I just looked into my life
And all I saw was that you're not coming back
Oh, can't you see when the ballad comes for you
It comes like me?
But I won't be afraid
I can't seem to find you in this midnight parade
I know it's all true
When the ballad comes for me, it comes like you
Up close
I fell in love with you (I met you at an early show)
You fall and
I'll fall along with you (we travelled 'round the world together)
I just looked out to the point
Where the words, they are hitting me
In a full-on assault
Oh, can't you see when the ballad comes for you
It comes like me?
Well, I know I can't change the times
I know I'm already breaking when I look into your eyes
Oh, can't you see when the ballad comes for you
It comes like me?
Up close
I fell in love with you (I met you an early show)
You fall
I'll fall along with you (we travelled 'round the world together)
Blur - The Ballad of Darren Album Lyrics
Blur - The Ballad of Darren Lyrics
Writer: Alex James, Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
St. Charles Square
I f*cked up
I'm not the first to do it
Must forgo now, your smile
Off the wall, beige
I'm fixtures and fittings now
Call me out but call me
'Cause there's something down here and it's living under the floorboards (ah)
It's grabbed me round the neck with its long and slender claws (ah)
Oh, don't leave me here, baby, don't leave me completely
'Cause I might not get back to myself at all
St. Charles Square
This year's migration
Basement flat with window bars
Pauli's outside
Spare me the gloaters and the pain
I don't want it anymore
'Cause there 's something down here and it's living under the floorboards (ah)
It's up and down the clock of the townhall back in time (ah)
Oh, I'll ride with you, baby, I'll ride with you forever
But we might not get back to ourselves at all
No Tesco disco
The room is shrinking fast around me
It's grabbed me by the ankle and pulled me under
Loneliness I've been here before
'Cause every generation has its gilded poseurs
Weird vibrations in the basement
I don't like this scene
Pauli's ghost come back to haunt me
Think I'm gonna
I'm not the first to do it
Must forgo now, your smile
Off the wall, beige
I'm fixtures and fittings now
Call me out but call me
'Cause there's something down here and it's living under the floorboards (ah)
It's grabbed me round the neck with its long and slender claws (ah)
Oh, don't leave me here, baby, don't leave me completely
'Cause I might not get back to myself at all
St. Charles Square
This year's migration
Basement flat with window bars
Pauli's outside
Spare me the gloaters and the pain
I don't want it anymore
'Cause there 's something down here and it's living under the floorboards (ah)
It's up and down the clock of the townhall back in time (ah)
Oh, I'll ride with you, baby, I'll ride with you forever
But we might not get back to ourselves at all
No Tesco disco
The room is shrinking fast around me
It's grabbed me by the ankle and pulled me under
Loneliness I've been here before
'Cause every generation has its gilded poseurs
Weird vibrations in the basement
I don't like this scene
Pauli's ghost come back to haunt me
Think I'm gonna
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Barbaric
Ah, who blinks first
You're gonna win
The fallen doves of lovers' vows
In the world all around us
And I'd like if you've got the time
To talk to you about
What this breakup has done to me
I have lost the feeling that I thought I'd never lose
Now where am I going?
At what cost, the feeling that I thought I'd never lose?
It is barbaric
Ah, you can't play to every taste
The powder keg of common cause
All of us carry trauma
And in lieu of an explanation
I will pour oil from the cup
On the pyre of abdication
You have lost the feeling that you thought you'd never lose
Now where are you going, darling?
At what cost the feeling that you thought you'd never lose?
And it is barbaric
Empty grove, winter darkness
We're taking down the scaffolds very soon
Crow dappled the lonely baubles on the plane tree
The can of soup and heating up to ten
Which leads me to the part
Where we agreed on different dreams
And that we'd lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose
Now where are we going?
At what cost the feelings that we thought we'd never lose?
It is barbaric
We have lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose
Now where are we going?
We have lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose
And it is barbaric, darling
We have lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose (at what cost?)
Now where are we going?
