Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of intense, almost fated attraction to someone perceived as an "angel" living "around the corner." This angel is presented with aspirational imagery: "ten stories high," "pretty dresses," and a "fancy car." The narrator is immediately captivated, wanting to know her, but faces an immediate, almost insurmountable barrier: "I'm not allowed / To join the crowd." This sets up a core tension between desire and social or personal prohibition. The central conflict arises from the narrator's awareness of societal or self-imposed limitations versus an overwhelming internal drive. "Everybody tells me to my face / I should forget her / That I should know my place." Yet, this external pressure is countered by a powerful internal conviction: "But there's something deep inside of me / That tells me better / I'll make her mine." This internal voice, repeated three times, suggests a stubborn, perhaps irrational, determination that overrides common sense or external advice. The most striking craft element is the persistent repetition of "Around the corner." This phrase acts as both a literal location and a metaphor for proximity to the desired object of affection, but also for the narrator's own impending action or fate. It creates a sense of anticipation and inevitability, framing the entire narrative as a prelude to a significant, perhaps forbidden, encounter. The contrast between the angel's elevated status and the narrator's implied lower standing is stark, highlighting the aspirational nature of his desire. These lyrics resonate because they capture the feeling of being on the precipice of something significant, driven by a powerful, almost instinctual urge that defies logic and external judgment. The repeated assertion, "I'll make her mine," coupled with the constant return to "Around the corner," creates a potent sense of yearning and a defiant hope that this idealized connection is not only possible but imminent, despite all odds.