The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
Geldof wrote this in 1973 when working in an abattoir. It tells the story of a young man called Billy who feels he is stuck in the town he lives in and refers to it as a ‘rat trap’ .
[Verse 1]
There was a lot of rocking going on that night
Cruising time for the young bright lights
Just down past the gasworks by the meat factory door
The Five Lamp boys were coming on strong
The Saturday night city beat had already started
And the pulse of the corner boys just sprang into action
And young Billy watched it under the yellow street light
And said "Tonight of all nights, there's gonna be a fight"
[Verse 2]
Billy don't like it living here in this town
He says the traps have been sprung long before he was born
He says "Hope bites the dust behind all the closed doors
And pus and grime ooze from its scab crusted sores"
There's screaming and crying in the high rise blocks"
It's a rat trap, Billy, but you're already caught
But you can make it if you want to or you need it bad enough
You're young and good looking and you're acting kind of tough
[Chorus 1]
Anyway, it's Saturday night time to see what's going down
Put on the bright suit, Billy, head for the right side of town
It's only 8 o'clock but you're already bored
You don't know what it is but there's got to be more
You'd better find a way out, hey, kick down that door
It's a rat trap and you've been caught
[Bridge]
"In this town," Billy says "Everybody tries to tell you what to do"
"In this town," Billy says "Everybody says you gotta follow rules"
You walk up to those traffic lights, switch from your left to your right
You push in that button and that button comes alight
It tells you "Walk don't walk, walk don't walk
"Talk don't talk, talk don't talk"
"Walk don't walk, walk don't walk
"Talk don't talk, talk don't talk"
Hey, Billy, take a walk, take a walk, take a walk
Hey, Billy, take a walk, take a walk, take a walk
Hey, Billy, take a walk, take a walk, take a walk
Hey, Billy, take a walk with me
[Verse 3]
Oh, little Judy's trying to watch Top of the Pops
But Mum and Dad are fighting, don't they ever stop?
She take down her coat and walks out on the street
It's cold on that road, but it's got that home beat
Deep down in her pocket, she finds 50p
Now is that any way for a young girl to be?
"I'm gonna get out of school, work in some factory
Work all the hours God gave me, get myself a little easy money"
Now, now, now
[Chorus 2]
Her mind's made up, she walks down the road
Her hands in her pockets, coat buttoned 'gainst the cold
She finally finds Billy down at the Italian cafe
And when he's drunk, it's hard to understand what Billy says
But then he mumbles in his coffee and he suddenly roars
"It's a rat trap, Judy! And we've been caught."
[Outro]
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a
Rat trap, you've been caught in a rat trap
Rat Trap was written by Bob Geldof.
Rat Trap was produced by Robert John Lange & The Boomtown Rats.