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)
London Loves
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coughing tar in his Japanese motor
The lights are magic
And he feels lucky
And he's got money
Shoots like an arrow, oh
London loves
London loves
The misery of a speeding heart
It's love you like and everyone's at it
And words are cheap when the mind is elastic
He loves the violence
Keeps ticking over
So sleep together
Before today is sold forever
London loves
The way people just fall apart
London loves
The way you just don't stand a chance
London loves
The mystery of a speeding heart
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
London loves
The mystery of a speeding car
London loves
The misery of a speeding heart
London loves
The mystery
Oh, hey, hey
London loves
The way people just fall apart
London loves
The way we just don't stand a chance
London loves (always London loves)
The speeding heart
The song “London Loves” by Blur captures the essence of the city and the lifestyle of its people. The lyrics vividly describe the singer, who seems to be suffering from a malady, coughing tar in his Japanese motor. Despite his health issues, he still feels lucky, mainly because he's got money, and the city's lights work like magic on him. The next lines show how the singer sees the love people have for London. He talks about the mystery of a speeding car, and how people revel in that feeling. The singer is a part of the London culture, where people love the misery of a speeding heart.
The character talks about how Londoners love to indulge in love and how words come cheap when the mind is elastic. The singer likes the violence in the city, the speed of life that keeps ticking over. He knows that the current moment is fleeting, and he urges people to sleep together before today is sold forever. The chorus of the song repeats the two phrases "London loves the mystery of a speeding car" and "London loves the misery of a speeding heart."
In essence, “London Loves” is about the love/hate relationship that people have with the city. The fast-paced life, the mystery, and the misery, all come together to make it a fascinating place to live. The song portrays the experience of being young in London, feeling invincible, and living for the moment. It also highlights the emotions that come with living in a city that is always on the move.
Line by Line Meaning
A malady has taken him over
He is sick and unwell
Coughing tar in his Japanese motor
He is smoking and polluting the air with his car
The lights are magic
The city lights of London are enchanting
And he feels lucky
He thinks he is fortunate
And he's got money
He is wealthy
Shoots like an arrow, oh
He moves quickly and effortlessly
London loves
The city of London has a fondness for
The mystery of a speeding car
The excitement and intrigue of a fast and powerful vehicle
The misery of a speeding heart
The heartache and emotional turmoil caused by a fast-paced lifestyle
It's love you like and everyone's at it
It is a popular lifestyle choice that many people enjoy
And words are cheap when the mind is elastic
People can easily talk about their emotions without actually feeling them
He loves the violence
He enjoys the excitement and danger of a chaotic environment
Keeps ticking over
Maintains the status quo
So sleep together
Have sex while you still can
Before today is sold forever
Before time and change erase the past and possibilities
The way people just fall apart
The ease with which people crumble under the pressures of city life
The way you just don't stand a chance
The unfairness and hopelessness of the city's competitive environment
The mystery
The unknown and enigmatic nature of the city's allure
The speeding heart
The frantic and passionate pulse of city life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alexander James, David Rowntree, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patrick Stocks
A malady has taken him over
Coughing tar in his Japanese motor
The lights are magic
And he feels lucky 🍀
And he’s got money 💴
Shoots like an arrow, oh
London loves
The mystery of a speeding car 🚗
London loves
The misery of a speeding heart 💖
It’s love 💕 you like and everyone’s at it
And words are cheap when the mind is elastic
He loves the violence
Keeps ticking over
So sleep 💤 together
Before today is sold forever ♾
London loves
The way people just fall apart
London loves
The way you just don’t stand a chance
London loves
The mystery of a speeding heart 💖
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh oh oh
London loves
The mystery of a speeding car 🚗
London loves
The misery of a speeding heart 💖
London loves
The mystery
Oh, hey 👋 hey 👋
London loves
The way people just fall apart
London loves
The way we just don’t stand a chance
London loves (always London loves)
The speeding heart 💖
Ana Andrada
A malady has taken him over
coughing tar in his japanese motor
the lights are magic and he feels lucky
and he's got money,shoots like an arrow,oh
London loves the mystery of a speeding car
London loves the misery of a speeding heart
it's love you like and everyone ''s at it
and words are cheap when the mind is elastic
he loves the violence ,keeps ticking over
so sleep together before today is sold forever
London loves the way people just fall apart
London loves the way you just don't stand a chance
London loves the mystery of a speeding cars
oh,oh-oh,oh,oh-oh
oh,oh-oh,oh, oh-oh
oh,oh-oh,oh,oh-oh
oh,oh-oh,oh,oh-oh
London loves the mystery of a speeding car
London loves the mystery of a speeding heart
London loves the mystery
(hey,hey)London loves the way people
just fall apart
London loves the way we just don't stand a chance
London loves a speeding car...
Roiy Benkel
A malady has taken him over
Coughing tar in his Japanese motor
The lights are magic
And he feels lucky
And he's got money
Shoots like an arrowLondon loves
The mystery of a speeding car
London loves
The misery of a speeding heartIts love you like, and everyone's at it
And words are cheap when the mind is elastic
He loves the violence
Keeps ticking over
So sleep together
Before today is sold foreverLondon loves
The way people just fall apart
London loves
The way you just don't stand a chance
London loves
The mystery of a speeding carLondon loves
The mystery of a speeding car
London loves
The misery of a speeding heartLondon loves
The way people just fall apart
London loves
The way we just don't stand a chance
London loves
A speeding heart
Geralt
After all the madness and trends of the indie music in the 90s in England , with the passing of the years, you arrive at a couple of conclusions and one is that Blur and Radiohead were the most sophisticated , original and ahead of its time along bands
citrus & lexi
finally, someone said it!
nympholeptic monkey
Absofuckinglutely!👌
𝒶𝓇𝒹ℴ𝓊𝓇𝓂ℴℴ𝓇𓆏
Blur are waaay better than Radiohead. But maybe it’s just me, I used to love Radiohead, now I can’t even listen to them.
K-leb
@𝒶𝓇𝒹ℴ𝓊𝓇𝓂ℴℴ𝓇𓆏 I would say Radiohead have become more timeless, contemporary, and renowned than Blur. It helps that they continue making music, unlike Blur.
matkaGrogan
Nonsense !! What about Super Furry Animals? Primal Scream? Mansun? Boo Radleys? Spiritualized? etc etc....
marmar
The guitar work on this album is sublime
ellie
courtesy of graham coxon
Abby
Got into Blur 4 days ago and i gotta say I’m obsessed:Listened to the hits,Leisure,Modern Life is Rubbish and now I’m here on Parklife,almost at the end of the playlist.Damon never misses man.
paraqhutes
Got into them a few weeks ago and they r so good man, I wish I could see them live sometime :(