The group did an album called "Racines..." which means "Roots" in French. The album contains a fusion of hip hop with African rhythms and sounds like rumba, zouk and soukous giving it a unique and distinctive flavor. The album also featured collaborations with prominent african musicians of the time like Koffi Olomidé, Papa Wemba, Ismaël Lô, Kassav' and Monique Seka.
The group released their 3rd Album "Africa" in early 2009 10 years after their debut.
Liberté
Bisso na Bisso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Goes pretty England and me
Round the Bay of Biscay
And back for tea
Hit traffic on the Dogger Bank
Up the Thames to find a taxi rank
Sail on by with the tide
And go to sleep
CHORUS:"This is a low
But it won't hurt you.
When you're alone, It will be there with you, Finding ways to stay solo."On the Tyne, Forth and Cromarty, There's a low in the high forties
And Saturdays locked away on the pier
Not fast enough, dear.
And on the Malin Head, Blackpool looks blue and red
And the Queen, she's gone round the bend, Jumped off Land's End.
And the radio says...
REPEAT CHORUS"This is a low, But it won't hurt you.
When you're alone, It will be there with you.
This is a low, But it won't hurt you.
When you're alone, It will be there with you, Finding ways to stay solo."Lot 105La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la - ha ha
La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la - ha ha
La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la
Eighteen times a week, love
Ha ha ha ha ha!
The lyrics of "This is a Low" by British rock band Blur are surreal, poetic and evocative. The use of phrases like "And into the sea goes pretty England and me" and "Blackpool looks blue and red" give a sense of a journey, a voyage which takes the singer through different parts of the British isles. However, the journey is not a happy one, and the mood of the song is melancholic, introspective and even despairing.
The references to different places like the Bay of Biscay, the Thames, Cromarty, and Land's End, as well as the use of nautical terms like "sail on by with the tide" and "hit traffic on the Dogger Bank" suggest a maritime theme. But it is not a pleasant, romantic or adventurous theme, rather it is one of isolation, loneliness and loss. The repeated refrain "This is a low, but it won't hurt you. When you're alone, it will be there with you. Finding ways to stay solo" speaks to the sense of detachment, detachment from others, detachment from oneself, detachment from the world.
The song is a masterful example of poetic songwriting, using vivid imagery, suggestive language and ambiguous meaning to create an emotional landscape that is both personal and universal. It is a song that captures the spirit of British melancholy and introspection, and it is a song that resonates with anyone who has ever felt lost, lonely or disconnected.
Line by Line Meaning
And into the sea
The singer is going into the open sea.
Goes pretty England and me
The singer is leaving England behind.
Round the Bay of Biscay
The singer is traveling around the Bay of Biscay.
And back for tea
The artist plans to return in time for tea.
Hit traffic on the Dogger Bank
The artist experienced heavy sea traffic in their journey.
Up the Thames to find a taxi rank
The singer traveled up the Thames river to find a place to catch a taxi.
Sail on by with the tide
The singer is traveling with the tide, letting its flow guide their journey.
And go to sleep
The artist is tired and plans to rest.
And the radio says...
The artist is listening to the radio.
This is a low
But it won't hurt you.
When you're alone, It will be there with you,
Finding ways to stay solo.
The radio is playing a song which reassures the listeners that even though things may not be going well, they will always have music to keep them company.
On the Tyne, Forth and Cromarty,
There's a low in the high forties
And Saturdays locked away on the pier
There are rough tides in certain areas and people are stuck indoors on Saturdays.
Not fast enough, dear.
The journey was going too slow and the artist is frustrated.
And on the Malin Head, Blackpool looks blue and red
And the Queen, she's gone round the bend, Jumped off Land's End.
The view from Malin Head shows Blackpool looking blue and red and rumors are circulating that the Queen has gone crazy and jumped off Land's End.
And the radio says...
The singer is still listening to the radio.
This is a low,
But it won't hurt you.
When you're alone, It will be there with you,
Finding ways to stay solo.
The radio plays the same song again that reassures the listeners that they will always have music to keep them company.
Lot 105
La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la - ha ha
La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la - ha ha
La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la
Eighteen times a week, love
Ha ha ha ha ha!
The song ends with nonsensical lyrics that offer no real meaning.
Contributed by Colton K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.