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Dan Abnormal Lyrics
Meanie Leanie come on down
Come and entertain the town
It's friday night and we're all bored
Times being called there is no more
Times being called it's such a bore
Dan Abnormal not normal at all
It's not his fault we made him this way
He'll imitate you, try to ape you
But it's not his fault Dan watches tv, tv, tv
Meanie Leanie stays up late
Mopes around gets in a state
The killer in your arcade
Shooting gangstas ready made
Cause that is where the future's made
Dan Abnormal not normal at all
It's not his fault we made him this way
He'll imitate you, try to ape you
But it's not his fault Dan watches tv, tv, tv
Dan went to his local burger bar
I want mcnormal and chips
Or I'll blow you to bits
Give us it
It's the miseries at half past three
Watching video nasties
He has dirty dreams when he's asleep
Dan's just like you and me
He's the Meanie Leanie
Dan Abnormal not normal at all
It's not his fault we made him this way
He'll imitate you, try to ape you
But it's not his fault Dan watches tv, tv, tv
Dan Abnormal not normal at all
It's not his fault we made him this way
He'll imitate you, try to ape you
But it's not his fault Dan's as normal as me
Come and entertain the town
It's friday night and we're all bored
Times being called there is no more
Times being called it's such a bore
It's not his fault we made him this way
He'll imitate you, try to ape you
But it's not his fault Dan watches tv, tv, tv
Mopes around gets in a state
The killer in your arcade
Shooting gangstas ready made
Cause that is where the future's made
It's not his fault we made him this way
He'll imitate you, try to ape you
But it's not his fault Dan watches tv, tv, tv
I want mcnormal and chips
Or I'll blow you to bits
Give us it
Watching video nasties
He has dirty dreams when he's asleep
Dan's just like you and me
He's the Meanie Leanie
It's not his fault we made him this way
He'll imitate you, try to ape you
But it's not his fault Dan watches tv, tv, tv
Dan Abnormal not normal at all
It's not his fault we made him this way
He'll imitate you, try to ape you
But it's not his fault Dan's as normal as me
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
About the media influence on children.
The way it is played off as a scapegoat to try and explain the irrational actions of children sometimes.
The last line is "But it's not his fault/Dan Abnormal's...me!" It's a bit of wordplay: the antisocial character throughout the song could be anyone, including the singer, and "Dan Abnormal," as rocky mentions, is an anagram of "Damon Albarn".
I'm an American who just started listening to Blur in the past month and I knew that Damon Albarn was an anagram of Dan Abnormal. So is Norman Balda, both of which are credited for keyboards on Elastica albums instead of Damon Albarn, but they're both him. Elastica: Damon Albarn - keyboards (1995, 1999) (credited under the anagrammatical pseudonyms "Dan Abnormal" on Elastica and as "Norman Balda" on The Menace)
At the time from parklife to the great escape Damon was going through a lot. He was dealing with the pressures of fame, mental health issues (anxiety, depression, panic attacks), and substance use, which left him feeling detached and overwhelmed. The sensation of being "switched off" or "losing the plot" was something he struggled with while becoming a pop star. The line "It's not his fault, we made him this way" directly relates to Albarn's feeling that external forces—fame, media, societal expectations—were responsible for shaping him into someone he didn’t fully recognize.
He was in a state of emotional conflict: on one hand, he was achieving great success, but on the other, he felt mentally and emotionally drained. His insomnia and anxiety are evident in the imagery of the song (e.g., the character staying up late, watching disturbing media). The disconnection from his partner (Justine Frischmann) and the intensifying demands of his career further added to his feelings of isolation and abnormality.
Ultimately, "Dan Abnormal" serves as a vehicle for Albarn to express the confusion and emotional turmoil he was going through, while reflecting on how fame can distort one's sense of identity. It’s a commentary on how society shapes people, particularly in the public eye, and the psychological toll that comes with it.
Dan Abnormal = Damon Albarn ofcourse!
Hahaha, I never noticed that.
Hahaha, I never noticed that.
I think it's a lovely wee insight into the strrrange mind of mr. albarn. What a great man!