Speedway
BLACK MIDI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Old buildings
Build this ground
On floodplain
Near nearly water
And dogshit park
New city
Council going
Missing tonight
To live next to
Live next to the game
New flats
New ground
Honey, we won't build to this code
Honey, we won't build it
Honey, we won't build
Honey, we won't, we won't, we won't
Honey, we won't build to this code
Honey, we won't build it
Honey, we won't build
We won't, we won't, we won't, we won't
Stock car racing
Speedway
Old greyhounds
New old ground
This new city
This new town
This new sound
This new ground
And old gripes
Cut ties
Turnstiles
Don't sit right
Up here
Up here
Up here
Up here, up here, up here
The lyrics of "Speedway" by BLACK MIDI seem to comment on the ever-changing nature of cities, particularly the tension between modernization and preservation. The song opens by describing a new city built on old buildings, with a ground that was built on a floodplain and next to a "dogshit park." This may signify the careless and haphazard development that often occurs in modern cities where the environment and existing structures are not given due consideration.
The lyrics then shift to discussing the council's neglect of their responsibilities to the community, choosing to live next to a game instead of focusing on the welfare of those they represent. "New flats" and "new ground" are introduced, which could be seen as a continuation of the disregard for the past and the continued erasure of history in a bid for progress. The chorus repeats the words "Honey, we won't build to this code" as a rebellion against the often-unjust laws and regulations that regulate the construction industry.
The song concludes on a note of reflection, switching to a different subject matter, that of stock car racing and speedway. The lyrics portray an image of old greyhounds chasing after new ground, likely a metaphor for the unyielding desire for progress and expansion. In the end, the song leaves the listener with a sense of unease and questioning of the ethics and effects of urban development.
Line by Line Meaning
New city
A new city has been built
Old buildings
Despite the new city, some old buildings remain
Build this ground
The ground on which the city was built was constructed
On floodplain
The city is built on a floodplain, which could be problematic
Near nearly water
The city was built near water, which could also pose problems
And dogshit park
There is a park where dogs seem to have left their droppings, which could be unsettling for some people
Council going
The council is planning on something
Missing tonight
They are not present tonight
To live next to
They are planning to live next to something or someone
Live next to the game
They will live next to the game--possibly meaning a sports stadium or arena
New flats
New apartment buildings have been built
New ground
There is new land available in the city
Honey, we won't build to this code
There are rules that governing how everything should be built, but they do not want to follow those rules
Honey, we won't build
They do not want to participate in building anything
Honey, we won't, we won't, we won't
This is reiterated to emphasize their refusal to cooperate in building anything
Stock car racing
A type of car race is being held
Speedway
This race is being held on a speedy track
Old greyhounds
There are old greyhounds racing
New old ground
The racing is taking place on new land, but the greyhounds are not new
This new city
The new city is being referred to once again
This new town
It is also being referred to as a new town
This new sound
There is a new sound present in this city/town
This new ground
This is the newly built ground, which is different than the old one
And old gripes
Despite being in a new city, there are still gripes from the past
Cut ties
They have cut off some ties
Turnstiles
There are turnstiles, which could be referring to entranceways or the turnstiles for a sports game or event
Don't sit right
Something doesn't feel right about the turnstiles
Up here
They are higher up in some way
Up here
This is said twice to reinforce the idea
Up here
A third time, emphasizing what is considered a higher vantage point or greater status
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Cameron Overeynder, Geordie Greep, Matthew Anthony Kwasniwski-Kelvin, Morgan Simpson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind