It took me a while of listening to come to an understanding of this song. In fact, it wasn't until my wife got pregnant.
I think the song is about, in general, evolution and moving through stages. The verses are a reaction of the singer to a teacher or peer pressing him to do and act according to his age, but this doesn't seem like a lot of fun. But in the chorus he concedes that "there is no other way" to life, and we can't stay at one stage forever, no matter how fun or appealing that seems. thus all you can do "is watch them play," THEM being those who are coming up behind us. As ever-maturing beings, we necessarily evolve to find higher-ordered activities to be the only activities that afford true satisfaction. We can try to keep playing (like little kids play on a playground, or like older kids get high, or race cars, etc), but ultimately we can't keep doing it. All we can do is get satisfaction watching the next generation engage playfully with life.
Damon Albarn is a modern day prophet, and I think drugs have fed his muse. For my own reasons and rationalizations, I liked the pro-drug message I saw in other songs of his, so I couldn't understand this song until I realized that he may already have been aware that there is an end to everything, including certain mind-expanding tools. As in the first verse, he doesn't "want to think," and that, along with fun, is part of the allure to some drug use.
It took me a while of listening to come to an understanding of this song. In fact, it wasn't until my wife got pregnant.
I think the song is about, in general, evolution and moving through stages. The verses are a reaction of the singer to a teacher or peer pressing him to do and act according to his age, but this doesn't seem like a lot of fun. But in the chorus he concedes that "there is no other way" to life, and we can't stay at one stage forever, no matter how fun or appealing that seems. thus all you can do "is watch them play," THEM being those who are coming up behind us. As ever-maturing beings, we necessarily evolve to find higher-ordered activities to be the only activities that afford true satisfaction. We can try to keep playing (like little kids play on a playground, or like older kids get high, or race cars, etc), but ultimately we can't keep doing it. All we can do is get satisfaction watching the next generation engage playfully with life.
Damon Albarn is a modern day prophet, and I think drugs have fed his muse. For my own reasons and rationalizations, I liked the pro-drug message I saw in other songs of his, so I couldn't understand this song until I realized that he may already have been aware that there is an end to everything, including certain mind-expanding tools. As in the first verse, he doesn't "want to think," and that, along with fun, is part of the allure to some drug use.
My gf has just got pregnant and i can see exactly what you meen, very good explanation. Cant w8 to see blur at manchester men june 26th. Thank you
My gf has just got pregnant and i can see exactly what you meen, very good explanation. Cant w8 to see blur at manchester men june 26th. Thank you
Thanks djcarl, for the reaction to my interpretation. Is Blur making music again? Just playing one show?
Thanks djcarl, for the reaction to my interpretation. Is Blur making music again? Just playing one show?