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 It was nominated for the Mercury Prize, but the nomination was withdrawn at the band's request.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.
White Flag
Gorillaz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I ain't lost and this ain't shipwrecked
I feel small in this big wide world
A mummy ain't said 'Honey, I shrunk the kids' yet
I ain't Jesus but I'm walkin' on water
There's no bombs here, there's no walkers
I can break out of jail with a lighter
So is there any point in making laws, blud
I nearly suffocated when I touched the shore
No rain, condoms it poured and up the road
You'll never guess who I saw
Uh, uh, uh, it's K-A
Look, skip on the beat like Ali in the gym
Honey I'm home this is where I wanna live
Just found it like Nemo on the d-low
I don't know if it's greener, but it's green though
On the other side of the fence, bind to the ends
No fence, no stress, no rent, no superficial shit, this real flow
Where the women look hot, but the beach cold
And the speech goes like, hi little lady
Sex on the beach, wanna try for a baby
Word in the village, I'm a little bit crazy
Swag up on a hundred degrees, no eighty
Look, if heaven had a V-I-P, uh, this is it, white sand, blue sea
But I don't know who they are and I'm damn sure they don't know me
But I come in peace
Cool, white flag, white flag
No war
No guns
No Corps
Just life
Just love
No hype
Just fun
No ties
Just me and my mind
Just me and my wife
But tell me if I'm dreamin'
'Cause I don't wanna wake up 'til the evenin'
And I don't wanna be left sleepin'
From all the diseases that I breathe in
Look, respect the island, no stealin'
And don't bring religion here, no three kings
It's great and we ain't leavin'
We come on in peace, sing
White flag?
White flag
The song White Flag by Gorillaz talks about the desire for peace and tranquility in a world that seems chaotic and full of violence. The lyrics feature a person who feels small in the grand scheme of things and yet capable of doing incredible things like walking on water or breaking out of jail with just a lighter. The person is in search of a place to call home, a place where they can escape from the superficial things in life and just be themselves. They want to live without any conflicts or wars, just life, and love.
The song also talks about the importance of respecting other cultures and not imposing one's beliefs onto others. The singer emphasizes the need to leave religion out of this little piece of paradise they have found, stating, "don't bring religion here, no three kings." The lyrics also touch on how diseases can easily spread and how important it is to have respect for the environment to prevent things like theft from occurring.
Overall, the song is a call for a peaceful existence in a world filled with chaos and violence. It emphasizes the importance of respecting others, appreciating the environment, and finding a place to call home where one can live in harmony with the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Look, yo, no castaway, no survivor
I'm not a castaway on this island nor I'm struggling to survive
I ain't lost and this ain't shipwrecked
I'm not lost on this island nor I've gone through a shipwreck
I feel small in this big wide world
Although I'm not lost, I feel insignificant and diminutive in this vast world
A mummy ain't said 'Honey, I shrunk the kids' yet
Contrary to what the movie implies, I feel tiny because the world is gigantic, not because I'm physically small
I ain't Jesus but I'm walkin' on water
I don't have supernatural powers, but I feel like I can achieve impossible things
There's no bombs here, there's no walkers
There are no threats or dangers on this island
I can break out of jail with a lighter
I have the skills and resources to get out of a difficult situation effortlessly
So is there any point in making laws, blud
Since there are no hazards or risks, there's no need to establish rules or regulations
This ain't Atlantis, are you sure
I doubt this island has a legendary city like Atlantis
I nearly suffocated when I touched the shore
The first encounter with this island was intense and overwhelming
No rain, condoms it poured and up the road
I found an unexpected situation here where items that were supposed to be rare and scarce seemed to be abundant
You'll never guess who I saw
I found someone surprising or unexpected, but I won't reveal their identity
Uh, uh, uh, it's K-A
The next segment of the song is presented by K-A
Look, skip on the beat like Ali in the gym
K-A is rapping flawlessly like Muhammad Ali used to box in the gym
Honey I'm home this is where I wanna live
K-A feels at home on this island and wants to stay here
Just found it like Nemo on the d-low
K-A discovered this island recently, like Nemo on the down low
I don't know if it's greener, but it's green though
K-A doesn't know if this grass is greener than the one on the other side, but it's still green
On the other side of the fence, bind to the ends
The other side of the fence may have limits, but this island has none
No fence, no stress, no rent, no superficial shit, this real flow
On this island, there are no physical or metaphorical fences, no obligations or anxieties, no superficial or fake things, only the real and genuine lifestyle
Where the women look hot, but the beach cold
The women are attractive on this island, but the beach is cold, which could be a metaphor referring to the practical difficulties of living here
