The Buggles' sound was characterised by a deliberately synthetic quality in keeping with the technological subject matter of their songs. The group had a smash hit with the first single from their debut album The Age of Plastic. Song Video Killed The Radio star famously provided the 1st music video ever played on MTV (on August 1, 1981).
The novelty value of their most popular song has led to the Buggles being perceived as being a one-hit-wonder. They did release three further singles, but none came close to emulating the success of their debut track. Specifically, "The Age of Plastic" reached #16 in the UK, "Clean Clean" stalled at #38, and "Elstree" failed to enter the top 40. Still, they've been well received by the later cult audience of new wave revival devotees.
After joining progressive rock group Yes for their 1980 Drama album and tour and then recording the second Buggles album Adventures in Modern Recording, in 1981, The Buggles members parted ways to explore other projects. Horn has been a highly successful record producer (working with ABC's The Look of Love, Yes' Owner of a Lonely Heart, Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Relax, Rod Stewart's Down Town Train, Pet Shop Boys' Always On My Mind, Seal's Kiss From A Rose, LeAnne Rimes' Can't Fight The Moonlight and many more) while Downes has served as a key member of the supergroup Asia. Both of them have revisited their Buggles material to enthusiastic audiences.
Elstree
The Buggles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had a dream on a back lot
I saw my life like a long shot
Of smiling faces in a picture parade
Of all the stills from the films that you made
That we would see in the Essoldo
After drinking coffee on the Giocondo
Elstree, remember me
I had a part in a B movie
I played a man from history
Elstree, oh look at me (oh, oh, oh)
Now I work for the BBC (oh, oh, oh)
Life is not what it used to be
I took no dives in the fight scene
I had a stuntman keep my suit clean
There's no technology to make up a song
They stop the orchestra if you get it wrong
Elstree, remember me,
I had a part in a B movie
I played a man from history
Elstree, oh look at me (oh, oh, oh)
Now I work for the BBC (oh, oh, oh)
Life is not what it used to be
Elstree
They made a field into a war zone
I beat the enemy on my own
All the bullets just went over my head
There's no reality and no one dead, in
Elstree, remember me
I had a part in a B movie
I played a man from history
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
(Cut)
The song "Elstree" by The Buggles is essentially a nostalgic ode to the golden age of cinema and television, and the dreams and aspirations that go along with them. The song highlights the idea of the behind-the-scenes glamour of the entertainment industry, which the singer ironically experienced as an insignificant extra in a B-movie produced at Elstree Studios. The singer sees his life as a series of stills from movies that he participated in, viewed by the public at the Essoldo theatre. He dreams of being a part of a grander world, filled with smiling faces in a picture parade, but his true life is not remarkable. He has to work for the BBC; his workaday existence is a far cry from the glamour he once experienced.
The song creates a romantic aura of the entertainment industry, where the myths and legends of the past are preserved, but the disillusionment with the truth of such an industry is equally evident. The singer sees himself as a part of that illusion, a mere extra in a secondary movie, lacking any intrinsic value in the grand scheme of things. He is but a cog in the machinery of the industry that is designed to create a symphony of sights and sounds. However, in the deeper recesses of his mind, he holds on to the idea that somehow he will get back to the top and relive his dreams of being a star.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a dream on a back lot
I had a vision while on a movie set
I saw my life like a long shot
I viewed my life as a scene from afar
Of smiling faces in a picture parade
I saw a procession of joyful faces
Of all the stills from the films that you made
I saw all the photos from the movies you created
That we would see in the Essoldo
That we would later watch at Essoldo cinema
After drinking coffee on the Giocondo
After sipping coffee at, most likely, Cafe Giocondo
Elstree, remember me
Elstree, recall my involvement
I had a part in a B movie
I played a role in a low-budget film
I played a man from history
I portrayed a historical figure
Elstree, oh look at me (oh, oh, oh)
Elstree, see what I have done
Now I work for the BBC (oh, oh, oh)
Now I am employed by the BBC
Life is not what it used to be
Life is markedly different now
I took no dives in the fight scene
I did not take any fake falls in the fight sequence
I had a stuntman keep my suit clean
I had a double keep my attire clean
There's no technology to make up a song
There was no software to create new music
They stop the orchestra if you get it wrong
If you made an error, the orchestra would halt
They made a field into a war zone
The production team transformed a field into a battleground
I beat the enemy on my own
I defeated the enemy by myself
All the bullets just went over my head
All the bullets missed me entirely
There's no reality and no one dead, in
There was no actual fatality in the movie, in
Elstree, remember me
Elstree, recall my involvement
I had a part in a B movie
I played a role in a low-budget film
I played a man from history
I portrayed a historical figure
Elstree
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
Elstree
(Cut)
(Cut)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Geoffrey Downes, Trevor Charles Horn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@boomartstudios
I had a dream on a back lot
I saw my life like a long shot
Of smiling faces in a picture parade
Of all the stills from the films that you made
That we would see in the Essoldo
After drinking coffee on the Giocondo
Elstree, remember me
I had a part in a B movie
I played a man from history
Elstree, oh look at me (oh, oh, oh)
Now I work for the BBC (oh, oh, oh)
Life is not what it used to be
I took no dives in the fight scene
I had a stuntman keep my suit clean
There's no technology to make up a song
They stop the orchestra if you get it wrong
Elstree, remember me,
I had a part in a B movie
I played a man from history
Elstree, oh look at me (oh, oh, oh)
Now I work for the BBC (oh, oh, oh)
Life is not what it used to be
Elstree
They made a field into a war zone
I beat the enemy on my own
All the bullets just went over my head
There's no reality and no one dead, in
Elstree, remember me
I had a part in a B movie
I played a man from history
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
Elstree
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh)
Elstree
@Danimal1577
Trevor Horn is a genius. Everyone who loves music needs to know about this man
@simonjiy
Art of Noise, Propaganda.. ZTT.. history of the 80s!
@jskypercussion
No doubt Trevor is a genius. His writing capability, his musicianship, his wonderful singing and most importantly his production and producer capabilities. If I ever wanted a producer on my team, it would be Trevor, because i would damn well be wanting him to do some vocals and assist with writing some songs.
@pheonix5597
I know. By the way, check out THIS ignorant video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xOImp5Qt20&t=125s in which this group got TARNISHED.
@afoladam2847
Thi is so true !!! Im fan of Rock bands i enjoy riff sounds and this is awesome i love that melancholic parts this song is for music same like wheels for car
@KingRandor82
and I stand by that he was clearly the inspiration for the animated TMNT Baxter Stockman ..
@nthlns
this band is criminally underrated
@LarzGustafsson
And this tune as well.
@sealand4950
@@LarzGustafsson fax
@caoilte8097
Partly because they only released two studio albums, and then Trevor Horn went off to help with Yes’ 90125 and the Art of Noise. Two better projects in my opinion