In The City

I think this song is about gigs? Or possibly nights out.

'Johnny's shadows getting long but he keeps on singing' A reference to himself getting tired on tour?

'The boys are at the bar Yeah they're mixing up their medicine' Guys always q up for drinks for everyone

'Girls are on the mobiles trying to get receptions' Girls phone their friends when a good song comes on.

'And I was looking for you' It's so difficult to find someone at a concert if you get split up.

The lines 'The boys are at the bar Yeah they're mixing up their medicine, The girls are on their mobiles trying to get reception' This is one of my favourite lines ever, it reminds me so much of the start of a club or pub night as well as a gig. Guys always go to the bar and girls sit and text someone so they don't look like they've got nae mates.

Songs amazing.. it just builds and builds. The pounding beat literally connects with my legs. It'll make you fucking rock.

"The boys in the band steal a kiss in the mystery of the night"

That line's probably a Libertines reference.

definitly a great song.... their whole album is aswome...

but this song really reminds me of the rythm of a drunken night.... The social ackwardness of soberarity and slowly building up... then after the mixing up drinks line it starts to pick up and pump up.

aparently i have been missing out on this bukowski character... he's mentioned here... and there is a track off the new modest mouse CD dedicated to him..

best song on the album! its builds up amazingly by the time u get to the end theres no way u cant be jumping about to it i love the way it builds up then trails off the builds up a bit more each time then trailing off then by the end it just keeps going - amazing song!

This song reminds me of being a teenager in London, especially these lines, 'The girls were on their mobile trying to get reception' and 'live a blonde hair in jeans, holds her tight'. In some ways I love it, but in some ways it's really depressing, it reminds me of the things I don't like about the way the world's 'supposed' to work, and what teenagers are 'supposed' to do. Perhaps that is just me being cynical.....

In this song, the influence of Patti Smith is so obvious.

If anyone has heard Horses, Land in particular you can tell that this song was probably written after Johnny Borrell listened to that album and thought shit I wish I could write something like this.

But yeah it's a good song. Nothing really to say about the lyrics, they're just social observation really.

Oh yeah the building on thing is so amazing =O

I like it but its a bit annoying if you want to tap the beat with your foot like i often do as it does go at a million mph, god knows how the drummer can hit the bass drum that fast! : ).

I think the song's also an obvious reference to Bob Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' - of which the opening line is: 'Johnny's in the basement mixing up the medicine...' Interesting as Johnny Borrell was quoted as saying "If Dylan's making the chips then I'm drinking the champagne". People thought he was up himself but that statement was taken out of context however as Borrell was comparing his and Dylan's first albums, not their overall career. I personally think this song is more of a respectful nod to the Dylan classic, using a similar beat poetry style and rhythm but putting it in a more modern 'London' context. And I love it!

And it looks like trouble And it tastes like chocolate if you want it It looks like trouble And it tastes like chocolate if you want it

sex is trouble... but it tastes like chocolate.as in choco flavoured condoms?