And the speech goes like, hi little lady
K-A greets the ladies on this island
Sex on the beach, wanna try for a baby
K-A is implying an erotic desire to conceive a child on this island
Word in the village, I'm a little bit crazy
K-A's reputation in the local village is that he's a bit crazy
Swag up on a hundred degrees, no eighty
K-A's confidence and style are high, 100%, not 80%
Look, if heaven had a V-I-P, uh, this is it, white sand, blue sea
K-A considers this island as a VIP heaven with white sandy beaches and blue sea
But I don't know who they are and I'm damn sure they don't know me
Despite the beauty and attractiveness of the island, K-A has no idea who the inhabitants are, and they probably have no idea who he is either
But I come in peace
K-A wants to clarify that he poses no threat and wants to establish a peaceful relationship with the locals
Cool, white flag, white flag
The next segment of the song begins with repetition of the phrase 'white flag'
No war
The first 'white flag' is interpreted as a symbol of peace and an end to war
No guns
The second 'white flag' implies no weapons or violence
No Corps
The third 'white flag' may refer to ending the involvement or presence of corporations or military forces
Just life
The fourth 'white flag' indicates that only life matters
Just love
The fifth 'white flag' is seen as a representation of love and compassion
No hype
The sixth 'white flag' refers to avoiding exaggerated or misleading promotion
Just fun
The seventh 'white flag' emphasizes the joy and pleasure of living
No ties
The eighth 'white flag' is associated with the absence of obligatory or binding relations
Just me and my mind
The ninth 'white flag' emphasizes the importance of free thinking
Just me and my wife
The tenth 'white flag' highlights the bond between the singer and their spouse
But tell me if I'm dreamin'
The singer is unsure if this lifestyle is a dream or reality
'Cause I don't wanna wake up 'til the evenin'
Regardless of the scenario, the singer wants to prolong the pleasure of living here for as long as possible, ideally until sunset
And I don't wanna be left sleepin'
The singer doesn't want to miss anything while sleeping or be left behind
From all the diseases that I breathe in
The lifestyle here may be perceived to be so enjoyable that even the air may contain contagious diseases, which the singer is willing to risk exposure to
Look, respect the island, no stealin'
The singer urges others to respect this island and refrain from stealing or committing any other form of unlawful behavior
And don't bring religion here, no three kings
The singer is warning against introducing any religious controversies or customs to this island
It's great and we ain't leavin'
The singer enjoys this island so much and has no intentions of leaving
We come on in peace, sing
The singer's group arrived with peaceful intentions, and they sing to express their contentment with this lifestyle
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAMON ALBARN, BASHY, JAMIE HEWLETT, KANO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@beggarsbazooka9517
Welcome to Plastic Beach:
-No war
-No guns
-No corps
-Just life
-Just love
-No high
-Just fun
-No time
-Just him and his mind
-Just him and his wife
-No stealing
-No religion
-Integrated
-They ain't leavin'
-They come on a peace ting
-White Flag?
-White Flag
@PlaneSpotter505
Hey, look, yo
No castaway, no survivor
I ain't lost and this ain't shipwrecked
I feel small in this big wide world
And mommy ain't said: Honey I shrunk the kids, yet
I ain't Jesus, but I'm walkin' on water
There's no bombs here, there's no war
'Cause I can break out of jail with a lighter
So is there any point in makin' laws blood?
This ain't Atlantis, are you sure?
I nearly suffocated when I touched the shore
No rain, condoms it poured
And up the road, you'd never guess who I saw
Uh, uh, uh, it's K-A
Look, skip on the beat like Ali in the gym
Honey, I'm home this is where I wanna live
Just found it like Nemo
On the D-low
I don't know if it's greener
But it's green though
On the other side of the fence
Bye to the ends
Look, no feds, no stress, no rent, no superficial shit
This real flow
Where the women look hot, but the beach cold
And the speech goes like: Hi, little lady
Sex on the beach, wanna try for a baby
Word in the village, I'm a little bit crazy
Swag up on a hundred degrees, no A/C
Look, if heaven had a VIP
Uh, this is it, white sand, blue sea
But I don't know who they are
And I'm damn sure they don't know me
But I come in peace
Cool, white flag, white flag
Aha, no war
No guns, no corps
Just life
Just love, no hype
Just fun, no ties
Just me and my mind
Just me and my wife
But tell me if I'm dreamin'
'Cause I don't wanna wake up 'til the evenin'
And I don't wanna be left sleepin'
From all the diseases that I breathe in
Look, respect the island, no stealin'
And don't bring religion here, no three kings
Integrate and then we ain't leavin'
We come on a peace, sing
White flag?
White flag
@CaliberBeats
I was not ready for logo to be wavy come on man
@sainthunny
same. I was asking people if it was moving
@xXVampirePrincessXx
YOU JUST MADE ME REALIZE THAT IT MOVING.
@ImranKhan-lv9ii
+Laika come home .
@josephbailey2647
@@xXVampirePrincessXx SAME
@imhereandwantdateaowo5280
WaVy
@WithADashOfPazazz
this song is a 1000 better when you remember this is murdoc's vision.
@patriciamadrazo2616
Wait, what?
@dystopictapez208
What?
@brandonjacques5693
What do you mean??