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)
Chemical World
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So she takes the bus into the country
Although she got herself rosy cheeks
She didn't leave enough money to pay the rent
The landlord says that she's out in a week
What a shame she was just getting comfy
Now she's eating chocolate to induce sleep
In a chemical world, it's very, very, very cheap
And I don't know about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
It's been a hell of a do
But they're been putting the holes in, yes, yes
Peeping Thomas has a very nice view
Across the street at the exhibitionist
These townies they never speak to you
Just stick together so they never get lonely
Feeling lead, feeling quite light-headed
Had to sit down and have some sugary tea
In a chemical world, in a chemical world
It's very, very, very cheap
And I don't know about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
It's been a hell of a do
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
I don't know about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
It's been a hell of a do
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
And now she's right out of view
They've been putting the holes in, yes, yes
I don't talk about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
Until you can see right through
Until you can see right through
Until you can see right through
The lyrics to Blur’s “Chemical World” seem to be a commentary on modern life and society. The first verse tells the story of the “pay-me girl” who is tired of the “bleeps” (representing the modern, technological world) and decides to escape to the countryside. However, even though she enjoys her rural escape, she didn’t leave enough money to pay the rent, and is forced to leave her comfort behind. She turns to chocolate, which acts as a sort of a sedative, a recreational drug, to help her sleep, highlighting how people in today’s society often use chemical substances to escape their problems.
The second verse introduces Peeping Thomas, who is a voyeur looking out at an “exhibitionist” across the street, but no one in town wants to speak to him or make connections with others. The final lines of the chorus of “putting the holes in” could represent society’s emphasis on instant gratification, and how we are always searching for something to fill the void, rather than striving for meaningful connections and relationships with others.
Overall, “Chemical World” is a commentary on the trivialization of life and the increasing importance of instant gratification in modern society, though it is important to note that the lyrics are open to listeners’ interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
The pay-me girl has had enough of the bleeps
The prostitute is tired of the electronic music.
So she takes the bus into the country
She travels to the countryside to escape the city.
Although she got herself rosy cheeks
Despite the cold, she still managed to look pretty.
She didn't leave enough money to pay the rent
She couldn't afford the rent due to her wasteful spending.
The landlord says that she's out in a week
She's being evicted from her apartment soon.
What a shame she was just getting comfy
It's unfortunate that she was just starting to enjoy her living space.
Now she's eating chocolate to induce sleep
She's resorting to artificial means to help her sleep.
In a chemical world, it's very, very, very cheap
The artificial world is cheap and easily accessible.
And I don't know about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
It's been a hell of a do
But they're been putting the holes in, yes, yes
The world is deteriorating due to human activity and it's a concerning issue.
Peeping Thomas has a very nice view
The voyeur has a good view of his neighbor's activities.
Across the street at the exhibitionist
The neighbor across the street enjoys being watched.
These townies they never speak to you
Just stick together so they never get lonely
The townspeople are not friendly and prefer to stick to themselves to avoid loneliness.
Feeling lead, feeling quite light-headed
Had to sit down and have some sugary tea
Feeling unwell and needing to rest, they consume something sweet.
In a chemical world, in a chemical world
It's very, very, very cheap
The artificial world is cheap and easily accessible.
And now she's right out of view
They've been putting the holes in, yes, yes
I don't talk about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
Until you can see right through
Until you can see right through
Until you can see right through
People are becoming invisible and the world is becoming more artificial.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven Alexander James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-sc4xh4xx8r
Verse 1]
The pay-me girl has had enough of the bleeps
So she takes the bus into the country
Although she got herself rosy cheeks
She didn't leave enough money to pay the rent
The landlord says that she's out in a week
What a shame, she was just getting comfy
Now she's eating chocolate to induce sleep
And in a chemical world, it's very, very, very cheap
[Chorus]
And I don't know about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
It's been a hell of a do
They've been putting the holes in, yes, yes
[Verse 2]
Peeping Thomas has a very nice view
Across the street at the exhibitionist
These townies, they never speak to you
Just stick together so they never get lonely
Feeling lead, feeling quite light-headed
Had to sit down and have some sugary tea
In a chemical world, in a chemical world
It's very, very, very cheap
Chorus]
And I don't know about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
It's been a hell of a do
They've been putting the holes in, yes, yes, yes
[Instrumental break]
[Chorus]
I don't know about you
But they're putting the holes in, yes, yes
It's been a hell of a do
They've been putting the holes in, yes, yes
And now she's right out of view
They've been putting the holes in, yes, yes
Well, I don't know about you
They've been putting the holes in, yes, yes
[Outro]
Until you can see right through
Until you can see right through
Until you can see right through
@rocksinoo
This music video is perfect because it has cute animals in their natural habitat: rabbits, cows, horses, and british boys.
@jamesxracing8111
rocksinoo *don't forget the snails...
@maramarxx2431
Against all chemicals... is very very cheap
@kucengoyen7736
@@jamesxracing8111 and dont forget the worm
@user-dv8on1ct1j
дейв и алекс клёвые
@manuelalima7132
It's Heaven for me.
@elleb2868
Whenever I see the thumbnail, I cannot help but click. Damon's profile is one of the treasures in modern music histrory. We have to appreciate it.
@CPunicorn
Yeah I'm pretty sure he pretended to be asleep or given general anesthesia or sedation ,he is pretty when he's asleep. ❤This has been a teenager from the 21st century talking about a guy from 90's
@kemicon
I yelled out super loud "chemical world" during one his shows and I'm pretty sure he glared at me. It was kind of awesome.
@solodemon9983
Damom: That's my job, you commoner!