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)
Ong Ong
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got on a boat on a hot sunny day
To get out of this town
'Cause the tarmac was melting and the people seemed to sway
Stuck in the underground
To the isle of the black kites and the wishing tree
On the slow boat to Lantau through misty seas
I wanna be with you
I pulled out the harbour with precession behind
And I'm feeling the love of you
So you better get to charge until I see you again
You know just what to do
If you're caught up in the gales on the junk boat sea
I wanna be with you
Whit the pilgrims the mountains in the high trapeze
I wanna be with you
If you're the landlord, the social on P.S.T
I wanna be with you
On an island of rainclouds and verdant seas
I will be there with you
Oh
(La la la)
The lyrics of Blur's song Ong Ong take the listener on a journey away from a hot and stuffy town, to an idyllic island filled with kites and a wishing tree. The singer's desire to be with someone they love on this journey is palpable, as the lyrics repeat the phrase "I wanna be with you" throughout the song. The slow boat ride to Lantau, with misty seas surrounding them, becomes a perfect backdrop for the singer's longing to be with their loved one.
The lyrics cleverly use wordplay and imagery to make the listener feel as though they are on a journey to a magical, dreamlike place. The "isle of the black kites" and "mountains in the high trapeze" create vivid pictures in the mind, and the repetition of "I wanna be with you" serves to reinforce the idea of a relentless desire to be close to someone. The "junk boat sea" and "island of rainclouds" act as a foil to the romanticism of the song, bringing a touch of realism to the dreamlike world.
Overall, the lyrics of Ong Ong evoke a sense of wanderlust and longing, with the singer's yearning to escape to a better place with someone they love. The song embodies the spirit of adventure and the desire to explore new places, making it a perfect anthem for anyone seeking escapism or wanting to go on a journey of their own.
Line by Line Meaning
I got on a boat on a hot sunny day
The singer took a boat to escape from their current environment.
To get out of this town
The singer wanted to leave their hometown behind.
'Cause the tarmac was melting and the people seemed to sway
The heat was unbearable and the singer was seeing things because of the high temperature.
Stuck in the underground
The artist felt trapped in their current situation.
To the isle of the black kites and the wishing tree
The artist has a specific place in mind where they want to go.
I wanna be with you
The singer wants the person they're addressing to join them on this adventure.
On the slow boat to Lantau through misty seas
The singer is traveling by boat and enjoying the scenery.
I pulled out the harbour with precession behind
The artist left port accompanied by a crowd or procession.
And I'm feeling the love of you
The artist is missing someone they love intensely.
So you better get to charge until I see you again
The artist is urging the person they love to wait for them and be ready when they return.
If you're caught up in the gales on the junk boat sea
The singer is worrying that the person they love might face difficulties while waiting for them.
Whit the pilgrims the mountains in the high trapeze
The artist is imagining a faraway land full of wonders.
If you're the landlord, the social on P.S.T
The singer is addressing someone who has a specific job, perhaps in a city.
On an island of rainclouds and verdant seas
The singer is describing a picture-perfect location they want to visit.
I will be there with you
The singer remains committed to the person they love and wants to experience new things with them.
Oh
An onomatopoeic expression of excitement and anticipation.
(La la la)
A simple melody that underlines the joy of the experience the artist is hoping to share with their loved one.
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
Polina Danilina
I got on a boat on a hot sunny day
To get out of this town
'Cause the tarmac was melting and the people seemed to sway
Stuck in the underground
To the isle of the black kites and the wishing tree
I wanna be with you
On the slow boat to Lantau through misty seas
I wanna be with you
I pulled out the harbour with precession behind
And I'm feeling the love of you
So you better get to charge until I see you again
You know just what to do
If you're caught up in the gales on the junk boat sea
I wanna be with you
Whit the pilgrims the mountains in the high trapeze
I wanna be with you
If you're the landlord, the social on P.S.T
I wanna be with you
On an island of rainclouds and verdant seas
I will be there with you
Oh
(La la la)
Dan Charles
So did Damon get Blur back together just so that he could dress up as an ice cream cone? Because that's totally understandable.
krouwrieee
But you know that Damon is at the Gorillaz, right?
DR0WNINGSVN
@krouwrieee he's in both
Connor Behr
Hahaha
rale_flop
@krouwrieee he has three bands. Gorillaz, blur and the good the bad and the queen
Gio
@rale_flop and rocket juice and the moon
Castor Quinn
This clip is so utterly, incredibly happy that it almost makes up for that god damn milk carton.
skeet skeet
The milk one traumatised me
Oh My
poor milk.. he went to heaven with his girl though, it's all good
Oriana Nzeck
The milk pack in “Coffee and Tv” broke my heart 💔 😅