds)
From this high-rise sky-pyre
All I can do is spit on the fire
Spit on the fire...
(All I do is spit on the fire)
I lived here
Flying high, safe as a kite
I was scraping 'gainst the sky
Saw the tears
And I tried to close my eyes, yeah
And now no-one hears my cries
All around me lies my life
From this high-rise sky-pyre
All I can do is spit on the fire
