One of his projects is the supergroup The Good, The Bad & The Queen, where he plays the keyboard and sings. Other members of the band are Paul Simonon (bass, The Clash), Simon Tong (guitar, The Verve) and Tony Allen (drums, percussion). Their album (released in early 2007) is produced by DJ Danger Mouse (producer of Gorillaz album "Demon Days", member of Gnarls Barkley).
The Marvelous Dream Songfacts says that another of his projects is Dr Dee, an opera created by Albarn with theatre director Rufus Norris. The work is based on the life of Dr. John Dee (1527-1608), an Elizabethan courtier who was also a mathematician, alchemist, astrologer, spiritualist, philosopher and spy. The opera’s debut performance was at the Palace Theatre, Manchester in July 2011, as part of the 2011 Manchester International Festival. The soundtrack was released on May 8, 2012 by Virgin.
Years active : 1989–present
Hostiles
Damon Albarn Lyrics
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And the parish shuffled some
And the May frequencies come
To keep you away
When your body aches
From the arms of dreams you keep
And the hours passed by
Just left on repeat
It'll be a silent day
I'll share with you
Fighting off the hostiles
With whom we collude
Hoping to find the key
To this play of communications
Between you and me
When the LCD
Are all the player ones you can be
Put your foot down in the right hand lane
If you are with me
'Til the trains re-route
And the rush-hour is come
And the May frequencies
Have sent you to sleep
It'll be a silent day
I'll share with you
Fighting off the hostiles
With whom we collude
Hoping to find the key
To this play of communications
Between you and me
Don't burn so
Don't burn so
Don't burn so late
Don't burn so
Don't burn
Don't burn so late
It'll be a silent day
I'll share with you
Fighting off the hostiles
With whom we collude
Hoping to find the key
To this play of communications
Between you and me
In Damon Albarn's song "Hostiles," the lyrics paint a picture of two people fighting off external forces through their shared silence. The song begins with the imagery of the end of a church service, with the parishioners shuffling out and leaving, and "May frequencies" coming in. This line could be interpreted as the harshness of reality seeping in after a moment of peace, represented by the church service. The chorus comes in, with the two characters fighting off "hostiles" together, determined to find the key to better communication between them despite outside forces.
The second verse brings in a video game-like reference, with the LCD representing a screen displaying all the different players. The line "Put your foot down in the right hand lane" feels like a challenge, to stay strong and together even when the going gets tough. The song ends with the repeated refrain of "Don't burn so late," perhaps a reminder to take care of oneself and one's relationships before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
When the serve is done
After a task is completed
And the parish shuffled some
And the people moved on to other things
And the May frequencies come
The annoying sounds of springtime animals
To keep you away
Disturbing sounds that make it difficult to communicate
When your body aches
When you’re physically tired
From the arms of dreams you keep
From the dreams you wish to hold tight to
And the hours passed by
And the time kept passing
Just left on repeat
Replaying the same thing over and over again
It'll be a silent day
A day without noise
I'll share with you
I’ll spend it with you
Fighting off the hostiles
Resisting the harmful forces
With whom we collude
With whom we work together for our common interest
Hoping to find the key
Trying to uncover the answer
To this play of communications
To the game of exchanging information
Between you and me
Between the two of us
When the LCD
When the screens are on
Are all the player ones you can be
When you’re just performing as expected
Put your foot down in the right hand lane
Drive recklessly if you’re with me
If you are with me
You should be racing with me
'Til the trains re-route
Until there’s a change in our plan
And the rush-hour is come
And the traffic is at its peak
And the May frequencies
And the sounds of wildlife
Have sent you to sleep
Have made you fall asleep
Don't burn so
Don't exhaust yourself
Don't burn so late
Don't exhaust yourself until it's too late
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAMON ALBARN, RICHARD RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind