The Libertines is an English band that formed in London, England in 1997 a… Read Full Bio ↴The Libertines is an English band that formed in London, England in 1997 and disbanded in 2004. They reformed in 2010 to play the Reading and Leeds festivals. The band released three full-length LPs, first two produced by Mick Jones of The Clash. Their third album was released after 11 years of silence - they reformed again in 2015. Centered around the song-writing partnership and chemistry between Peter Doherty (vocals/rhythm guitar) and Carl Barât (vocals/lead guitar), while backed by John Hassall (bass) and Gary Powell (drums), the band was one of the cornerstones of the English independent scene in the early 2000's.

Championed by NME, the band's first single What a Waster charted at number 37, despite being banned from Radio 1 and commercial radio due to an overabundance of foul language; this set the trend for steadily increasing returns, culminating in a #2 single and #1 album in the UK Charts. However, the band's music was often eclipsed by its internal conflicts, many of which stemmed from Doherty's considerable drug use, and it was mostly because of this that after a final show in Paris (without Pete) that the band was disbanded at the end of 2004.

The former members of The Libertines have gone on to form three splinter bands, with varying degrees of commercial and critical success. These bands include Peter Doherty in Babyshambles, Carl Barât and Gary Powell in Dirty Pretty Things and John Hassall in Yeti.

Pete and Carl recently came back to work on Babyshambles' charity cover of The Clash's 'Janie Jones' for Strummerville. Carl and Pete also performed 13 songs together in April 2007 as Carl appeared on stage at one of Pete's shows. On the 29th of March 2010 the Libertines announced they had reunited to play the Leeds and Reading festivals in August.

On 20 April 2014 an image of London's Hyde Park was released to the band's Facebook page. Around this time both Carl Barat and Peter Doherty indicated in interviews that they had accepted an offer to play the venue on July 5, 2014. On 25 April, it was confirmed that The Libertines will play on Saturday 5 July in London's Hyde Park, headlining the day, as part of the Barclaycard British Summer Time series of concerts. Support for the concert will be provided by a number of bands and artists, most notably The Pogues, Spiritualized, Maxïmo Park, Raglans and The Enemy

On 20 May, it was confirmed that The Libertines will play on Saturday 19 July in Benicassim FIB, Spain, as headliners.

They have also announced a European tour, their first tour in 10 years, consisting of 9 dates prior to the release of a new album in 2015, 11 years after their previous studio release.

The band's reunion album was followed by a series of festival appearances, including a surprise gig during the 2015 Glastonbury Festival, as they were secretly called to replace Florence + the Machine (who were earlier announced as unscheduled headliners after Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl's injury prevented the latters from headlining the day). The Libertines were filmed as they landed down off an helicopter outside the festival site, and stated their show with a hit from their 2nd album, Can't Stand Me Now.

On the 13th of October 2023 the band released their first single in eight years, as well as announcing that their new album All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade will be arriving on March 8, 2024.[40] To celebrate the announcement of the new album the band announced "The Albionay Tour". An intimate club tour that sold out in seconds. [41]

Narcissist
The Libertines Lyrics

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Professionally trendy in the glow of Clapham sun
There's life after work and it can be such fun
You see all the models in magazines and on the walls
You wanna be just like them
Cause they're so cool

They're just narcissists
Well wouldn't it be nice to be Dorian Gray?

Just for a day
They're just narcissists
Oh, what's so great to be Dorian Gray
Every day?

We're living in a looking glass
As the beauty of life goes by
You're going to be so oh
You're going to grow so old
Your skin so cold

Well they're just narcissists
Well wouldn't it be nice to be Dorian Gray
Just for a day?
Such narcissists
Oh what's so great to be Dorian Gray
Every day?

They're just narcissists
Wouldn't it be great to be Dorian Gray?

Just for a day
Just for a day

Overall Meaning

The Libertines's song Narcissist is a reflection of the modern obsession with appearance and the idea of being "perfect". The singer observes the trend-setting individuals who are "professionally trendy in the glow of Clapham sun" and how they are constantly chasing the ideal version of themselves which they see in magazines and on walls. The lyrics suggest that these individuals are only interested in themselves, portraying the image of a narcissistic society.

The singer's wistful tone is evident when they mention Dorian Gray, the singer of Oscar Wilde's novel. Dorian Gray is a character who desires eternal youth and beauty, and his wish is eventually granted by a portrait of himself aging in his place. The singer imagines the possibility of becoming like Dorian Gray, albeit just for a day, in order to escape the inevitable process of aging.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "just for a day" repeatedly, implying that these individuals' pursuit of perfection is futile and transient. The final lines of the song - "they're just narcissists, wouldn't it be great to be Dorian Gray?" questions the obsession with image and beauty.

Overall, Narcissist is a reflection on the excesses of modern society and the unending pursuit of beauty, suggesting that it is valuable to look beyond the surface level of appearances and work towards meaningful goals.

Line by Line Meaning

Professionally trendy in the glow of Clapham sun
Enjoying the trendy lifestyle in the sunny neighborhood of Clapham, London

There's life after work and it can be such fun
Life can be enjoyable beyond the workday

You see all the models in magazines and on the walls
The presence of models in publications and posters catches your attention

You wanna be just like them
Desiring to emulate the models' behavior and appearance

Cause they're so cool
They appear to possess a desirable quality or charm

They're just narcissists
Those people are exhibiting narcissistic behavior

Well wouldn't it be nice to be Dorian Gray?
Wouldn't it be desirable to maintain youthfulness and beauty, like the character Dorian Gray

Just for a day
For a brief period of time

They're just narcissists
Those people are exhibiting narcissistic behavior

Oh, what's so great to be Dorian Gray
Is it truly desirable to be like Dorian Gray?

Every day?
On a daily basis?