Born to Ugandan parents on the St Raphael's Estate in Harlesden, London, George began performing rap and grime when he was 15 years old. He attended Queen Elizabeth's School in Barnet and studied politics, psychology and sociology at King's College, Cambridge.
In May 2012, he premiered the piece My City. Subsequently, BBC Radio 1 selected him as the face of their Hackney Weekend. He signed to Island Records in August 2013.
In October 2014, Mpanga released the EP The Chicken and the Egg and the single 1,2,1,2 (once again with Bodhi).
2015 saw the release of Cat D and Wotless.
http://iamgeorgethepoet.co.uk
1212
George the Poet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only a strange feeling,
Sleeping without falling.
I'll try another World
Where the water is not blue anymore,
Another reallity.
Oh, my baby I love you,
My lady blue.
That I'll never reach.
I seek eternity.
No more sun, no more wind.
Only a strange feeling,
Leaving without moving.
I'll try another World
And the sky slowly fades in my mind.
Just like a memory.
No more reasons, no fears
Only this strange feeling,
Giving without thinking.
Oh, my baby I love you,
My lady blue.
I'm looking for something
I'll never reach.
Baby, I love you
My lady blue.
I'm searching for something
That I'll never reach.
I seek eternity.
The lyrics to George the Poet's song 1212 delve into the themes of longing, nostalgia and the elusive search for something unattainable. The singer expresses a desire to escape his current reality and explore another world where everything is different- the water is not blue anymore, and the sky slowly fades away like a memory. He longs for something beyond the confines of his present existence, seeking a sense of eternity and a feeling of giving without thinking.
The singer's feelings are complex, as he expresses love for his lady blue, but also admits to looking for something he knows he'll never reach. The idea of reaching for something unattainable is a recurring theme, as the singer admits to seeking eternity, which is by definition impossible to grasp. This sense of longing, mixed with a nostalgia for a past that is gone, comes through in the lines "no regrets, no tears, only a strange feeling".
Overall, the lyrics to 1212 evoke a sense of restlessness and a longing for something more, something beyond the grasp of reality. It is a poignant, introspective exploration of the human psyche and our desire to transcend the limitations of our physical existence.
Line by Line Meaning
No regrets, no tears.
There is no sadness or remorse.
Only a strange feeling,
There is a unique and indescribable emotion.
Sleeping without falling.
Sleeping without the sensation of falling.
I'll try another World
I will attempt to find another reality.
Where the water is not blue anymore,
A place where the water is different from what is usual.
Another reallity.
A different and alternate reality.
Oh, my baby I love you,
Expressing love for a significant other.
My lady blue.
A reference to the color blue and to the significant other.
I'm looking for something
Searching for a particular thing or experience.
That I'll never reach.
Knowing that what is being searched for is unattainable.
I seek eternity.
Desiring to accomplish or reach something that is infinite.
No more sun, no more wind.
No longer concerned about the usual forces of nature.
Only a strange feeling,
The same unique and indescribable emotion previously mentioned.
Leaving without moving.
The idea of leaving a place without physically moving.
And the sky slowly fades in my mind.
The idea of memories slowly fading away.
Just like a memory.
The way a memory fades away over time.
No more reasons, no fears
Not being affected by reasons or fears anymore.
Giving without thinking.
Providing without any forethought.
Baby, I love you
An expression of love for the significant other.
My lady blue.
The reference to the color blue and significant other again.
I'm searching for something
Still attempting to find something.
That I'll never reach.
The same unattainable thing being referenced again.
I seek eternity.
The desire for something unending being mentioned one more time.
Contributed by Jeremiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@omidbehi6842
Lyrically: thoughtful, simple, profound, and uplifting. Musically: BANGING.
@ngxdcooldudefam
Omid Behi I like the combo of completely correct descriptors and the addition of the slang. Considering that this is YouTube and you said that, I respect you like I respect George.
@McFarlaneMusiic
My friend showed me George the poet when I was having a rough time and I've listened to this everyday since. If I can do it you can too 😊
@frankoceanslover7133
He has an amazing smile
@TheFloeProject
i agree 1 2 1 2 :-)
@dembydish
I'm 55 and i've been playing music for 36 years. I thought this was original, positive and yes poetic. Also very English. Why compare it to American music when it comes from a different cultural place and emphasis? I enjoyed the video, it was full of interesting ideas that were well developed. I'll be looking out for more George the poet. Great!
@saamalam2738
denbydish I very much agree with you
@aayushkasara7297
denbydish the song was released in 2014 btw
@reach2prasanna
Good to know. Share some of your works to us sir.
@TheFloeProject
wow 55 u must b wise iam 13 :)