Wallinger recorded the first two World Party albums (Private Revolution and Goodbye Jumbo) practically single-handed. The former reached the US Top 40 and the single ‘Ship Of Fools’ broke into the Top 30 (it was hastily dropped by radio in his native Great Britain because of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster). Goodbye Jumbo took equal amounts of inspiration from the eco movement and the Beatles, and the highly catchy single ‘Message In The Box’ provided Wallinger with his first UK Top 40 hit.
Wallinger’s muse, a relaxed and melancholic take on mid-period Beatles, has not so much been updated as revitalized on his subsequent, sterling work, although a minor breakthrough was made with 1993’s Bang!, which featured Wallinger’s only UK Top 20 hit to date, ‘Is It Like Today’, and reached number 2 on the album charts. On Bang!, Wallinger was joined by Chris Sharrock (drums, ex-Icicle Works) and Dave Catlin-Birch (guitars/keyboards). Some of the reviews for 1997’s Egyptology were unnecessarily cruel (especially the New Musical Express). It was by his standards another good album, which, although still locked into the Beatles’ sound (this time circa 1968), featured some great moments, notably the gentle ‘She’s The One’ and the meatier ‘Curse Of The Mummy’s Tomb’. The former indirectly gave Wallinger a worthy chart-topping single, when Robbie Williams’ cover version reached the top of the UK singles chart in November 1999 (Williams’ songwriting partner Guy Chambers (b. 12 Jan 1963, England) was at one time a member of World Party).
The next World Party album, 2000’s Dumbing Up, retreated from the ambitions of Egyptology, and found Wallinger resorting to his pick ‘n’ mix style of songwriting. He is one of the best magpie songwriters around, and the strong influence of ELO, Bob Dylan (‘Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream’ in the shape of ‘Who Are You?’) and even Rare Bird (shades of ‘Sympathy’ in ‘All The Love That’s Wasted’) could be heard, in addition to strong memories of the Beatles’ ‘Dear Prudence’ and ‘Baby You’re A Rich Man’ in ‘Another 1000 Years’.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin.
Love Street
World Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have you ever tried on all the shoes
They're for walking on the clouds with
And not for down here in the blues
Y'know dreams come true on Love Street too
Smile you're in this place
I was walking with the lonely
Showed me round your Love Street
Took me naked from the dark
Well you're touching my soul
Don't let me go
You're calling out to me
I'm turning to gold
Beginning to flow
Somebody set me free
Until now my mind was blank
And there was nothing there and the
The white lady (the white lady, the white lady)
She won't come my way (won't come my way)
You say close your eyes
(Close your eyes
Close your eyes
Close your eyes)
And walk down that street in your mind
Oh it's some place so fine (some place so fine)
Y'know really drives me out of my mind
How could it be?
That I'm walking down Love Street baby
Walking down Love Street
The song "Love Street" by World Party appears to be about a place called Love Street that sounds like a utopian paradise where dreams come true. The opening lines ask if the listener has ever been to Love Street and tried on all the shoes, which are not meant for walking on the earth but rather for walking on clouds. It seems that Love Street is a place of transcendence and escape from the blues of everyday life. The lyrics go on to say that Love Street is a place where dreams come true and where one can smile because they are in the right place.
The second half of the song seems to be about the transformative power of love. The singer was once walking with the lonely before their partner came into their life and showed them Love Street. This partner has touched their soul and made them feel like they are turning to gold and beginning to flow. The lyrics suggest that the singer was previously blank and had nothing in their mind until they found love. There is a reference to a "white lady" who won't come their way, but it isn't clear what this means. The song concludes with an invitation to walk down Love Street in one's mind and experience the wonderful place that exists there.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever been to Love Street
Have you ever experienced the feeling of love and being surrounded by positivity?
Have you ever tried on all the shoes
Have you ever explored all the different possibilities and experiences that love can offer?
They're for walking on the clouds with
Love is meant to uplift and elevate us, like walking on clouds.
And not for down here in the blues
Love is not meant for a state of sadness or depression.
Y'know dreams come true on Love Street too
Love has the power to make dreams come true, even on Love Street.
Smile you're in this place
Embrace the positive energy of Love Street and feel happy to be a part of it.
I was walking with the lonely
I was feeling alone and lost before I found Love Street.
Before you came into my heart
Before I found love, I was lost and searching for something.
Showed me round your Love Street
You introduced me to the world of love and showed me how it can transform my life.
Took me naked from the dark
You rescued me from a dark place and helped me feel vulnerable and open to love.
Well you're touching my soul
Your love is reaching deep into my soul.
Don't let me go
I never want to have to let go of this beautiful love.
You're calling out to me
Love is constantly calling and attracting me, like a force I cannot resist.
I'm turning to gold
Love is transforming me and making me shine like gold.
Beginning to flow
Love is opening me up and allowing me to experience a more fluid and effortless way of living.
Somebody set me free
Love has the power to liberate me from my fears and limitations.
Until now my mind was blank
Before finding love, my mind felt empty and directionless.
And there was nothing there and the
Without love, my life felt devoid of meaning and purpose.
The white lady (the white lady, the white lady)
The white lady is a symbol for love, purity, and grace.
She won't come my way (won't come my way)
Love seemed out of reach and unattainable to me.
You say close your eyes
You are guiding me to imagine and visualize love as a reality in my life.
(Close your eyes
You are emphasizing the importance of visualization and imagination in manifesting love.
Close your eyes)
You are urging me to surrender and let go of any doubts or fears around love.
And walk down that street in your mind
Picture yourself walking down Love Street and experience its inherent beauty and positivity.
Oh it's some place so fine (some place so fine)
Love Street is a truly special and wonderful place.
Y'know really drives me out of my mind
The power of love and the emotional intensity it brings can sometimes be overwhelming.
How could it be?
The amazingness of love can be shocking and hard to comprehend sometimes.
That I'm walking down Love Street baby
I am experiencing the joy of love and all its transformative power.
Walking down Love Street
Metaphorical representation of enjoying the joys of love and its transformative nature.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KARL EDMOND DE VERE WALLINGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind