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)
Magic America
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He calls it his plan B
Buildings in the sky and the air is sugar-free
And everyone is very friendly
(Well) Plan B arrived on a holiday
Took a cab to the shopping malls
Bought and ate until he could do neither anymore
Then found love on channel forty-four
La la la la la
He wants to go to magic America
La la la la la
He'd like to live in magic America
With all those magic people
Bill barrett sent his postcards home
To everyone he'd ever known they read
Fifty nine cents gets you a good square meal
From the people who care how you feel
La la la la la
He wants to go to magic America
La la la la la
He'd like to live in magic America
With all the magic people
With all the magic people
La la la la la
He wants to go to magic America
La la la la la
He'd like to live in magic America
La la la la la
So nice to be in magic America
La la la la la
He'd like to live in magic America
With all the magic people
With all the magic people
With all the magic people, uh-oh, uh-oh, oh
With all the magic people
Oh, the magic people (with all the magic people) all the people
All the people, all the people
All the people (with all the magic people) all the people
All the people (with all the magic people) all the people
All the people (with all the magic people) all the people
The song "Magic America" by Blur tells the story of Bill Barrett, a man with a simple dream that he calls his plan B. Bill's dream is to live in a place called Magic America, where the buildings touch the sky, the air is sugar-free, and everyone is very friendly. Bill's dream comes true when he arrives in Magic America on a holiday, takes a cab to the shopping malls, and eats until he can do neither anymore. He then finds love on channel forty-four.
The song's lyrics are catchy and whimsical, but also carry a deeper meaning about the American dream. Bill Barrett's dream of living in Magic America represents the idealized version of the American dream, where anything is possible and everyone is happy. However, the reality of living in America is more complicated than that, as shown by the postcards Bill sends home about how people in America care about your feelings and you can get a good square meal for 59 cents.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the tension between the idealized version of the American dream and the reality of living in America. It also captures the magic and wonder that many people feel when they first arrive in America, even if that magic eventually fades away.
Line by Line Meaning
Bill Barret has a simple dream
Bill Barret has a straightforward aspiration
He calls it his plan B
He refers to it as an alternative plan
Buildings in the sky and the air is sugar-free
Tall structures in the sky, and the air is not polluted
And everyone is very friendly
All individuals are welcoming and amicable
(Well) Plan B arrived on a holiday
The backup plan came during a vacation
Took a cab to the shopping malls
Used a taxi to arrive at the shopping centers
Bought and ate until he could do neither anymore
Purchased and consumed until unable to do so any further
Then found love on channel forty-four
Later discovered love on television channel forty-four
He wants to go to magic America
He desires to visit the mystical America
He'd like to live in magic America
He would prefer to reside in the enchanting America
With all those magic people
In the company of those bewitching individuals
Bill barrett sent his postcards home
Bill Barrett mailed his postcards to his family
To everyone he'd ever known they read
All his acquaintances received them
Fifty nine cents gets you a good square meal
Fifty nine cents buys a satisfactory square meal
From the people who care how you feel
Provided by individuals who genuinely care about your wellbeing
So nice to be in magic America
Being in the enchanting America is delightful
With all the magic people
In the presence of all those mystifying individuals
Oh, the magic people (with all the magic people) all the people
Oh, those charming individuals (with all those enchanting individuals) all the people
All the people, all the people
All the people, all the people
All the people (with all the magic people) all the people
All the people (with all those extraordinary individuals) all the people
All the people (with all the magic people) all the people
All the people (with all those fascinating individuals) all the people
All the people (with all the magic people) all the people
All the people (with all those captivating individuals) all the people
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
@mashokk3517
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Bill Barrett has a simple dream
He calls it his Plan B
There were buildings in the sky and the air is sugar-free
And everyone is very friendly
Well, Plan B arrived on a holiday
Took a cab to the shopping malls
Bought and ate 'til he could do neither any more
Then found love on Channel 44
[Chorus]
La, la-la-la-la
He wants to go to magic America
La, la-la-la-la
He'd like to live in magic America
With all those magic people
[Verse 2]
Bill Barrett sent his postcards home
To everyone he'd ever known, they read
"Fifty-nine cents gets you a good square meal
From the people who care how you feel"
[Chorus]
La, la-la-la-la
He wants to go to magic America
La, la-la-la-la
He'd like to live in magic America
With all the magic people (mm-mm)
With all the magic people
@twoguyskissingpng
So underrated
@MickMould1
Marvelous, especially Graham's guitar
@GameboyGuitar
love the way the band sounds, cool parts from all the members
@t_dinkster2355
i don't get how this wasn't as famous as the others
@raphaelbrown6314
When comes to albums you kinda expected to underrated because everyone don't really listen to the actual album but singles instead
@Gabriel2oh6
@@raphaelbrown6314or they (used to) get the albums but always skipped to the singles. It’s even worse nowadays with instant availability and mass-culture playlist obsessions where nowadays people can just type in or directly click the big hit and disregard the rest of an LP. They’ll throw it onto a playlist (or listen to it on another curated playlist) and the other LP tracks and deep cuts virtually don’t exist to them at that point. Falling in love with deep cuts on albums and then showing them off by playing them like some great discovered secret is one of my favorite things in popular music and it’s a shame that our short attention span culture has already sort of phased that out of the mainstream.
@katiestait8138
La la la la-- he'd like to live in magic America-- with all the magic people! Forever listening 💕
@SCHENTH
This Blur’s lovely song makes us all happy😀. OK, folks❓
@mashokk3517
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Bill Barrett has a simple dream
He calls it his Plan B
There were buildings in the sky and the air is sugar-free
And everyone is very friendly
Well, Plan B arrived on a holiday
Took a cab to the shopping malls
Bought and ate 'til he could do neither any more
Then found love on Channel 44
[Chorus]
La, la-la-la-la
He wants to go to magic America
La, la-la-la-la
He'd like to live in magic America
With all those magic people
[Verse 2]
Bill Barrett sent his postcards home
To everyone he'd ever known, they read
"Fifty-nine cents gets you a good square meal
From the people who care how you feel"
[Chorus]
La, la-la-la-la
He wants to go to magic America
La, la-la-la-la
He'd like to live in magic America
With all the magic people (mm-mm)
With all the magic people
@elfawne
The Kinks vibes!