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)
Hanging Over
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can hurt you
I can float up here
so soft and tingling
You can't catch me
I'm floating away
I woke up
I'm getting up with nothing on my mind
I went down the stairs
With a pain in my head
I should have never got out of bed
Then everything shattered
Just at the point that mattered [Repeat: x 2]
Aha
I'm alive I can breath the air
I can hurt you
I can fall down there
Right into you your mind
Don't put it around
You can't catch me
And carried away
I woke up I, woke up every day
There's nothing, nothing to say
Half way down the stairs
I feel a pain in my chest
I should never have got out of bed
Then everything shattered
Just at the point that it mattered [Repeat: x 2]
Aha
I'm alive, I'm can breath the air
I can hurt you
Half way down the stairs
I get a pain in my chest
I should never got out of bed
I should never ever ever
I should never...
The lyrics to Blur’s song “Hanging Over” suggest a feeling of emptiness and aimlessness, as if the singer is just coasting through life with no real purpose. The first verse describes a feeling of floating away, both physically and emotionally. The singer seems to be untouchable, free to hurt others and wander aimlessly. The repetition of the line “I’m floating away” emphasizes the sense of detachment and lack of control over their own life.
The second verse highlights the singer’s regret at getting out of bed and facing the day. They describe a pain in their head and chest, indicating a physical manifestation of the emotional pain they feel. The repetition of the line “Then everything shattered/Just at the point that mattered” suggests a feeling of frustration and disappointment, as if they were on the brink of something important but missed it somehow.
Overall, the lyrics to “Hanging Over” paint a picture of a lost and adrift individual, struggling to find meaning in their life. The repeated refrain of “I’m alive” suggests a sense of desperation, as if the singer is trying to convince themselves that they are still capable of feeling something.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm alive and I can breath the air
I exist and I am able to inhale and exhale properly.
I can hurt you
I have the ability to cause you pain or harm.
I can float up here
I am capable of levitating or defying gravity.
so soft and tingling
I experience a sensation that is gentle and pleasantly prickly.
You can't catch me
You are unable to capture or apprehend me.
I'm floating away
I am drifting off or moving away from my current location.
I woke up
I became conscious after a period of slumber.
And went down next door
I moved or traveled to the adjacent residence or establishment.
I'm getting up with nothing on my mind
I am rising from my bed without any particular thoughts or concerns.
I went down the stairs
I descended a flight of steps.
With a pain in my head
I experienced discomfort or ache within my cranium.
I should have never got out of bed
It would have been more advantageous for me to remain sleeping or resting.
Then everything shattered
Suddenly, everything broke apart or disintegrated.
Just at the point that mattered [Repeat: x 2]
Precisely at the crucial moment or juncture.
I can fall down there
I am capable of tumbling or descending a particular area.
Right into you your mind
I am entering your thoughts or consciousness directly.
Don't put it around
Do not spread or circulate it.
And carried away
I am taken or transported along with something else.
I woke up every day
Each and every single day, I regain consciousness.
There's nothing, nothing to say
There is absolutely no reason or need to speak.
Half way down the stairs
When I am halfway down the staircase.
I feel a pain in my chest
I experience a sensation of discomfort or soreness in my pectoral area.
I should never have got out of bed
It would have been more desirable for me to remain sleeping or resting.
I should never ever ever
It is imperative that I never do something again.
I should never...
It is crucial that I refrain from a particular action or behavior.
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