Blur's self-titled fifth album (1997) saw another stylistic shift, influenced by the lo-fi styles of American indie rock groups, and became their third UK chart-topping album. Its single "Song 2" brought the band mainstream success in the US for the first time. Their next album, 13 (1999) saw the band experimenting with electronic and gospel music, and featured more personal lyrics from Albarn. Their seventh album, Think Tank (2003), continued their experimentation with electronic sounds and was also shaped by Albarn's growing interest in hip hop and world music, featuring more minimal guitar work. Coxon left the band during early recording sessions for Think Tank, and Blur disbanded for several years after the end of the album's associated tour, with the members engaged in other projects.
In 2009, Blur reunited with Coxon back in the band and embarked on a European reunion tour. In the following years, they released several singles and compilations and toured internationally. In 2012, they received a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Their eighth album, The Magic Whip (2015), was the sixth consecutive Blur studio album to top the British chart. The group have largely been on hiatus since the Magic Whip tour, but have announced plans to reunite in 2023 for various live dates.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blur_(band)
Studio albums
Leisure (1991)
Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993)
Parklife (1994)
The Great Escape (1995)
Blur (1997)
13 (1999)
Think Tank (2003)
The Magic Whip (2015)
The Ballad of Darren (2023)
B.L.U.R.E.M.I.
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of another pop group
Group shooting the hoop
And starving it up into the soup
'Cause I'm of regular features
And Adidas trainers
Completing the cycle
Teenage maniacs
B.l.u.r.e.m.i.
Group using the loop
Of another pop group
Completing the cycle
Until the teenage maniacs
Will bring it all back
Bring it all back
Bring it all back
Bring it all back
B.l.u.r.e.m.i.
The lyrics of Blur's song B.L.U.R.E.M.I. appear to comment on the cyclical nature of popular music and the way that trends and styles are recycled over time. The opening lines suggest that one group is using the musical style of another as a template or reference point, perhaps in an effort to replicate their success. The lines "shooting the hoop" and "starving it up into the soup" suggest that the original style is being appropriated or distorted, perhaps to fit current trends or to make it more commercially viable. The reference to "regular features" and "Adidas trainers" implies that the people involved in this process are themselves part of a larger cultural phenomenon, consumed by fashion and image.
The chorus and repeated phrase "B.l.u.r.e.m.i." seem to reinforce the idea of a cycle, as though this process is never-ending and will continue indefinitely. The repeated use of the phrase "bring it all back" at the end of the song could be interpreted in a number of ways - it could suggest nostalgia for a bygone era, a desire to return to a simpler time, or a sense of frustration with the current state of popular music.
Overall, the lyrics of B.L.U.R.E.M.I. seem to be a commentary on the way that music is produced and consumed, highlighting the ways in which styles and trends are recycled over time and the role that fashion and image play in this process.
Line by Line Meaning
Group using the loop
A group of musicians imitating the sound and style of another popular musical group
Of another pop group
Taking inspiration from a different popular music group
Group shooting the hoop
The musicians are attempting to reach success, similar to making a basket in basketball
And starving it up into the soup
Struggling to reach the top and overcome obstacles, likened to adding ingredients to a soup to make it more substantial
'Cause I'm of regular features
The artist feels they are ordinary and unremarkable
And Adidas trainers
A specific brand of athletic shoes worn by the singer
Completing the cycle
Successfully emulating the sound they are striving for
Teenage maniacs
Enthusiastic, energetic young people
Will bring it all back
The teenagers will revive and bring back the music of the past that the musicians are emulating
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Alexander James, David Rowntree, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@roiybenkel682
Confusing a loop
Of another pop group
Consuming a hoop
And starving it up in two by two'Cos I'm of regular features
And Adidas trainers
Completing the cycle
Until the teenage manics
Can bring it on backB.L.U.R.E.M.I. (x4)Confusing a loop
Of another pop group
Completeing the cycle
Into the teenage maniacs
Now bring it on backB.L.U.R.E.M.I. (x12)
@coingamerthysecond
This being one of the lowest rated and least streamed songs on the album is a crime. This, Bugman and Swamp Song add an insane tint to the album that contrasts beautifully with the mellower, more reflective songs. Definitely one of the best tracks.
@JamesG714
Oh my goodness I feel like I owe an apology to all of music. I'm from the United States. We were denied ALL OF THIS! Song 2 was literally the only thing they played by Blur and we didn't have the internet. woah, this is incredible.
@cactaceous
Denied? I’m from the US, NYC, and I knew about Blur since 1994. Parklife was a huge album and Britpop was a huge scene. Their videos were played on MTV, they were featured on Rolling Stone, Spin and other music magazines.
@charlieverity5405
Well as a Brit I'm glad JamesG made that point.
There's newish video here somewhere (as Blur have a new album out) with the drummer Dave -- years ago he was wired and being interviewed by some MTV guy years ago and he snapped a little (in the recent video he apologises again), and lots of obviously American commenters on the video were saying that Blur were just a one-hit-wonder band...
At least JamesG explains the lack of 90s internet and therefore perceived lack of availability of further Blur material at the time, and it makes more sense to me.
Of course record shops and music magazines might have led JamesG to more stuff, but whatever... At least he digs the band now.
@Gabriel2oh6
@@charlieverity5405yup. That interview was by Canadian music interviewer Nardwuar, who is very beloved on the internet by music lovers for his intense pre-interview research, surprising questions and goofy likable personality. That video being dug up was bound to rub a lot of the internet the wrong way. That was an incredibly ugly moment by Dave, which I’m glad he apologized for, and even though Nardwuar forgave him, the internet isn’t so forgiving. The band takes a lot of slings and arrows in those comments from people who love Nardwuar but don’t necessarily know about beyond Song 2. I’m sure if they dug into their discography they’d see that they are being far too critical of the band as a whole over one really ugly moment by the drummer. That definitely shouldn’t take away from all the fantastic music they made. Dave did look horrible though there. He was being a complete bully for no excusable reason.
@noursarhan8695
I absolutely love the lyrics here. Blur making these aggressive statements about popular culture is one of the reasons why I appreciate this band so damn much (and Damon in general, cause there are similar themes in Gorillaz. This guy is a true punk 😍)
@Alex-ke3ql
Underrated song, absolutely. A hidden gem in 13.
@lady_agitha5976
1:16 Love that part, the bass y so sweet <3
@aelahn
best bassist of that generation
@emanueljose7103
Ya es un clasico que todos los albums de blur, esconde un tema bien punk.