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)
Parklife
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(I wish you'd just shut up)
(I wish you'd just shut up)
Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur
Of what is known as
(Parklife)
And morning soup can be avoided
(Parklife)
John's got brewer's droop
He gets intimidated by the dirty pigeons
They love a bit of him
(Parklife)
Who's that gut lord marching
You should cut down on your pork life mate
Get some exercise
All the people
So many people
And they all go hand-in-hand
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
Know what I mean?
I get up when I want
Except on Wednesdays
When I get rudely awakened by the dustmen
(Parklife)
I put my trousers on, have a cup of tea
And I think about leaving the house
(Parklife)
I feed the pigeons, I sometimes feed the sparrows too
It gives me a sense of enormous well-being
(Parklife)
And then I'm happy for the rest of the day
Safe in the knowledge there will always be
A bit of my heart devoted to it
All the people
So many people
And they all go hand-in-hand
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
Parklife
(Parklife)
Parklife
(Parklife)
It's got nothing to do with Vorsprung durch Technik, you know?
(Parklife)
(Parklife) and it's not about you joggers
Who go round and round and round
(Parklife)
(Parklife)
All the people
So many people
And they all go hand-in-hand
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
All the people
So many people
And they all go hand-in-hand
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
"Parklife" by Blur is a satirical look at the mundane activities of everyday life, particularly in the context of the London park culture. The song takes its listeners through a typical day in the life, from morning routines to afternoon strolls through the parks. The song opens up with "Oi, I wish you'd just shut up," indicating that the singer is tired of hearing his companion's incessant talking, and wishes to enjoy the sights and sounds of the park.
The lyrics suggest that people are content with their routines, as evidenced by the lines "Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as Parklife." The singer takes digs at various aspects of society: John's brewer's droop (impotence caused by excessive drinking), dirty pigeons, and the gut lord marching. The singer even urges listeners to cut down on their "pork life" (fat and unhealthy lifestyle) and get more exercise.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the middle-class English lifestyle, focusing on the mundane components of everyday life. This is reinforced by the repeated refrain of "All the people, so many people, and they all go hand-in-hand, hand-in-hand through their parklife." The chorus suggests that people are simply going through the motions of everyday life without any true purpose or ambition.
Line by Line Meaning
(Oi)
Exclamation to grab attention
(I wish you'd just shut up)
Repetition of same exclamation to express annoyance or frustration
(I wish you'd just shut up)
Continuation of frustrated expression
Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur
Being confident relates to the tendency to watch ordinary things with interest
Of what is known as
Elaborating on the habitual voyeur's object of attention
(Parklife)
Reference to the ordinary life in a park
And morning soup can be avoided
One can skip breakfast by taking a direct route through the park
If you take a route straight through what is known as
Further elaboration of the direct route through parklife
(Parklife)
Reiteration of reference to park life
John's got brewer's droop
A man named John has a flaccid penis due to excessive drinking
He gets intimidated by the dirty pigeons
John is afraid of dirty pigeons
They love a bit of him
The pigeons show affection to John, despite his fear
(Parklife)
Reference to park life
Who's that gut lord marching
A man with a big belly is walking
You should cut down on your pork life mate
The man should reduce his intake of pork and exercise more
Get some exercise
Suggestion to man that he should engage in physical activity
All the people
All the individuals
So many people
A large number of individuals
And they all go hand-in-hand
They all walk together with their hands joined
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
A reference to the unity of individuals walking together through their ordinary park life
Know what I mean?
Asking if the listener understands
I get up when I want
I wake up at my own leisure
Except on Wednesdays
The only exception is Wednesdays
When I get rudely awakened by the dustmen
The dustmen wake me up on Wednesdays
(Parklife)
Reference to park life
I put my trousers on, have a cup of tea
I dress and have tea
And I think about leaving the house
I consider going out
(Parklife)
Reference to park life
I feed the pigeons, I sometimes feed the sparrows too
I feed the pigeons and occasionally the sparrows
It gives me a sense of enormous well-being
Feeding birds makes me feel good
(Parklife)
Reference to park life
And then I'm happy for the rest of the day
I am content for the rest of the day after feeding the birds
Safe in the knowledge, there will always be
Feeling secure and certain that there will always be
A bit of my heart devoted to it
A part of my heart is dedicated to feeding the birds
It's got nothing to do with Vorsprung durch Technik, you know?
The lifestyle has nothing to do with advanced German technology
(Parklife)
Reference to park life
(Parklife) and it's not about you joggers
Park life is not about runners
Who go round and round and round
Joggers who run in circles
(Parklife)
Reference to park life
(Parklife)
Reference to park life
All the people
All the individuals
So many people
A large number of individuals
And they all go hand-in-hand
They all walk together with their hands joined
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
A reference to the unity of individuals walking together through their ordinary park life
All the people
All the individuals
So many people
A large number of individuals
And they all go hand-in-hand
They all walk together with their hands joined
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
A reference to the unity of individuals walking together through their ordinary park life
Parklife
Reference to the ordinary lives in the park
(Parklife)
Reference to park life
Parklife
Reference to the ordinary lives in the park
(Parklife)
Reference to park 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