All alone
Danger Mouse and Gorillaz Lyrics
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All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
Leviticus, oh
Deuteronomy
Snatch a piece of my wonderin'
Distant-far like yonderin'
Skin of my tooth like
Skin of my boot like
Fly in my soup like
Where's the waitress?
Can't take this, really, can't finish this?
These years and all these creatures
It's my mistake, I'll make it
J-dub to the boom now make it
Bounce-wiggle bounce-wiggle
Shakin' all them bangs out
Chemical cutthroats
Bound to blow the brain out
Cut to the brain
This ain't no game
I'll show no shame
I'll birth this blame
I'm twisted Cain
I'll twist again
I'll push the blade
As plain as day
Known to what these sayers say
Known to what these doers do
It's you and who and you-know-where
We's about to take it there
We's about to make it clear
We happy or we lonesome
The long jump, the beat heart, from start to finish
Ten spoons of spinach
The soul and the spillage
The cup that runneth ovah
We turn up the o-god
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
Close your eyes and see
When there ain't no light
All you'll ever be
Come and save the night
'Cause I don't leave
When the morning comes, it doesn't
Seem to say an awful lot to me
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
All alone, all alone
The lyrics to "All Alone" by Danger Mouse and Gorillaz are abstract and open to interpretation, but there are a few themes worth exploring. The repetition of "all alone" can evoke a feeling of isolation and loneliness, perhaps reflecting the emptiness of modern life. The mention of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, which are books of the Bible that outline laws and commandments, could suggest a sense of constraint or being held back by rules.
Later in the song, there are references to being overwhelmed ("Can't take this, really, can't finish this?"), feeling like an outcast ("Known to what these sayers say"), and the struggle between good and evil ("Cut to the brain / This ain't no game / I'll show no shame / I'll birth this blame") which all further explore a theme of living with internal demons, and the conflict between a life of relative security and chasing an aspiration in life. The chorus's feeling of helplessness implies a desire for a savior to resolve the challenges presented.
One of the most interesting aspects of "All Alone" is the use of animation and virtual characters to convey the song's message. Gorillaz is a virtual band created by British musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett. In the music video for "All Alone," the band members are shown running through a maze-like city as they sing, blending surreal visuals and animation with the song's intense sound. This practice serves to divert attention from the lyrics and focuses more on the message in the video.
Line by Line Meaning
All alone, all alone
The repeated line symbolizes the isolation and loneliness the singer is feeling
Leviticus, oh
Deuteronomy
These religious texts are mentioned to show contrast against the following lines - the singer is struggling with their everyday life despite the presence of established belief systems
Snatch a piece of my wonderin'
Distant-far like yonderin'
Skin of my tooth like
Skin of my boot like
Fly in my soup like
Where's the waitress?
The singer is grappling with a number of small, unusual hassles that are making their life difficult: feeling removed from the world around them ('distant-far like yonderin'), barely getting by ('skin of my tooth like, skin of my boot like'), lacking control ('fly in my soup like'), and being unable to get the help they need ('where's the waitress? / Can't take this, really, can't finish this?'
These years and all these creatures
It's my mistake, I'll make it
The artist takes responsibility for their struggles; they've made mistakes over the years that they're now paying for
J-dub to the boom now make it
Bounce-wiggle bounce-wiggle
Shakin' all them bangs out
Chemical cutthroats
Bound to blow the brain out
The artist's thoughts become jumbled, stringing together stream-of-consciousness references to music (J-Dub to the boom now make it) and violence ('chemical cutthroats, bound to blow the brain out')
Cut to the brain
This ain't no game
The singer is very serious, and they believe that their current situation is not just a test but actually life or death ('this ain't no game')
I'll show no shame
I'll birth this blame
I'm twisted Cain
I'll twist again
I'll push the blade
As plain as day
The singer vows to own up to the things they've done wrong, even if it's difficult or makes them look bad (show no shame /birth this blame), and takes on a sinister tone ('twisted Cain', 'twist again', 'push the blade')
Known to what these sayers say
Known to what these doers do
It's you and who and you-know-where
We's about to take it there
We's about to make it clear
The artist is aware of the opinions of others and how actions impact oneself, but is determined to make a statement despite what others may say, do or think
We happy or we lonesome
The long jump, the beat heart, from start to finish
Ten spoons of spinach
The soul and the spillage
The cup that runneth ovah
We turn up the o-god
The artist muses on the highs and lows of life ('we happy or we lonesome'), the challenges of growth ('the long jump') creative inspiration ('ten spoons of spinach'), vulnerability ('the soul and the spillage'), abundance ('the cup that runneth ovah'), and spirituality ('We turn up the o-god')
Close your eyes and see
When there ain't no light
All you'll ever be
Come and save the night
'Cause I don't leave
When the morning comes, it doesn't
Seem to say an awful lot to me
The final verse doubles down on the loneliness and despair the artist feels, while also showing a glimmer of hope and personal resilience (the possibility of someone else coming to 'save the night')
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brian Burton, Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett, Rodney Smith, Simon Tong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind