Angry Young Man

Album: Turnstiles (1976)
Play Video
  • There's a place in the world for the angry young man
    With his working class ties and his radical plans
    He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl
    And he's always at home with his back to the wall.
    He's proud of the scars and the battles he's lost
    He struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross
    And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

    Give a moment or two to the angry young man
    With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand
    He's been stabbed in the back, he's been misunderstood
    It's a comfort to know his intentions are good
    He sits in a room with a lock on the door
    With his maps and his medals laid out of the floor
    And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

    I believe I've passed the age of consciousness and righteous rage,
    I've found that just surviving was a noble fight
    I once believed in causes too, had my pointless point of view
    Life went on no matter who was right or wrong.

    And there's always a place for the angry young man
    With his fist in the air and his head in the sand
    He's never been able to learn from mistakes
    He can't understand why his heart always breaks
    His honor is pure, and his courage as well
    He's fair and he's true, and he's boring as hell
    And he'll go to his grave as an angry old man.

    There's a place in the world for the angry young man
    With his working class ties and his radical plans
    He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl
    And he's always at home with his back to the wall.
    He's proud of the scars and the battles he's lost
    He struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross
    And he likes to be known as the angry young man. Writer/s: BILLY JOEL
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 3

  • Marty from FloridaThis song seems more relevant to today than when it was written. Pre-cognitive. or is it a timeless theme?
  • Leigh Ann Mc Nulty Luck from North Carolina He is the Piano Man. You can always tell great music ageless, timeless, always relevant.
  • Martin G from OrlandoI liked the message behind this song when it first came out and it's even more relevant to today. Somebody once criticized the bridge and he gave a flip answer, like BFD it's just a song.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys

Mike Scott of The WaterboysSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Whole Of The Moon" and "Red Army Blues," and why rock music has "outlived its era of innovation."

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Leslie West of Mountain

Leslie West of MountainSongwriter Interviews

From the cowbell on "Mississippi Queen" to recording with The Who when they got the wrong Felix, stories from one of rock's master craftsmen.