Initially titled “Ode To Idaho,” the song was first played on the 30th of September, 2017 at a concert for the US Humanz tour, at KeyArena, Seattle, and had a place on the tracklist in a number of subsequent performances.
The lyrics detail Damon Albarn’s experiences in Idaho, whilst staying at actor Bruce Willis' ski lodge.
Idaho
Gorillaz Lyrics
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Washed up and feeling blue
Heard the sound of footsteps
Drifting softly to the moon
Looking for clear water
I had to take control
Out there in wilderness
Playing it all for gods
Yesterday
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out of the bus
Silver linings getting lost
Floated out into the woods
To hear the old elk call
Touched a rainbow with my hands
I'm dry, I got 'em all
"Ride on," said the king of cool
You've got nothing to lose
Tinseltown is down the road
It's the bullet of the noose
If you're playing it all for gods
Far away
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out of the bus
Silver linings getting lost
The lyrics of Gorillaz's song "Idaho" depict a journey of self-discovery in the vast wilderness of the American state. The singer washes up feeling blue on the silver lake, looking for clarity, control and answers to the meaning of their existence. The sound of footsteps leads them to a moonlit path, and they encounter the beauty of the road as well as the wilderness. There are bullet holes and nooses, which suggest a sense of danger and the fleeting nature of life. The singer touches a rainbow with their hands, which is a symbol of hope and transcendence. Ultimately, they are urged to ride on towards Tinseltown, but the lyrics suggest that the real meaning of life lies away from civilization, in the quiet beauty of places like Idaho.
This song can be interpreted as a meditation on the human condition and the search for meaning in a world that can be both beautiful and harsh. The setting of Idaho adds a specific context to the lyrics, as the state is known for its natural beauty, rugged landscapes, and as an escape from the urban chaos. The lyrics express the idea that it is through exploring the roads less traveled and seeking out beauty in unexpected places that one can find deeper meaning and purpose in life. The song's melody and instrumentation are haunting, with a mix of acoustic guitar, strings and electronic beats that perfectly capture the mood of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I landed on the silver lake
I arrived at the tranquil lake with a blue and melancholic feeling.
Washed up and feeling blue
I was exhausted and sad upon arrival.
Heard the sound of footsteps
I perceived the sound of someone approaching.
Drifting softly to the moon
The footsteps were barely audible and seemed to fade into the moonlight.
Looking for clear water
I searched for pure and clean water.
I had to take control
I realized that I needed to take charge of my situation.
Out there in wilderness
I found myself in the middle of nature.
Another bullet hole
I saw yet another sign of destruction caused by careless humans.
Playing it all for gods
Living life to the fullest and taking risks as if the outcome is determined by fate.
Yesterday
In the past.
Idaho, Idaho
The state of Idaho has become a symbol for my journey.
There's a beauty on the road
The path I'm taking is full of wonders.
And everyday I look out of the bus
Every day I gaze out of the vehicle I'm riding in.
Silver linings getting lost
The advantages of life are becoming harder to see.
Floated out into the woods
I let myself drift out into the forest.
To hear the old elk call
I listened for the sound of the ancient elk.
Touched a rainbow with my hands
I felt as though I could touch the colors of the rainbow.
I'm dry, I got 'em all
I've experienced everything there is to experience.
"Ride on," said the king of cool
"Keep going," said the person who exudes confidence.
You've got nothing to lose
You have no reason to hold back or play it safe.
Tinseltown is down the road
Hollywood, the place of glitz and glam, is approaching.
It's the bullet of the noose
It's a dangerous path to follow.
If you're playing it all for gods
If one is living life to the fullest as if fate has already decided the outcome.
Far away
In the distance.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAMON ALBARN, JAMES ELLIS FORD, REMI KABAKA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miki Gibbs
LYRICS
I landed on the silver lake
Washed up and feeling blue
Heard the sound of footsteps
Drifting softly to the Moon
Looking for clear water
I had to take control
Out there in wilderness
Another bullet hole
Playing it all for gods
Yesterday
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out on the bus
At silver linings getting lost
Floated out into the woods
To hear the old elk call
Touched the rainbow with my hands
On dry I got 'em all
"Ride on," said the king of cool
You've got nothing to lose
Tinsel town is down the road
It's the bullet or the noose
If you're playing it all for gods
Far away
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out on the bus
At silver linings getting lost
Anthony529
[Verse 1]
I landed on the silver lake
Washed up and feeling blue
Heard the sound of footsteps
Drifting softly to the moon
Looking for clear water
I had to take control
Out there in wilderness
Another bullet hole
[Pre-Chorus]
Playing it all for gods
Yesterday
[Chorus]
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out of the bus
Silver linings getting lost
[Verse 2]
Floated out into the woods
To hear the old elk call
Touched a rainbow with my hands
I'm dry, I got 'em all
"Ride on," said the king of cool
You've got nothing to lose
Tinseltown is down the road
It's the bullet of the noose
[Pre-Chorus]
If you're playing it all for gods
Far away
[Chorus]
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out of the bus
Silver linings getting lost
SkicoNow
LYRICS:
I landed on the silver lake
Washed up and feeling blue
Heard the sound of footsteps
Drifting softly to the moon
Looking for clear water
I had to take control
Out there in wilderness
Another bullet hole
Playing it all for gods
Yesterday
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out of the bus
Silver linings getting lost
Floated out into the woods
To hear the old elk call
Touched a rainbow with my hands
I'm dry, I got 'em all
"Ride on," said the king of cool
You've got nothing to lose
Tinseltown is down the road
It's the bullet of the noose
If you're playing it all for gods
Far away
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out of the bus
Silver linings getting lost
Evelyn Hernandez
Aterricé en el lago de plata
(I landed on the silver lake)
Lavado y sensación de azul.
