Razorlight is a four-piece consisting of Borrell (vocals & guitar), Björn Ågren (guitar), Carl Dalemo (bass) and Andy Burrows (drums)
Their debut album, Up All Night, was released on June 28, 2004, reaching number 3 in the UK album charts on 4 July. The critical reception was generally good, receiving good reviews from NME, Q magazine and Billboard, although they were also accused of lack of imagination and unoriginality for allegedly borrowing ideas from other influential bands, notably The Strokes. They appear to polarize opinion. NME wrote that the album: "bristles with passion, energy and, most importantly, amazing songs", while they were described elsewhere as "nearly everything wrong with rock and roll today". Their fans, though, embrace the music for its simple melodies and multi-layered, easy-going compositions.
Frontman Johnny Borrell caused some controversy and surprise when he likened himself to musical legend Bob Dylan, quipping "If Dylan's making the chips then I'm drinking the champagne". This led to suggestions of self-promotion. This statement was taken out of context however as Borrell was comparing his and Dylan's first albums, not their overall career. The band became very popular on the London music scene when they arrived earlier in the year. Large demand caused the band to play extra shows, including a 7,000+ capacity gig at Alexandra Palace. The album was heavily marketed in the UK.
Tabloid Lover
Razorlight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who will stop ya?
If it is what you do and it's all up to you
Don't watch your TV when you're broken up
These middle class kids are so strange
Get everything for nothing, nothing comes your way
Emotional, bored and self contained
Tabloid lover, one bed to another
Tabloid lover, splatters any other
Tabloid lover, rocks to box runner
Gotta get to cover, finally you discover
You are what you are
If this is what you do and it's all up to you
Who's gonna stop ya? Who's gonna block ya?
If you get it every day and it comes every way
All much emotion when I'm trying to dream but
Middle class kids are all the same
Get everything for nothing, nothing comes your way
Drugged up, bored and self contained
And I guess, I could just leave it but I've gotta find a way to kill a
Tabloid lover, splatters any other
Sad sec mother, one bed to another
Tabloid lover, rocks to box runner
Pound it, I've found I've got to get to cover
And who will stop you?
Don't watch the TV when you're dreaming
Who will stop ya?
Tabloid lover, one bed to another
Tabloid lover, splatters any other
Tabloid lover, she can't get another
Can't get another, can't get another
Well, tabloid lover, rocks to box runner
Tabloid lover, hey, street stunner
Tabloid lover, can't find another
Can't find another, you can't find another
Tabloid
Tabloid
These lyrics portray a person who is living their life based on what the tabloids tell them, craving attention and jumping from one bed or experience to the next. The first verse questions who will stop them if they continue down this path, suggesting that nobody will, and that they must take responsibility for their own actions. The second verse adds to this with the line "if you get it every day and it comes every way, all much emotion when I'm trying to dream," implying that the constant barrage of media attention is overwhelming and prevents them from having their own thoughts and feelings.
The chorus of "tabloid lover, one bed to another" highlights the person's promiscuous behavior, and how they are always looking for the next thrill or scandal to be involved in. The line "middle class kids are so strange, get everything for nothing, nothing comes your way," speaks to the privilege and entitlement that can come with wealth and status, but also the boredom and lack of fulfillment that can accompany it. The overall message of the song seems to be that living your life for external validation and chasing after constant stimulation will never bring true happiness and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
If it is as you say and it's coming your way
Who will stop ya?
If what you're saying is true and you're headed towards something, who can stop you?
If it is what you do and it's all up to you
Don't watch your TV when you're broken up
If what you do is solely up to you, don't let TV distract you when you're feeling down.
These middle class kids are so strange
Get everything for nothing, nothing comes your way
Emotional, bored and self contained
Full of fronted self delusion but I guess that is the way to be a
Kids from the middle class are odd because they receive a lot without much effort, yet they're unhappy and lack self-awareness. However, this may be the way to become a tabloid lover.
Tabloid lover, one bed to another
Tabloid lover, splatters any other
Tabloid lover, rocks to box runner
Gotta get to cover, finally you discover
You are what you are
A tabloid lover goes from one bed to another, ruins other people's lives and enjoys scandalous gossip. They're always on the move and hiding from consequences, until they realize they can't change themselves.
If this is what you do and it's all up to you
Who's gonna stop ya? Who's gonna block ya?
If you get it every day and it comes every way
All much emotion when I'm trying to dream but
If what you do is entirely up to you, who can prevent you from doing it? If you receive it every day, how can anyone stop you? I experience too much emotion when I'm trying to dream about this.
Drugged up, bored and self contained
And I guess, I could just leave it but I've gotta find a way to kill a
Tabloid lover, splatters any other
Sad sec mother, one bed to another
Tabloid lover, rocks to box runner
Pound it, I've found I've got to get to cover
They're unnaturally relaxed, uninterested and cut-off from everyone else. Although I could ignore this and move on, I must find a way to destroy a tabloid lover. They enjoy ruining people's lives, sleep around, and are always running around. I need to act fast and hide myself.
And who will stop you?
Don't watch the TV when you're dreaming
Who will stop ya?
Who can stop you from doing what you want to do? Don't watch TV when you're asleep. Who will put a halt to your plans?
Tabloid lover, one bed to another
Tabloid lover, splatters any other
Tabloid lover, she can't get another
Can't get another, can't get another
Well, tabloid lover, rocks to box runner
Tabloid lover, hey, street stunner
Tabloid lover, can't find another
Can't find another, you can't find another
Tabloid
Tabloid
A tabloid lover goes from bed to bed, creating chaos all around. However, they can't find anyone else to be with. They're always running, looking cool and connecting with their surroundings. They'll never find anyone else to replace their scandalous lifestyle. Tabloid lover, tabloid lover.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHNNY BORRELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind