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)
Charmless Man
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where people go to drink away their gloom
He sat me dawn and so began
The story of a charmless man
Educated the expensive way
He knows his claret from his beaujolais
I think he'd like to have been Ronnie Kray
But then nature didn't make him that way
He went na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
He thinks he's educated
Airs those family shares
Will protect him
That we'll respect him
He moves in circles of friends
Who just pretend that they like him
He does the same to them
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
He knows the swingers and their cavalry
Says he can get in anywhere for free
I began to go a little cross eyed
And from this charmless man I just had to hide
He went na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
He talks at speed
He gets nosebleeds
He doesn't see
His days are tumbling down upon him
And yet he tries so hard to please
He's just so keen for you to listen
But no one's listening
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
He thinks he's educated
Airs those family shares
Will protect him
That you'll respect him
And yet he tries so hard to please
He's just so keen for you to listen
But no one's listening
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
The song "Charmless Man" by Blur tells the story of a man who is arrogant, overconfident, and unlikable. The lyrics describe how he boasts about his education and knowledge of expensive wines, while trying to impress people with his connections to the "swingers and their cavalry." Despite his attempts to appear charming, he is unsuccessful in gaining the respect or admiration of those around him. The chorus of the song, with its repeated "na na na" lines, emphasizes his lack of charm and likability, as he tries desperately to win over those around him.
The verses of the song highlight different facets of this charmless man's personality. The first verse describes how he can be found in bars or other places where people go to drown their sorrows. He seems to be trying too hard to be charming, telling his life story to anyone who will listen. The second verse emphasizes his arrogance and sense of superiority, which alienates those around him. He tries to impress people with his knowledge of wine and connections to powerful people, but it only serves to make him seem more unlikeable. The bridge of the song emphasizes the paradox of the charmless man's character: he tries so hard to please others and gain their respect, but ultimately fails.
Overall, "Charmless Man" is a commentary on the idea that true charm cannot be purchased or earned through connections or knowledge. The song suggests that charm and likability are qualities that come from within, and cannot be faked or forced. The song also critiques the shallow nature of some people in positions of power or privilege, who use their connections and education to try to impress others, without truly connecting with them on a deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
I met him in a crowded room
The singer encountered the charmless man in a place where people gather to drink their sorrows away
Where people go to drink away their gloom
The setting is a drinking place visited by people who are unhappy
He sat me dawn and so began
The charmless man sat down with the singer and started telling his story
The story of a charmless man
The narrative is about a person who lacks charisma or charm
Educated the expensive way
The charmless man was educated expensively
He knows his claret from his beaujolais
The charmless man has knowledge of wine and can tell the difference between claret and beaujolais
I think he'd like to have been Ronnie Kray
The singer assumes that the charmless man wishes he was like Ronnie Kray
But then nature didn't make him that way
However, the charmless man doesn't have the same nature as Ronnie Kray
He went na na na na na na na
The charmless man said 'na na na na na na na'
He thinks he's educated
The charmless man believes that he is knowledgeable
Airs those family shares
He likes to talk about his family's wealth and status
Will protect him
He believes that his family's wealth and status will keep him safe
That we'll respect him
He expects others to respect him because of his family's wealth and status
He moves in circles of friends
The charmless man has a group of friends
Who just pretend that they like him
However, his friends are just pretending to like him
He does the same to them
Likewise, the charmless man pretends to like his friends
And when you put it all together
When everything is considered
There's the model of a charmless man
The charmless man is the embodiment of someone who lacks charm
He knows the swingers and their cavalry
The charmless man is familiar with people who engage in non-monogamous sexual relationships and their supporters
Says he can get in anywhere for free
He boasts that he can enter any place without paying
I began to go a little cross eyed
The artist became confused or annoyed by the charmless man's behavior
And from this charmless man I just had to hide
As a result, the artist tried to avoid the charmless man
He talks at speed
The charmless man talks rapidly
He gets nosebleeds
Talking quickly gives the charmless man nosebleeds
He doesn't see
The charmless man is unaware
His days are tumbling down upon him
The charmless man's life is falling apart
And yet he tries so hard to please
Despite his shortcomings, the charmless man makes an effort to please others
He's just so keen for you to listen
The charmless man wants people to listen to him
But no one's listening
However, nobody is paying attention
Na na na na na na na
The charmless man said 'na na na na na na na'
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Leslie Coxon, Steven Alexander James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cosmicnoodle9490
Hello, I'm the lyrics hero
I met him in a crowded room
Where people go to drink away their gloom
He sat me dawn and so began
The story of a charmless man
Educated the expensive way
He knows his claret from his beaujolais
I think he'd like to have been Ronnie Kray
But then nature didn't make him that way
He went na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
He thinks he's educated
Airs those family shares
Will protect him
That we'll respect him
He moves in circles of friends
Who just pretend that they like him
He does the same to them
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
He knows the swingers and their cavalry
Says he can get in anywhere for free
I began to go a little cross eyed
And from this charmless man I just had to hide
He went na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
He talks at speed
He gets nosebleeds
He doesn't see
His days are tumbling down upon him
And yet he tries so hard to please
He's just so keen for you to listen
But no one's listening
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
He thinks he's educated
Airs those family shares
Will protect him
That you'll respect him
And yet he tries so hard to please
He's just so keen for you to listen
But no one's listening
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na
@constanzaorwell3807
I met him in a crowded room
Where people go to drink away their gloom
He sat me dawn and so began, the story of a charmless man
Educated the expensive way, he knows his Claret from a Beaujolais
I think he'd like to have been Ronnie Kray
But then nature didn't make him that way
He thinks he's educated, airs those family shares
Will protect him that we will respect him
He moves in circles of friends
Who just pretend that they like him
He does the same to them, and when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
He knows the swingers and their cavalry
Says he can get in anywhere for free
I began to go a little cross eyed
And from this charmless man I just had to hide
He talks at speed he gets nosebleeds
He doesn't see his days
Are tumbling down upon him
And yet he tries so hard to please
He's just so keen for you to listen
But no one is listening
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man.
@kucingthekiki9301
Verse 1]
I met him in a crowded room
Where people go to drink away their gloom
He sat me down and so began
The story of a charmless man
Educated the expensive way
He knows his claret from his Beaujolais
I think he'd like to have been Ronnie Kray
But then nature didn't make him that way
[Refrain]
He went na-na-na-na-na, na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na
[Chorus]
He thinks his educated airs, those family shares will protect him
That we'll respect him
He moves in circles of friends who just pretend
That they like him, he does the same to them
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
[Refrain]
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na
[Verse 2]
He knows the swingers and their cavalry
Says he can get in anywhere for free
I began to go a little cross-eyed
And from this charmless man I just had to hide
[Refrain]
He went na-na-na-na-na, na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na
[Chorus]
He talks at speed, he gets nose bleeds
He doesn't see his days are tumbling down upon him
And yet he tries so hard to please
He's just so keen for you to listen, but no one's listening
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
[Chorus]
He thinks his educated airs, those family shares will protect him
That you'll respect him
And yet tries so hard to please
He's just so keen for you to listen, but no one's listening
And when you put it all together
There's the model of a charmless man
[Refrain]
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na-na
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na, na
Na-na-na-na-na, na
Na-na-na-na-na, na, na
@drae840
I'd do anything to have Blur follow me around and sing about how miserable I am
@jasonwest2297
But then you wouldn't be miserable anymore....which means they wouldn't have anything to sing about.....which would make you unhappy.....then they could start up again.....you see the problem.
@LucyWest370
@jason west you tried to do something here but I dont think it worked
@MrModi420
heaven knows it tho, and also how charming of a man u are. im sure itll grant u a stitch to wear.
@jasonwest2297
@Mr. Modi Frankly, I think it's gruesome that someone so handsome should care.
@MrModi420
@jason west whatta pantry boy, u know so much abt these things don't ya.
@ChazymJey
i love how everyone else is calm and Damon is just jumping in the air
@panchikofan123
@Sandy Lewis yer ma
@eqwiejwqiwisjw
@Sandy Lewis i care, we care, everyone heres care, you are the only one that doesn't matter here
@p3dant
Me after 3 coffees