I'm gonna take a stab at interpreting this beautiful song...
And into the sea goes pretty england and me
-[England is sinking and blending in with the rest of its world an losing its inviduality and power in the word. Just as England is, Damon feels the same way about himself. He's surrounded by people and he's getting caught up in the society around him and just starting to blend in]
Around the bay of biscay and back for tea
-[we just do the same thing day in day out. Everything's just a cycle and we start to lose our spontaneity and passion for life]
Hit traffic on the dogger bank
-[I think this is just another symbol for England sinking "into the sea". maybe the thought of leaving and just getting away has crossed his mind but "traffic" (complications or something got in the way) of him actually doing so. the traffic may also refer to frustration or something holding him back as a person]
Up the thames to find a taxi rank
-[a taxi rank... a way out... or a way home]
Sail on by with the tide and go asleep
-[giving up and just going with the flow of society]
And the radio says
-[the radio i think... represents a sound and noncorrupt voice]
(chorus)
This is a low
But it won't hurt you
When you are alone it will be there with you
Finding ways to stay solo
-[the only time he can be himself and not go against his principles and morals is when he isn't surrounded by others and he can think for himself]
On the tyne forth and cramity
There's a low in the high forties
And saturday's locked away on the pier
-[no matter what the day is, even saturday.. a day to relax.. the weekend... he still is not happy.. it's still constricting and uncomfortable and he doesn't feel free]
Not fast enough dear
On the malin head, blackpool looks blue and red
[blue and red.. sadness and anger... or bruises and blood... The country is beat or in a depression.... its just sad and angry and there's no hope]
And the queen, she's gone round the bend
Jumped off land's end
-[The leaders of the country have lost sight as to what is actualy important and have succumbed to corruption and disillusion and the ones who actually still can see the problems have just given up (jumped off land's end)]
Nice try, but there are so many references to the shipping forecast on Radio 4 that the song can't really be anything other than a (successful and extraordinarily beautiful) attempt to cram in as many names from the forecast in the song. LDG nailed it in his/her comment. I remember an interview with Blur after they'd done an enormous concert in London in the mid-90s, and Damon was regretting not having got round to getting a recording of the forecast to play as an introduction to the song.
Nice try, but there are so many references to the shipping forecast on Radio 4 that the song can't really be anything other than a (successful and extraordinarily beautiful) attempt to cram in as many names from the forecast in the song. LDG nailed it in his/her comment. I remember an interview with Blur after they'd done an enormous concert in London in the mid-90s, and Damon was regretting not having got round to getting a recording of the forecast to play as an introduction to the song.
I'm gonna take a stab at interpreting this beautiful song...
And into the sea goes pretty england and me -[England is sinking and blending in with the rest of its world an losing its inviduality and power in the word. Just as England is, Damon feels the same way about himself. He's surrounded by people and he's getting caught up in the society around him and just starting to blend in]
Around the bay of biscay and back for tea -[we just do the same thing day in day out. Everything's just a cycle and we start to lose our spontaneity and passion for life]
Hit traffic on the dogger bank -[I think this is just another symbol for England sinking "into the sea". maybe the thought of leaving and just getting away has crossed his mind but "traffic" (complications or something got in the way) of him actually doing so. the traffic may also refer to frustration or something holding him back as a person]
Up the thames to find a taxi rank -[a taxi rank... a way out... or a way home]
Sail on by with the tide and go asleep -[giving up and just going with the flow of society]
And the radio says -[the radio i think... represents a sound and noncorrupt voice]
(chorus) This is a low But it won't hurt you When you are alone it will be there with you Finding ways to stay solo -[the only time he can be himself and not go against his principles and morals is when he isn't surrounded by others and he can think for himself]
On the tyne forth and cramity There's a low in the high forties
And saturday's locked away on the pier -[no matter what the day is, even saturday.. a day to relax.. the weekend... he still is not happy.. it's still constricting and uncomfortable and he doesn't feel free]
Not fast enough dear On the malin head, blackpool looks blue and red [blue and red.. sadness and anger... or bruises and blood... The country is beat or in a depression.... its just sad and angry and there's no hope]
And the queen, she's gone round the bend Jumped off land's end -[The leaders of the country have lost sight as to what is actualy important and have succumbed to corruption and disillusion and the ones who actually still can see the problems have just given up (jumped off land's end)]
Nice try, but there are so many references to the shipping forecast on Radio 4 that the song can't really be anything other than a (successful and extraordinarily beautiful) attempt to cram in as many names from the forecast in the song. LDG nailed it in his/her comment. I remember an interview with Blur after they'd done an enormous concert in London in the mid-90s, and Damon was regretting not having got round to getting a recording of the forecast to play as an introduction to the song.
Nice try, but there are so many references to the shipping forecast on Radio 4 that the song can't really be anything other than a (successful and extraordinarily beautiful) attempt to cram in as many names from the forecast in the song. LDG nailed it in his/her comment. I remember an interview with Blur after they'd done an enormous concert in London in the mid-90s, and Damon was regretting not having got round to getting a recording of the forecast to play as an introduction to the song.