Their sound is rigorously electronic and their tracks deal with such diverse subjects as: Russian cosmonauts, rubbish compactors and mobile phone ringtones. Musical antecedents and influences include Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, Syd Barrett and Brian Eno.
Komputer's debut album, The World of Tomorrow came out in 1998, as an electro reaction against Oasis’ glorification of The Beatles, substituting Kraftwerk as heroes. Their second album, Market Led was released in 2002, a glitchy slice of mittel-european electronica.
Synthetik, the third album, is a return to the more traditional electro sound of the first album, with the incorporation of a more experimental and contemporary electronica approach.
Looking Down On London
Komputer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Archway road by tube
Up the hill to Suicide bridge
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
To Highgate wood by Parkland Walk
Stop for a pint in Woodman
A bus to the Broadway to meet some friends
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Onto the palace above the park
And Phoenix where we rest again
The sun set and lights take over
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
(Looking down on London)
Looking down on London
(Looking down on London)
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
Looking down on London
The lyrics of Komputer's song, "Looking Down on London," describe the journey of the singer through the different areas of London, starting from the Northern line of the Waterloo underground station, making their way through Archway road by tube, then heading up the hill to a bridge called Suicide bridge. The song title, "Looking Down on London," suggests that the singer is taking a bird's eye view of the city as they go along their journey. The song also takes us to Highgate Wood by Parkland Walk, where they stop for a pint at the Woodman before taking a bus to the Broadway to meet some friends. The journey continues onto the Palace above the park, probably referring to the famous Alexandra Palace and then to Phoenix where they rest again. The idea of resting may mislead us to think that the journey ends here but the lyrics end with the description of the sunset, and as the singer observes the lights taking over the city, the song seems to imply to a never-ending journey through London.
The lyrics of "Looking Down on London" suggest an exploration of London's landmarks and local history. Suicide bridge, for instance, is a bridge located in Hornsey Lane, Archway road that was named after several suicide attempts that were made there. Other notable landmarks in the song include Highgate woods, Phoenix cinema, Alexandra Palace, and The Woodman, a renowned pub in Highgate. The song lyrically takes the listener through the different places, providing an avenue to sightsee on a journey through North London.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothern line from Waterloo
I took the Northern line train from Waterloo station
Archway road by tube
I went on the Archway road through the subway
Up the hill to Suicide bridge
I climbed up the hill until I reached the Suicide bridge
Looking down on London
From the top of the Suicide bridge, I had a view of London from above
To Highgate wood by Parkland Walk
I walked through Parkland Walk to reach Highgate wood
Stop for a pint in Woodman
I took a break at Woodman to have a pint of beer
A bus to the Broadway to meet some friends
I caught a bus to the Broadway to meet some friends
Onto the palace above the park
I went to the palace located above the park
And Phoenix where we rest again
I went to Phoenix to rest once more
The sun set and lights take over
As the sun set, the city lights of London came on
Looking down on London
Again, I had a view of London from above
Looking down on London
Looking down on London once again
Looking down on London
Looking down on the beautiful and vibrant city of London
Looking down on London
From each of these places, I witnessed the magnificent city from above
(Looking down on London)
Repeating the experience of taking in the panoramic views of London
Looking down on London
The song's narrator remains in love with the city and his life in it
(Looking down on London)
His affection for the city is evident as he repeats his joyous view of the city
Looking down on London
The final line narrates that there's no place he would rather be than in London, looking down on it from one of the many elevated spots in the city
Contributed by Samuel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.