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)
Tender
Blur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lying by your side
Tender is the touch
Of someone that you love too much
Tender is the day
The demons go away
Lord I need to find
Someone who can heal my mind
Come on, come on, come on
Get through it
Come on, come on, come on
Love's the greatest thing
Come on, come on, come on
Get through it
Come on, come on, come on
Love's the greatest thing
That we have
I'm waiting for that feeling
I'm waiting for that feeling
Waiting for that feeling to come
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Tender is the ghost
The ghost I love the most
Hiding from the sun
Waiting for the night to come
Tender is my heart
I'm screwing up my life
Lord I need to find
Someone who can heal my mind
Come on, come on, come on
Get through it
Come on, come on, come on
Love's the greatest thing
Come on, come on, come on
Get through it
Come on, come on, come on
Love's the greatest thing
That we have
I'm waiting for that feeling
I'm waiting for that feeling
Waiting for that feeling to come
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Come on, come on, come on
Get through it
Come on, come on, come on
Love's the greatest thing
Come on, come on, come on
Get through it
Come on, come on, come on
Love's the greatest thing
That we have
I'm waiting for that feeling
I'm waiting for that feeling
Waiting for that feeling to come
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Tender is the night
Lying by your side
Tender is the touch
Of someone that you love too much
Tender is my heart you know
I'm screwing up my life
Oh lord I need to find
Someone who can heal my mind
Come on, come on, come on
Get through it
Come on, come on, come on
Love's the greatest thing
Come on, come on, come on
Get through it
Come on, come on, come on
Love's the greatest thing
That we have
I'm waiting for that feeling
I'm waiting for that feeling
Waiting for that feeling to come
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
Oh why
Oh my
Oh my baby
Oh my baby
In "Tender" by Blur, the lyrics describe the experience of feeling love and seeking comfort from someone who can heal the singer's mind. The song begins with the line "Tender is the night," which is a reference to the title of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "Tender Is the Night." The reference suggests that the night symbolizes a time of emotional vulnerability, and the singer is lying by the side of someone they love, seeking comfort and affection.
The second verse describes the experience of loving someone deeply, which can be both beautiful and painful. The singer describes his heart as "tender," despite the fact that he is self-destructing and needs someone to heal his mind. The chorus of the song is a call to action, urging the listener to "get through it" and find love because it is the "greatest thing" that we have. The repetition of this phrase suggests that love is the solution to the singer's problems.
The final verse repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the power of being close to someone that you love. The song ends with the repetition of the phrase "Oh my baby," which conveys a sense of tenderness and affection towards the object of the singer's affection.
Line by Line Meaning
Tender is the night
The night is warm and inviting, like the touch of the person beside the singer.
Lying by your side
The singer is beside someone they deeply love.
Tender is the touch
Being loved too much and the soft touch of the person who loves too much is gentle and heartwarming.
Of someone that you love too much
The emotional attachment between two people is so strong that it can be overwhelming at times.
Tender is the day
The day becomes softer and easier to handle when the singer is not lonely.
The demons go away
Negative thoughts flee when one is surrounded by love.
Lord I need to find
The singer is yearning for a soulmate to serve as a healer for their mind.
Someone who can heal my mind
The singer is searching for a person who will assist in repairing his damaged psyche.
Come on, come on, come on
The singer urges himself to stay strong and persevere.
Get through it
The singer is encouraging himself to power through his emotional turmoil.
Love's the greatest thing
Love is the world's most important and cherished emotion.
That we have
The singer believes love is humanity's essential possession.
I'm waiting for that feeling
The singer is longing for the exhilaration that love provides.
Waiting for that feeling to come
The singer is waiting for love to enter his life.
Oh my baby
The singer is addressing the person he loves.
Oh why
The singer may be trying to understand why love can sometimes be so difficult.
Tender is the ghost
The memories of one's lost love can be as soft and bittersweet as a faint apparition.
The ghost I love the most
Among all the memories, the singer treasures the memories that bring him a sense of peace and joy.
Hiding from the sun
The singer may be shielding himself from the harsh reality of living without his loved one.
Waiting for the night to come
The singer is anticipating the moment when he can let go of his worries in the darkness, as he waits for the dawn and the chance of new love.
Tender is my heart
The singer's recent heartbreak frightens him.
I'm screwing up my life
The singer acknowledges that his mind and life are in disarray.
Oh lord I need to find
The singer seeks guidance to heal from his pain.
Someone who can heal my mind
The singer searches for someone who can assist him in overcoming his emotional distress.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Alexander De Horne Rowntree, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Steven Alexander James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind