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)
Girls & Boys
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So call the police
Following the herd
Down to Greece
On holiday
Love in the nineties
Is paranoid
On sunny beaches
Looking for
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Avoiding all work
'Cause there's none available
Like battery thinkers
Count your thoughts
On one-two-three-four-five fingers
Nothing is wasted
Only reproduced
You get nasty blisters
Du bist sehr schön
But we haven't been introduced
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone to really love
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh
Looking for girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone to really love
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh
The lyrics of Blur's "Girls & Boys" speak to the hedonistic lifestyle of the 1990s that was characterized by a lack of responsibility and preoccupation with pleasure. The opening line, "Street's like a jungle, so call the police," sets the scene of a chaotic, crowded place where people are lost and directionless. The next line, "Following the herd, down to Greece on holiday," describes a group mentality that leads people to seek out fun and adventure in exotic locations. The song highlights the superficiality and fickleness of relationship and sexual encounters, with its repetition of the phrase, "Girls who want boys, who like boys to be girls, who do boys like they're girls, who do girls like they're boys," suggesting a fluidity of sexual identity and behavior.
The lyrics also touch on a sense of ennui or boredom, with the line, "Avoiding all work, 'cause there's none available," speaking to a generation that was struggling to find employment and meaning in a post-industrial society. The line, "Like battery thinkers, count your thoughts on one-two-three-four-five fingers," suggests a lack of deeper contemplation and self-reflection, leading to a cycle of repetitive thoughts and behaviors. The reference to "nasty blisters" may speak to the physical toll of this lifestyle, with people engaging in risky or unhealthy behaviors without regard for the consequences.
Overall, the lyrics of "Girls & Boys" capture the restless, pleasure-seeking spirit of the 90s, while also hinting at a sense of disillusionment and dissatisfaction beneath the surface. By juxtaposing the energetic, danceable beat with somewhat nihilistic lyrics, Blur was able to create a song that was both a celebration and a critique of the cultural moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Street's like a jungle
The world can be a confusing and dangerous place, like a wild jungle
So call the police
People may need help navigating the jungle, so the police can act as a guide
Following the herd
People often follow others blindly, like a herd of animals
Down to Greece
Greece is a popular holiday destination, representing a desire to escape the confusion of everyday life
On holiday
Taking a break from the pressures of life can be refreshing and rejuvenating
Love in the nineties
The concept of love has evolved and changed over time, with the 90s representing a particular era in which love may have been more complex
Is paranoid
People may have become more suspicious or distrusting of others in regards to love
On sunny beaches
Despite this paranoia, people still seek love and happiness in idyllic settings such as beaches
Take your chances
Finding love can be a gamble, but it's worth taking the risk
Looking for girls who want boys
The search for love often involves looking for a specific type of person
Who like boys to be girls
Sexual orientation and gender identity are fluid, and people may find themselves attracted to non-traditional expressions of masculinity/femininity
Who do boys like they're girls
Gender norms are not necessarily tied to biological sex or sexual orientation, as men may embody feminine traits and behaviors without it being an issue
Who do girls like they're boys
Women may also embrace traditionally masculine behaviors or modes of dress without it being seen as unusual
Always should be someone you really love
Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, the most important aspect of any relationship is love
Avoiding all work
Sometimes people prioritize pleasure and leisure over responsibilities
'Cause there's none available
Economic conditions may make finding work difficult or impossible
Like battery thinkers
People may feel trapped or imprisoned by their own thoughts, like batteries powering their own confinement
Count your thoughts
People may obsess over their own thoughts and mental states, potentially leading to unhealthy fixation or anxiety
On one-two-three-four-five fingers
This could represent a limited or simplistic approach to counting one's thoughts, or that the thoughts are manageable and can be counted easily
Nothing is wasted
Even if experiences or thoughts may seem pointless or trivial, they can still contribute to one's overall growth and development
Only reproduced
These experiences or thoughts can also be a source of inspiration or creativity
You get nasty blisters
Pursuing certain activities or goals may be painful or difficult, but the rewards can be worth it
Du bist sehr schön
This is German for 'you are very beautiful,' and could represent a desire for beauty or attraction in one's life
But we haven't been introduced
Despite the desire for beauty or attraction, there may be barriers or obstacles preventing people from connecting with each other
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Damon Albarn, David Alexander De Horne Rowntree, Graham Leslie Coxon, Steven Alexander James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AnomaliaDoEGS
Lyrics:
Street's like a jungle
So call the police
Following the herd
Down to Greece
On holiday
Love in the nineties
Is paranoid
On sunny beaches
Take your chances
Looking for
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Avoiding all work
'Cause there's none available
Like battery thinkers
Count your thoughts
On one-two-three-four-five fingers
Nothing is wasted
Only reproduced
You get nasty blisters
Du bist sehr schön
But we haven't been introduced
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone to really love
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh
Looking for girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love
Girls who want boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone to really love
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh
@Profile__1
0:26 I keep cracking up over the fact that he winks, but it looks like he almost immediately regrets winking like that and hangs his head in embarrassment.
@lynceiV2
Whaaat? En cual teloresumo salio? :O
@crowgrl13
Isn't it precious?
@CocoCrispy_
Lmao really cringed at himself
@oskar9633
LMAO
@SatelliteSeagull
LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
@user-fb6cw6cb2i
when you change your background during a zoom meeting
@kiesytuts229966
Underrated comment X'D X'D X'D
@Reuben.Joshua
kiesytuts229966 eckz dee
@Mooney1018
I must discover how to do that!!!