Time For Heroes
Stylish Rebels and Town Tales: The Libertines' Time For Heroes
Lyrics
Did you see the stylish kids in the riot?
Observation of stylish youth participating in a riot.
Shoveled up like muck and set the night on fire
Metaphorical imagery of chaos and disruption caused by the youth.
Wombles bleed, truncheons and shields
Reference to the Wombles, suggesting disorder and clashes with authorities.
You know I cherish you, my love
Expressing love and affection towards someone.
But there's a rumour spread nasty disease around town
Spreading a negative rumor or gossip in town.
You caught round the houses with your trousers down
Caught in a compromising situation.
A head rush in the bush
A risky or exciting situation.
You know I cherish you, my love
Reaffirming love and affection despite rumors.
Oh, how I cherish you, my love
Emphasizing the depth of love.
Tell me what can you want now you've got it all
Questioning desires after achieving everything.
The whole scene is obscene
Criticizing the current state of affairs as obscene.
Time will strip it away
The passage of time will reveal the truth.
A year and a day
A specific timeframe, possibly significant.
And Bill Bones
Reference to "Bill Bones" as a character.
Bill Bones knows what I mean
Bill Bones understands a hidden meaning or truth.
He knows it's eating, it's chewing me up
Suffering from internal conflict or guilt.
It's not right for young lungs to be coughing up blood
Concern for the harmful impact on young generations.
And it's all
Implies control or responsibility.
It's all in my hands
Suggests having control over a situation.
And it's all up the walls
Chaos and disorder are prevalent.
Well the stale chips are up and the hope stakes are down
Negative state of affairs and diminishing hope.
It's all these ignorant faces that bring this town down
Blaming ignorant faces for the town's decline.
And I sighed and sunken with pride
Falling into despair with pride.
Well, I passed myself down on my knees
Symbolic act of submission or defeat.
Yes, I passed myself down on my knees
Repetition of submission, emphasizing a sense of powerlessness.
Now tell me what can you want now you've got it all
Reiteration of questioning desires after achieving everything.
The whole scene is obscene
Reiterating the obscenity of the current scene.
Time will strip it away
Time as a force that reveals truth and strips away illusions.
A year and a day
Repetition of the specific timeframe.
And Bill Bones
Reference to "Bill Bones" understanding a hidden truth.
Bill Bones knows what I mean
Highlighting the distressing sight of an Englishman in a baseball cap.
He knows there's fewer more distressing sights than that
Understanding the distressing nature of certain sights.
Of an Englishman in a baseball cap
Social commentary on class distinctions and stereotypes.
And we'll die in the class we were born
Expressing a fatalistic view of life and social status.
But that's a class of our own, my love
Dying in the social class of birth with a sense of pride.
A class of our own, my love
Emphasizing a unique and distinct social class.
Did you see the stylish kids in the riot?
Reiteration of the observation of stylish youth in a riot.
Shoveled up like muck
Repeating metaphorical imagery of chaos caused by youth.
Set the night on fire
Repetition of the impact of youth on the night.
Wombles bleed, truncheons and shields
Reiteration of chaos, clashes with authorities, and bleeding.
You know I cherish you, my love
Reaffirmation of love despite the chaotic circumstances.
Yeah, I cherish you, my love
Continued affirmation of love despite chaos.
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