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)
St Louis
Blur Lyrics
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Something is wrong
I kill that man
From your own shoulders down
And here comes an empty
People look at each other like me
I don't want to be
I don't want to be he-here
I don't want to be he-here
'Cause there's nothing
Here to be
St. Louis song
Where has the good thing gone?
Dreaming himself to hell
Stuck in his good cell
He's still trying to suffer
Left handed stop
I don't want to be
I don't want to be he-here
I don't want to be
I don't want to be he-here
Oh
I'm not trying to suffer
Left handed stop
I don't want to be
I don't want to be he-here
I don't want to be
I don't want to be he-here
The lyrics of Blur's song "St. Louis" depict a sense of confusion and existential crisis. The song presents a narrator who seems to feel disconnected from the world around him, and it's unclear what has caused this alienation. The opening lines of the song, "Something is wrong/I kill that man/From your own shoulders down," create a feeling of unease and uncertainty, as the listener does not know who the man is or why he has been killed.
The lyrics then move on to present a bleak picture of society, with people looking at each other with confusion and the singer feeling like he doesn't want to be in his own skin. The chorus repeats the phrase "I don't want to be here," which underscores the sense of isolation and disconnection that the singer is experiencing.
Later in the song, the lyrics shift to focus on the character of St. Louis, who seems to be trapped in his own mind or in some kind of physical prison. The line "Dreaming himself to hell/Stuck in his good cell" suggests that he is suffering despite outward appearances of success or stability.
Overall, "St. Louis" is a song that explores themes of alienation, confusion, and a sense of being trapped. The lyrics are cryptic and open to interpretation, which adds to the overall sense of unease and uncertainty that pervades the song.
Line by Line Meaning
St. Louis song
Starting the song with the title of the song
Something is wrong
Something is not right here
I kill that man
The singer admits to killing a person
From your own shoulders down
The weight of this action is heavy and affecting everyone around
And here comes an empty
Something empty and hollow is arriving
People look at each other like me
The people around are feeling the same way as the singer
I don't want to be
The singer does not want to be where they currently are
I don't want to be he-here
The artist feels trapped and wants to escape
I don't want to be
Repeating the desire to not be in that situation
I don't want to be he-here
Repeating the feeling of being trapped
'Cause there's nothing
There's nothing worthwhile in this situation
Here to be
There's nothing to gain from being in this situation
St. Louis song
Repeating the title of the song
Where has the good thing gone?
Asking about the disappearance of something good
Dreaming himself to hell
The singer is stuck in a negative dream-like state
Stuck in his good cell
The artist feels trapped in a comfortable but unfulfilling situation
He's still trying to suffer
Despite feeling stuck, the artist is still trying to suffer through it
Left handed stop
A sudden interruption, possibly symbolic of how unexpected events interrupt the singer's life
I'm not trying to suffer
The singer does not want to suffer anymore
Left handed stop
Repeating the sudden interruption
I don't want to be
Repeating the desire to escape
I don't want to be he-here
Ending the song with the same feeling of being trapped and wanting to escape
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alexander James Steven, Alexander Rowntree David, Damon Albarn, Graham Leslie Coxon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind