The roots of Gorillaz can be traced back to 1990, when guitarist Graham Coxon asked cartoonist Jamie Hewlett to interview his newly formed band, Blur. Coxon knew of Hewlett's work drawing the Tank Girl comic strip in Deadline magazine. When Jamie first met the band's lead singer Damon Albarn, the two did not hit it off well. Hewlett initially thought Albarn was "arsey" and "a wanker," but the two remained acquainted and would eventually become roommates in 1997, living in London.
Both Jamie and Damon tell the story of Gorillaz came to be about the same way. They were in their flat watching TV, specifically MTV, and came up with the idea of a "virtual band" as commentary on the vapidity of popular music at the turn of the millennium. Previously the best-known '"cartoon bands" were animated versions of The Monkees and The Beatles that kids could watch on Saturday mornings. But Gorillaz (initially called just "Gorilla") was to be an ambitious musical project with eclectic, genre-bending tunes, unique visuals, and a detailed backstory for how the virtual band came to be.
With Gorillaz, Albarn departed from the distinct Britpop of Blur and explored influences including hip hop, electronic music, and world music through an "eccentrically postmodern" approach. The band's 2001 debut album Gorillaz sold over seven million copies worldwide. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize, but the nomination was withdrawn at the band's request. Their second studio album, Demon Days (2005), went six times platinum in the UK and double platinum in the US, and has sold over eight million copies worldwide. The band has won other awards, including one Grammy Award, two MTV Video Music Awards, an NME Award and three MTV Europe Music Awards.
The third Gorillaz studio album, Plastic Beach, was released in March 2010. The fourth, The Fall, was released in December 2010 as a free download for fan club members, then in April 2011 as a physical release. In 2017, after a five-year hiatus, Gorillaz announced their fifth studio album Humanz. Their sixth studio album, The Now Now, was released on 29 June 2018. Their seventh album, Song Machine, Season 1: Strange Timez, was released in 2020 through a series of episodical music videos. Cracker Island, the band's eighth album, was released on February 24, 2023. Gorillaz have been nominated for ten Brit Awards and won Best British Group at the 2018 Brit Awards.
The Gorillaz characters only appear in animated form and are not alter-egos of real people, as is often mistakenly assumed. There is an extensive fictional back-story behind these band members, written by Albarn and Hewlett. Their albums, several of their music videos, and their autobiographical book Rise Of The Ogre all tell the saga. Damon Albarn is the only permanent musical contributor to the band, which is also a collaboration between various musicians. Their style is broad with a large number of alternative influences including rock, hip-hop, and electronica.
They have released eight studio albums: Gorillaz (2001), Demon Days (2005), Plastic Beach (2010), The Fall (Also in 2010), Humanz (2017), The Now Now (2018), Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez (2020), and Cracker Island (2023). Additionally, they have put out two B-side collections, G-Sides (2001) and D-Sides (2007), and a reggae remix of the Gorillaz album entitled Laika Come Home (2002). The band has also released three DVDs: Phase One: Celebrity Takedown, Demon Days: Live at Manchester Opera House, and Phase Two: Slow Boat To Hades. At the end of 2010, Gorillaz released their next album, The Fall, which was recorded during their US 'Escape to Plastic Beach' tour. It is promoted as being the first album made entirely on iPad. The album is streamed on the Gorillaz website.
The band's first single, Clint Eastwood, was released on 5 March 2001. This single was the first of four from Gorillaz, which was released on 26 March 2001. The other three singles were released over the next year. These were: 19-2000, Rock the House, and Tomorrow Comes Today. The album sold over 7 million copies worldwide and has gone platinum twice in the United Kingdom earning them an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize, but the nomination was later withdrawn at the band's request. Collaborators on the first album included Del tha Funkee Homosapien (often mistaken for a full-time band member), Miho Hatori (formerly of Cibo Matto), Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads.and Ibrahim Ferrer. The album was produced by Dan the Automator of Deltron 3030.
At the end of 2001 the band released another single, 911, which was a collaboration between Gorillaz and rap artists D12, Eminem and Terry Hall. The single would find its way onto the soundtrack to the 2002 action comedy Bad Company.
Their second studio album, Demon Days, was released on 11 May 2005 and included the hit singles Feel Good Inc., DARE, Dirty Harry and Kids With Guns / El Mañana. Demon Days went five times platinum in the UK, double platinum in the United States, and earned five Grammy award nominations for 2006 and won one of them (Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals). Collaborators on this album – produced by Dj Danger Mouse – include De La Soul, Bootie Brown of The Pharcyde, Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays, Neneh Cherry, Ike Turner, MF Doom, Roots Manuva, and Martina Topley-Bird, among others. DARE – the first Gorillaz track featuring lead vocals by Noodle – reached #1 in the UK charts.
In late 2007, Albarn and Hewlett began working on Carousel, a new Gorillaz project which eventually evolved into the band's third studio album, Plastic Beach, which was released 9 March 2010. Albarn said, "I'm making this one the most pop record I've ever made in many ways, but with all my experience to try and at least present something that has got depth.” The album features guest performances by Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Mos Def, Bobby Womack, Gruff Rhys, Mark E. Smith, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Bashy, Kano, De La Soul, Little Dragon, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, sinfonia ViVA, and The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music.
A 3D projection of the group was shown at the 2005 MTV Music Awards and the 2006 Grammys. They also performed at the Brits, in a different format, using screens rather than projections. Gorillaz have performed live in other occasions as well: in 2001 & 2002 they did tours where the musicians played behind screens, and in 2005 & 2006, Gorillaz had five nights in Manchester and New York respectively. This time the screens were behind the musicians, who were visible to the audience only as silhouettes (except for the guest-stars).
Since the band began to achieve mainstream success, there have been rumours of them working on a full-length movie. Some of these have been confirmed, but nothing has gotten beyond planning stages, mainly due to conflicts between the band and studios involved. In 2008, Hewlett said "Ultimately we didn't think that feel we're in a position to make the kind of movie we want to make with Gorillaz at the moment. [...] But I'd still like to make a full, lavishly-animated Gorillaz movie someday."
Albarn and Hewlett created a Pop Opera called Monkey: Journey to the West, which premiered in the summer of 2007 at the Manchester International Festival. A soundtrack album was recorded in the summer as well (initially only digitally available though a CD version was released in 2008). The production went on to show at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris in September-October 2007, the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, USA in May 2008, and the Royal Opera House in London in July 2008.
The duo behind the Pop Opera built on ideas from Monkey: Journey to the West to release a short film in the Summer of 2008 which accompanied the United Kingdom's coverage of the BBC Olympic Coverage in Beijing. It featured a basic outline of the main plot elements of the Opera, reworked into a "Journey to the East", with the characters finishing in the Beijing Olympic Stadium.
Gorillaz headlined the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 2010, as an immediate replacement for U2, who dropped out of performing at the festival.
At the end of 2010 Gorillaz released their next album The Fall made in the hotel rooms during their US tour. It was, when released, the first album to be recorded entirely on an iPad. The album was made available for free to Gorillaz fan club members for a limited time as a digital download – and hard copies were released to worldwide markets in the following year.
In April 2012, Albarn told The Guardian that he and Hewlett had fallen out and that future Gorillaz projects were "unlikely". However, it was later announced by the duo that they had reconciled their difference – and that Noodle, Russel, Murdoc and 2-D would return with a new album in 2017. Featuring collaborations by artists such as album Grace Jones, Kali Uchis, Popcaan, Vince Staples, Mavis Staples, Peven Everett, Pusha T, Kelela, Jamie Principle, D.R.A.M. and Graham Coxon, Humanz was released to critical acclaim; the album would go on to win Gorillaz the 2018 Brit Award for Best British Group. Gorillaz would also collaborate with Carly Simon, Kilo Kish and Rag'n'Bone Man on the Deluxe edition of Humanz, while Little Simz would feature on the single Garage Palace. Another 2017 release was the single Sleeping Powder – supposedly written and recorded in a day. Meanwhile, a solar energy-themed collaboration with E.ON, released in 2017, would later win Gorillaz a Webby Award.
A new album, The Now Now, would follow in 2018. Written by Albarn whilst touring Humanz – and featuring two collaborations, including the return of Snoop Dogg and Jamie Principle as well as George Benson and Graham Coxon – The Now Now spawned six singles, including Humility, Tranz, and Lake Zürich. Murdoc was unable to enjoy the band's success for the time being as he was undergoing a stint in jail for an undisclosed malefaction; he was replaced on bass for Ace Copular – who most famously played Ace of the Gangreen Gang in the Powerpuff Girls TV series – for the recording of The Now Now; however, Murdoc would later break his way out of prison. Gorillaz saw the year out by securing another Brits nomination for Best British Group as well as winning a second consecutive Webby Award; this time, for the FreeMurdoc chatbot, which provided a way for Gorillaz fans to interact with Murdoc Niccals during his incarceration.
SOUK EYE
Gorillaz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waiting on the planet to turn to me, dark side
If loving you's a felony now, then I'm a renegade, riding
Trying to find tomorrow ain't easy
'Til you dive in
Why you rolling waves over me now, it's all I need, dreaming
Waiting on LA to come find me, be forgiven
Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you're so sad?
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back
On my way through
I wanna stay with you for a long time
I wanna be your stone, love
I wanna see it lay in your eyes
When I'm leaving with your love
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back
'Cause I gotta run soon
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back
On my way through
The lyrics of Gorillaz's song Souk Eye represent the complicated emotions and thoughts of the singer towards their love interest. The opening lines "Anyway is so complicated for me, twilight, waiting on the planet to turn to me, dark side" indicate the confusion and uncertainty the singer feels in their relationship. They struggle to find a clear path forward and feel trapped in their own emotions. The next lines "If loving you's a felony now, then I'm a renegade, riding, trying to find tomorrow and ease in" suggest that the singer is willing to take risks and go against the norm for their love, but they are still searching for peace and clarity.
The following lines "Why you rolling waves over me now, that's all I need, dreaming, waiting on a lady, come find me, be forgiven" show the singer's vulnerability and desire for their love interest to provide comfort and understanding. The line "I'll be a regular guy for you, I never said I'd do that" indicates that the singer is willing to change and compromise for their love interest, but they also realize that they cannot completely suppress their true self. The line "Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you're so sad?" highlights the singer's conflicting emotions towards their love interest - they are torn between seeing their beauty and acknowledging their sadness.
The chorus "I will always think about you, that's why I'm calling you back, on my way through" is a plea for the love interest to understand the singer's feelings and to know that they will always be on their mind. The lines "I wanna stay with you for a long time, I wanna be your stone, love, I wanna see it lay in your eyes when I'm leaving with your love" express the singer's desire for a long-lasting relationship and their wish to see their love reflected in their partner's eyes. The final lines "I will always think about you, that's why I'm calling you back, 'cause I gotta run soon" suggest that the singer's relationship is transient and that they will soon have to leave.
Line by Line Meaning
Anyway is so complicated for me, twilight
Life seems complex to me, like the time between day and night
Waiting on the planet to turn to me, dark side
Feeling stuck, waiting for change like the moon waiting for its turn to face the dark side
If loving you's a felony now, then I'm a renegade, riding
Even if loving you is considered wrong, I'll still go against the norm and ride with it like a rebel
Trying to find tomorrow and ease in
Searching for a better tomorrow and some peace of mind
'Til you dive in
Until you join me in this pursuit
Why you rolling waves over me now, that's all I need, dreaming
Your presence alone is enough to make me feel content and fulfilled, creating a dream-like state
Waiting on a lady, come find me, be forgiven
Longing for a woman to come to me and provide forgiveness and possibly redemption
I'll be a regular guy for you, I never said I'd do that
I'm willing to be a normal, average person for you, even though that may not be what I originally planned
Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you're so sad?
Despite your sadness, I still find you stunningly beautiful and attractive
I will always think about you
You will always be on my mind
That's why I'm calling you back
I'm reaching out because you are constantly on my mind
On my way through
I'm passing through your life, but you will still hold a special place in my heart
I wanna stay with you for a long time, I wanna be your stone, love
I wish to stay with you for a significant amount of time and be a solid, unchanging presence in your life
I wanna see it lay in your eyes when I'm leaving with your love
I want to witness the love and affection reflected in your eyes when I have to depart and take your love with me
I gotta run soon
Unfortunately, I have to leave soon
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Damon Albarn, James Ellis Ford, Remi Kabaka
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juansanchez3839
Lyrics:
L.A, you're so complicated for me, twilight
Waiting on the planet to turn to me, dark side
If loving you's a felony now, then I'm a renegade, riding
Trying to find tomorrow ain't easy 'til you dive in
Why you rolling waves over me now? That's all I need, dreaming
Waiting on a lady, come find me, be forgiven
I'll be a regular guy for you, I never said I'd do that
Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you so sad?
I will always think about you!!!
That's why I'm calling you back on my way through
...
I wanna stay with you for a long time; I wanna be stone, love
I wanna see it lay in your eyes when I'm leaving with your love
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back, 'cause I got to run soon
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back on my way through...
@jamiesibert6659
"I'll wait to be forgiven
Maybe I never will
My star has left me
To take the bitter pill
That shattered feeling well the cause of its a lesson learned" -Murdoc wrote To Binge
"come find me, be forgiven
I'll be a regular guy for you, I never said I'd do that
Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you're so sad? I will always think about you that's why I'm calling you back on my way through" - 2D wrote Souk Eye
@orangejuice6360
I personally feel like it's really good as its own thing, 2D's solo album, instead of it being Gorillaz' best album
and I'm not saying it because I think your opinion is wrong, but because at least for me personally--
well...
(glares at Demon Days and Plastic Beach)
but I also have my opinions as well, like thinking that the Song Machine album is extremely good even when it's not as amazing as Gorillaz previous gems of albums, or absolutely loving their music video for Superfast Jellyfish, that a lot of fans personally despise it, because the Gorillaz crew chose to do a random song of Plastic Beach for a music video to be done instead of the Rinestone Eyes music video instead, that even has boards and all (that a really talented fan took 6 years of their life doing a fan animation and used the official boards as guidance to make the music video come true!)
https://youtu.be/1-iPq3qWeQQ
although, going back to ya, I can definitely see why you consider The Now Now as being THE best Gorillaz album in your humble opinion
@gabrielavelasquez7375
Lyrics:
[Verse 1: 2-D]
LA why you're so complicated for me, twilight
Waiting on the planet to turn to me, dark side
If loving you's a felony now, then I'm a renegade, riding
Trying to find tomorrow ain't easy 'til you dive in
(Swimming pools)
[Verse 2: 2-D]
Why you rolling waves over me now, that's all I need, dreaming
Waiting on LA to come find me, be forgiven
I'll be a regular guy for you, I never said I'd do that
Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you so sad?
[Chorus]
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back on my way through
[Verse 3: 2-D]
I wanna stay with you for a long time, I want to be stone love
I wanna see LA in your eyes when I'm leaving with your love
[Chorus]
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back, 'cause I got to run soon
[Outro]
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back on my way through
@7grandmac
[Verse 1: 2-D]
LA why you're so complicated for me, twilight
Waiting on the planet to turn to me, dark side
If loving you's a felony now, then I'm a renegade, riding
Trying to find tomorrow ain't easy 'til you dive in
(Swimming pools)
[Verse 2: 2-D]
Why you rolling waves over me now, that's all I need, dreaming
Waiting on LA to come find me, be forgiven
I'll be a regular guy for you, I never said I'd do that
Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you so sad?
[Chorus]
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back on my way through
[Verse 3: 2-D]
I wanna stay with you for a long time, I want to be stone love
I wanna see LA in your eyes when I'm leaving with your love
[Chorus]
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back, 'cause I got to run soon
[Outro]
I will always think about you
That's why I'm calling you back on my way through
@meatwoodflac4526
This song needs a music video it's hauntingly good
@alicasuarez970
It's gonna have a video
@jemoederj
yes yes yes
@kaitlynbannon4567
And you know what? Whenever that video is released, I think it will have something to do with Murdoc.
@nollanoodle5697
swift_cheese animations really?
@ori8728
OMG yes
@youarenowawarepodcast8896
The fact that this song didn't get a music video is a crime. I feel like Souk Eyes and Fireflies could've really had something beautiful- those two songs and ESPECIALLY this one just feel like one in a million to me. Tranz video was still great and it was still a great song, It just hurts a little we never got to see this song in the art form it deserves. Such a beautiful song by an amazing band.
@dawngene4899
True
@lurkinhehe
i plan on making a big animation, mostly all the ideas have been covers but im certain it will be a Gorillaz song
@pietroalmeida9904
@@lurkinhehe man, it's weird a comment 11 hours ago in a comment 5 months ago