As the years progressed, the PiL line-up would change, adding renowned drummer Martin Atkins in 1979 as the direction of the band evolved. Compared to their first three albums, the later 1980’s/early 1990’s period saw a more conventional sound to the musical aspect, but still retaining Lydon’s biting lyrics. The album Compact Disc (aka Album or Cassette, depending on what format you have it on), recorded by Lydon with a slate of studio musicians organized by producer Bill Laswell, is considered the artistic highpoint of this period of PiL’s evolution. PiL reached their commercial zenith with their aptly titled ninth album, 9, during 1989/1990.
PiL kept going as a Lydon project until 1993, when Lydon disbanded the group. Their final lineup consisted of Lydon, Ted Chau (guitar, keyboards), Mike Joyce of The Smiths (drums), John McGeoch of Magazine and Siouxsie and the Banshees (guitar), and Russel Webb (bass).
Albatross
P.I.L. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slow motion
Getting rid of the albatross
Sowing seeds of discontent
I know you very well
You are unbearable
I've seen you up far too close
Getting rid of the albatross
If I wanted
Should I really
If I run away
Run away
Riding along on the crest of the wave
Getting rid of the albatross
Another will not forget
I know you very well
Run away
Run away
Should I
I run away
Getting rid of the albatross
I know you very well
You are unbearable
I see you far too close
If I wanted to
If
Run away
Run away
I ran away
I ran away
The lyrics of P.I.L's song Albatross could be interpreted in different ways depending on the reader's perception. However, one interpretation is that it could be a metaphorical representation of freeing oneself from heavy and burdensome aspects of life. The albatross, which is a bird of the ocean, is often used as a symbol of a weighty burden that needs to be eliminated. Therefore, the lyrics "getting rid of the albatross" may signify letting go of something that weighs one down.
Moreover, the lyrics "sowing seeds of discontent" suggest a feeling of discontentment with one's situation, which could also contribute to the desire to get rid of the albatross. The lines "I know you very well, you are unbearable, I've seen you up far too close" might be a reference to a person or a situation that is difficult to deal with and needs to be removed from one's life. Similarly, "frying rear blinds" may symbolize the act of burning bridges and leaving behind things that don't serve a purpose.
The repeated lines "run away" could indicate the strong urge to escape from something, but the eventual realization and acceptance that running away may not necessarily solve the problem. The ending line "I ran away" could indicate a sense of achieving freedom and breaking free from the burdensome albatross.
Line by Line Meaning
Slow motion
The pace at which we're taking action
Slow motion
The pace at which we're taking action
Getting rid of the albatross
Eliminating the burden that has been holding us down
Sowing seeds of discontent
Planting the seeds of dissatisfaction with the current situation
I know you very well
Having a deep understanding of who you are
You are unbearable
Expressing how difficult it is to deal with you
I've seen you up far too close
Having experienced your presence for too long
Getting rid of the albatross
Reiterating the need to eliminate the burden holding us back
Frying rear blinds
Cooking the back window shades
If I wanted
In case I wanted to
Should I really
Asking oneself whether it's truly necessary
If I run away
In case I choose to flee
Run away
Fleeing from the situation
Riding along on the crest of the wave
Enjoying success or being content with the current state of affairs
Getting rid of the albatross
Reiterating the need to eliminate the obstacle preventing progress
Another will not forget
Others will remember the situation and not let it be forgotten
I know you very well
Reiterating the deep understanding of who you are
Run away
Fleeing from the situation
Run away
Fleeing from the situation
Should I
Asking oneself whether it's truly necessary
I run away
Choosing to flee from the situation
Getting rid of the albatross
Reiterating the need to eliminate the burden that has been holding us down
I know you very well
Having a deep understanding of who you are
You are unbearable
Expressing how difficult it is to deal with you
I see you far too close
Having encountered you for an extended period of time
If I wanted to
If I were to choose to
If
In case
Run away
Fleeing from the situation
Run away
Fleeing from the situation
I ran away
Having already fled from the situation
Contributed by Caleb K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Beefheart1
alreadythere1993 Agreed. I don't understand where all this - seemingly current - culture has come from of turning Lydon into a saint. The only thing I can think of is that it must be kids who don't know any better yet?!?
Irrespective of the tripe and revisionism Lydon continually churns out nowadays, he was not much different to any of his immediate peers. Remember that the original PiL was constituted, largely, of Lydon's friends. Irrespective of Lydon's own "difficult" (shall we say) personality, both Wobble and Levene were what they were a long time prior to joining PiL. So, not only would have Lydon known this (there is some evidence that it was Lydon who set Wobble and Vicious on Nick Kent with (respectively) a knife and bike chain at the 100 Club, for instance, and Lydon always surrounded himself with - and admired - Boot Boys and others with a proclivity for violence. This is the culture that Lydon comes from after all) but he must have also been completely ok with the temperaments of the pair to ask them to join in the initial. I agree that Wobble was something of a thug but, again, Lydon was not averse to bullying and victimising himself. These weren't "pleasant" people at that time.
Further to this, Lydon (a speed freak who smoked dope like it was going out of fashion and daily used alcohol) had little problem with Levene's drug use; indeed, Levene had already been booted out of the fledgling Clash for his substance use, two years prior to Lydon asking him to join PiL, so, Levene's habits were no secret. Indeed, it was more Wobble who progressively had problems with Levene's drug of choice throughout his period in PiL, in regards to how debilitating it became.
The real reasons the original line up of PiL fractured were down to four or five separate elements: the increasingly clashing personalities of damaged people exacerbated by the wholesale group use of differing substances, inactivity - both individually and as a group, money (a big one. Lydon "the people's hero" was notably reticent at making sure his band mates received wages. On top of this, as the band had no manager, their finances were in a mess) and, finally, the final straw for Lydon in regards to both Wobble and Levene was, strangely, theft! Wobble, frustrated by group inactivity, co-opted Metal Box backing tracks and used them for certain numbers on his first solo album and Levene had it on his toes with the recordings Lydon and himself had made under the PiL umbrella in 82/83 and released them, independent of Lydon, as "Commercial Zone" (rapidly deleted. The tapes were then re-worked by Lydon, along with a club band as backing, and released as "This Is What You Want, This Is What You Get").
So, no, Wobble and Levene weren't sacked for, respectively, "bullying" and "addiction issues".
In my opinion, other than "No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs" and "The Filth And The Fury" Lydon has done nothing of worth since the closing notes of "The Flowers Of Romance" album faded in the speaker. Admittedly, I'm getting on a bit now and maybe can't see what kids see in him. But, take it from one who was a kid in the 70s and 80s and a fan of both The Pistols (whilst they were still going) as well as early PiL, Lydon is not a saint, and largely wasn't the person back then that he now claims he was.
KARKNUJS
Rest in peace, Keith Levene. You're a legend that will inspire musicians from all around the world.
IANdrewDiceClay
This is a result of a truly original guitar player, an absolute one-off of a bassist and a young John Lydon at his very best. Its fucking tragic the original three members of Pil couldnt stay together. They were dynamite together.
Brovvna
agree, but Wobble was a bully and John could not tolerate that so he had to get rid of him. Also, Keith was a drug addict and having dealt with Sid before, John also could not handle another drug addict, in conclusion he also had to get rid of Keith. So it's pretty understandable why the original trio could not stay together. It is truly unfortunate though, they were magnificent together.
Beefheart1
alreadythere1993 Agreed. I don't understand where all this - seemingly current - culture has come from of turning Lydon into a saint. The only thing I can think of is that it must be kids who don't know any better yet?!?
Irrespective of the tripe and revisionism Lydon continually churns out nowadays, he was not much different to any of his immediate peers. Remember that the original PiL was constituted, largely, of Lydon's friends. Irrespective of Lydon's own "difficult" (shall we say) personality, both Wobble and Levene were what they were a long time prior to joining PiL. So, not only would have Lydon known this (there is some evidence that it was Lydon who set Wobble and Vicious on Nick Kent with (respectively) a knife and bike chain at the 100 Club, for instance, and Lydon always surrounded himself with - and admired - Boot Boys and others with a proclivity for violence. This is the culture that Lydon comes from after all) but he must have also been completely ok with the temperaments of the pair to ask them to join in the initial. I agree that Wobble was something of a thug but, again, Lydon was not averse to bullying and victimising himself. These weren't "pleasant" people at that time.
Further to this, Lydon (a speed freak who smoked dope like it was going out of fashion and daily used alcohol) had little problem with Levene's drug use; indeed, Levene had already been booted out of the fledgling Clash for his substance use, two years prior to Lydon asking him to join PiL, so, Levene's habits were no secret. Indeed, it was more Wobble who progressively had problems with Levene's drug of choice throughout his period in PiL, in regards to how debilitating it became.
The real reasons the original line up of PiL fractured were down to four or five separate elements: the increasingly clashing personalities of damaged people exacerbated by the wholesale group use of differing substances, inactivity - both individually and as a group, money (a big one. Lydon "the people's hero" was notably reticent at making sure his band mates received wages. On top of this, as the band had no manager, their finances were in a mess) and, finally, the final straw for Lydon in regards to both Wobble and Levene was, strangely, theft! Wobble, frustrated by group inactivity, co-opted Metal Box backing tracks and used them for certain numbers on his first solo album and Levene had it on his toes with the recordings Lydon and himself had made under the PiL umbrella in 82/83 and released them, independent of Lydon, as "Commercial Zone" (rapidly deleted. The tapes were then re-worked by Lydon, along with a club band as backing, and released as "This Is What You Want, This Is What You Get").
So, no, Wobble and Levene weren't sacked for, respectively, "bullying" and "addiction issues".
In my opinion, other than "No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs" and "The Filth And The Fury" Lydon has done nothing of worth since the closing notes of "The Flowers Of Romance" album faded in the speaker. Admittedly, I'm getting on a bit now and maybe can't see what kids see in him. But, take it from one who was a kid in the 70s and 80s and a fan of both The Pistols (whilst they were still going) as well as early PiL, Lydon is not a saint, and largely wasn't the person back then that he now claims he was.
Jimmy P Metzger
Beefheart1 As far as I'm concerned, Flowers Of Romance was PiL's best album. They were at the peak of their powers on that record.
Fic Ticious
Watch on YouTube PIL-CHANT & Lyndon Pissed off complete
ClydeJarrod37UK
From what i have heard this past year, i agree.
LUGK KGHDfuh
This could quite possibly be the most amazing thing i've ever heard
Marcelo Henkin
for me is Poptones, the 4th track on this album. but yeah, this one here as well.
sexobscura
No Birds Do Sing