Angels With Dirty Faces
Lyrics
They were angels with dirty faces
'Til they fell from somebody's graces
They were soldiers without a mission
But they were angels, they had a vision
Like Robin Hood they were rebels
Some say they kept their company with the devil
No money, no social graces
But they could make men tremble in higher places
They were angels with dirty faces
'Til they fell from somebody's graces
They were soldiers without a mission
But they were angels, they had a vision
They fought frustration (?) with laughter
Made them forget just what they were running after
For a (?) life without any purpose
Taught them to trust their feelings beneath the surface
They were angels with dirty faces
'Til they fell from somebody's graces
They were soldiers without a mission
But they were angels, they had a vision
They had dirty faces
They had dirty faces
Black is white and day is night
Wrong can be right in the best light (?)
Life is a game, it's the perfect place
For angels in dirty places, dirty faces
They were angels with dirty faces
'Til they fell from somebody's graces
They were soldiers without a mission
But they were angels, they had a vision
Black is white and day is night
Wrong can be right in the best light
Life is a game, it's the perfect place
For angels in dirty places, dirty faces
They were angels with dirty faces
'Til they fell from somebody's graces
They were soldiers without a mission
But they were angels, they had a vision
They had dirty faces
They had dirty faces
They were angels with dirty faces
'Til they fell from somebody's graces
They were soldiers without a mission
But they were angels, they had a vision
They had dirty faces
They had dirty faces
Credits
Written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard
Album
None
Song
This is a demo written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard during the recording session for the Like A Prayer album. The track was first mentioned by Bruce Gaitsch, co-writer of La Isla Bonita and guitarist on True Blue and Like a Prayer, during an interview with Madonna music expert Peter Magennis in 2006:
"I have a tape somewhere of some songs I had to learn parts from and none of these songs are on it. But there is a song called Angels with Dirty Faces on it that is killer".
Patrick Leonard also mentioned the track in an Instagram post in July 2017:
'Angels' is a song called 'Angels With Dirty Faces' that M and I wrote for the album and ultimately must have decided wasn't good enough. Having said that, it's a finished song with her vocal that no one has ever heard and it's pretty darn good. Wish I could post it. Obviously I can't. Was crazy to hear it and vividly remember doing it. Just another song on another day of writing... then. Now it seems unreal that that's what we're up to...
Things changed two years later. On July 22, 2019, Leonard shared the full demo online for free, to thwart the unauthorized auction of this demo (among others) by Darlene Lutz, Madonna's former art adviser who obtained these items without permission.
Angels With Dirty Faces is also the title of a 1938 movie, starring Pat O’Brien, Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. Cagney's film White Heat had already inspired Madonna for a track on the True Blue album.