(Washed up and feeling blue)
Escuché el sonido de pasos.
(Heard the sound of footsteps)
Derivando suavemente a la luna
(Drifting softly to the moon)
Buscando agua clara
(Looking for clear Water)
Tuve que tomar el control
(I had to take control)
Allá afuera en el desierto
(Out there in wilderness)
Otro agujero de bala
(Another bullet hole)
Jugando todo para dioses
(Playing it all for gods)
Ayer
(Yesterday)
Idaho, Idaho
Idaho, Idaho
Hay una belleza en la carretera.
(There's a beauty on the road)
Y todos los días miro fuera del autobús.
(And everyday I look out of the bus)
Revestimientos de plata perdiéndose
(Silver linings getting lost)
Flotó hacia el bosque
(Floated out into the woods)
Para escuchar la vieja alce llamada
(To hear the old elk call)
Tocó un arco iris con mis manos.
(Touched a rainbow with my hands)
Estoy seco, los tengo todos
(I'm dry, I got 'em all)
"Sigue adelante", dijo el rey de la calma.
("Ride on, " said the king of cool)
Tienes
(You've got…)
❤️
Ouroboros Shitposting Department
Back when I was little, I used to visit Tennessee. My grandfather owned a massive farm north of Nashville, and there was a forest perfect for exploring on the property. There were also some barns full of odds and ends such as tractors and even an old payphone, and of course two ponds perfect for skipping stones or making little boats from milk cartons.
We had many grand adventures, and my father told me about what he did on the land while he was growing up - this was his childhood home.
And the lands surrounding were also full of adventures and memories, such as town of Portland up north, or the hill where my father totaled his first car, the airport that my grandfather predicted in his dreams, the and the ghost town of Mitchellville, where the story all began.
In 2015 my grandfather died. We devoted our summer visit that year to his funeral. It was Father's Day weekend, and my dad was heartbroken by the irony. We buried him right next to his wife, who passed away some 12 years earlier (he had remarried). That December (our usual time for visiting Tennessee) we took one last trip to see the folks that were left down there, and I have never set foot in Tennessee since.
I wonder what happened to that old farm? My grandfather called in some loggers to raze the forest shortly before he died and the farmland has slowly been sold to make room for residential developments. Have they taken over?
How is the old church on the next hill down the road? And what ever became of the 109 Family Restaurant in town? Is that old gas station where some uncle of mine watched his car burn to the ground still up on the hill?
This song makes me think about those days. Days that will never return, sadly. I wanna come back there one day, to take our old farm on a hill back...
Alpha purp
I landed on the silver lake
Washed up and feeling blue
Heard the sound of footsteps
Drifting softly to the moon
Looking for clear water
I had to take control
Out there in wilderness
Another bullet hole
Playing it all for gods
Yesterday
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out of the bus
Silver linings getting lost
Floated out into the woods
To hear the old elk call
Touched a rainbow with my hands
I'm dry, I got 'em all
"Ride on, " said the king of cool
You've got nothing to lose
Tinseltown is down the road
It's the bullet of the noose
If you're playing it all for gods
Far away
Idaho, Idaho
There's a beauty on the road
And everyday I look out of the bus
Silver linings getting lost
Personal use
Harriz Burhan
Oh joy's arise
The sun has come again to hold you
Sailing out the doldrums of the whole week
The polyphonic prairies here, it's all around you
It's all around you, out here
And if the whole world is crashing down
Fall through space out of mind again
Where the emptiness we leave behind on warm air rising
Blows all the shadows far away
The falling alcohol empire, is here to hold you
Rolling out and haunted 'til it sleeps
Little memories, marching on
Your little feet, working the machine
Will it spin, will it soar
My little dream, working the machine
Soon like a wave that pass will fall
And closing in on you they're going on
Little memories
Your little feet, working the machine
Will it spin, will it soar
My little dream, working the machine
Soon like a wave that pass will fall
And closing in on you they're going on
Flower Blossom
What I love about “The Now Now” is that all the songs are so calm and chill. You can play them in the background as you chill and draw, think, write, or do anything. It’s just beautiful.
monky_beets
Alese Madeline beats to study to
Shiron
Woman of culture
Zenssei
Well songs like tranz are a little more upbeat but yes
Ivan D
Alese Madeline Gosh, just wanted ti comment the same thing 😀
Flower Blossom
Zenssei Very true. Tranz is one of my favorites.
Sketching Studio
(Main Albums)
Gorillaz: Every genre packed into one
Demon Dayz: Action-packed, every song is different but they all fit together
Plastic Beach: Semi-psychedelic, calm but energetic
Humanz: Heavy and digital, very collaborative
The Now Now: Relaxed, calm, a bit of a throwback
Hdi Pan
what about the fall?
x o
the fall?
Hdi Pan
@x o yeah, you know, that album that was made entirely in an ipad, during the plastic beach tour