Troy

(album: Livin' In The Fast Lane - 1984)

It's always dark before the dawn, dawn, dawn...

The night is black, the streets are steaming
The air has cracked with the sound of screaming
Two gangs are out to even the score
In the alleyway behind some burned-out store
With the picks and chains, and a taste for pain
Every man falls prey to those wearing vain [?]
But the leader called Blaze still standing tall
His shadow is big on a bloodied wall
His face is etched with the light he chose
And the swear ran thick, the trench is close [?]
He rules the street with the nine claws
Everybody knows, that his word is law
24/7 he felt deprived
And everyday was a new day to survive
His dreams are getting out, and far away
But he believes they'd still come true one day

It's always dark before the dawn
But it's gonna take us to keep pushing on
Might break your back, might make you cry
But nothing beats a fail except the try, try, try...

Another night, another fight
And Blaze's old man wanna argue till the daylight
"Get out the gang, if you wanna grow old
Or you wind up in an alley with a shotgun hole"
The tears burn his daddy's face
As Blaze jumped out and dumped the place
In the middle of the night, tried to clear his mind
He walks towards the city in a dark Alpine [?]
A car flies fast and a gun explodes
And the leader called Blaze lies in the row
With one last breath to end his years
He raises up from the nightmare, sweat n' fear
He wants to laugh, but he aches to cry
Because the dream seems real and he knows why
But with a big wet arm he wipes his face
Just to be sure, jumps out the place [?]
The whole room's dark, but the TV's bright
With the video's rocking on Friday night
And on a TV screen, a breakdance is mean
Two fellas, none o' them older than 17
They flip, spin, stop on a dime
And make you wanna think about the Big Time
Well, I can break like that, there ain't no doubt
And this is gonna be my ticket out!

It's always dark before the dawn
But it's gonna take us to keep pushing on
Might break your back, might make you cry
But nothing beats a fail except the try, try, try...

Blaze tried hard to become a breakdancer
Just couldn't cut it, so it couldn't be the answer
He's thought about quitting, giving up all hope
Going back to the streets for guns and the dope
But the thought grew hot, it turned his guts
He tried to go back, "now I've got to be nuts"
So he kept on pushing and didn't look back
It didn't need a flick and bones would crack
He was busting up shop [?], putting brothers to shame
Because the best on the block would he became
Then the big break came right on time, huh
The first big step right out the crime
A radio station with advertisement
Breakdance competition with a fresh first prize
So be on stage next Friday night
With the gang, the glamor, and all the bright lights
Played one strong, to prove he's the best
So we made him our special guest
The stage was lit, showtime was here
This was the moment he come to fear
His heart started pumping like never before
When the lights went down and the people roared
He hit the stage, went to work
And then the whole damn place just went berserk!

It's always dark before the dawn
But it's gonna take guts to keep pushing on
Might break your back, might make you cry
But nothing beats a fail except the try, try, try...

Oh yeah. Whoo!
Alright now, I want everybody in the house tonight (come on!)
Everybody in the house tonight to put your hands together
Come on, help me out now
Yeah, that's good, yeah, yeah
Come on baby, get up girl, show your stuff
Check it out, now. Whoo! Come on
Yeah, come on now. Check it out, y'all
Get this, huh!

Get-get-get-get on up, y'all! And clap your hands, come on
Get-get-get-get on up, y'all! And clap your hands
To the beat, come on!
Get-get-get-get on up, y'all! And clap your hands, ah baby
Get-get-get-get on up, y'all! And clap your hands
Don't you know...?

It's always dark before the dawn
But you gotta, keep-keep pushing on
It's always dark before the dawn
But ya, but ya, but ya, but ya
Gotta, keep-keep-keep-keep pushing on!

Yeah, alright everybody. We love you!
Good night everybody-body-body-body-body...