We have lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose
It is barbaric
You're gonna win
The fallen doves of lovers' vows
In the world all around us
And I'd like if you've got the time
To talk to you about
What this breakup has done to me
I have lost the feeling that I thought I'd never lose
Now where am I going?
At what cost, the feeling that I thought I'd never lose?
It is barbaric
Ah, you can't play to every taste
The powder keg of common cause
All of us carry trauma
And in lieu of an explanation
I will pour oil from the cup
On the pyre of abdication
You have lost the feeling that you thought you'd never lose
Now where are you going, darling?
At what cost the feeling that you thought you'd never lose?
And it is barbaric
Empty grove, winter darkness
We're taking down the scaffolds very soon
Crow dappled the lonely baubles on the plane tree
The can of soup and heating up to ten
Which leads me to the part
Where we agreed on different dreams
And that we'd lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose
Now where are we going?
At what cost the feelings that we thought we'd never lose?
It is barbaric
We have lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose
Now where are we going?
We have lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose
And it is barbaric, darling
We have lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose (at what cost?)
Now where are we going?
We have lost the feeling that we thought we'd never lose
It is barbaric
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Russian Strings
Where are you now?
Where are you now?
Are you coming back to us?
Are you online?
Are you contactable, again?
Where the blue lights?
Where the red-dressed puppet?
Dancing on a string?
Balalaikas and singing
The tenement blocks come crashing down
With headphones on, you won't hear that much
There's nothing fake on earth
The strings attached to all of us
There's nothing in the end, only dust
So turn the music up
I'm hitting the hard stuff
Flew to Belgrade
Stayed in a hotel, sinking
Went to museums
Tobacco and mid-week grave diggers
The tenement blocks came crashing down
With headphones on, you won't hear that much
There's nothing fake on earth
The strings attached to all of us
There is nothing in the end, only dust
When you pull the lever down
I'll be hitting the hard stuff
Where are you now?
Are you coming back to us?
Are you online?
Are you contactable, again?
Where the blue lights?
Where the red-dressed puppet?
Dancing on a string?
Balalaikas and singing
The tenement blocks come crashing down
With headphones on, you won't hear that much
There's nothing fake on earth
The strings attached to all of us
There's nothing in the end, only dust
So turn the music up
I'm hitting the hard stuff
Flew to Belgrade
Stayed in a hotel, sinking
Went to museums
Tobacco and mid-week grave diggers
The tenement blocks came crashing down
With headphones on, you won't hear that much
There's nothing fake on earth
The strings attached to all of us
There is nothing in the end, only dust
When you pull the lever down
I'll be hitting the hard stuff
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
The Everglades (For Leonard)
You of grace
Many ghosts alive in my mind
Many paths I wish I'd taken
Many times I thought I'd break
Because in kind it seems to be
A way beyond the bends
There be songs to play
There be grace for everyone
And calmer days will arrive
And we would not need to ask
Why everything
In this world been lost ever since
And we're not giving in
We're not gonna shy away
We're growing tall with the pain
We're searching the everglades
And suing God with change
And furthermore, I think it's just too late
Many ghosts alive in my mind
Many paths I wish I'd taken
Many times I thought I'd break
Because in kind it seems to be
A way beyond the bends
There be songs to play
There be grace for everyone
And calmer days will arrive
And we would not need to ask
Why everything
In this world been lost ever since
And we're not giving in
We're not gonna shy away
We're growing tall with the pain
We're searching the everglades
And suing God with change
And furthermore, I think it's just too late
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
The Narcissist
Looked in the mirror
So many people standing there
I walked towards them
Into the floodlights
I heard no echo (no echo)
There was distortion everywhere (everywhere)
I found my ego (my ego)
I felt rebuttal standing there
Found my transcendence (transcendence)
It played in mono painted blue (painted blue)
You were the pirot (the pirot)
I was the dark room (the dark room)
I'ma shine a light in your eyes (in your eyes)
You'll probably shine it back on me
But I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
I saw the solstice (the solstice)
The service station on the road (on the road)
I took the acid (the acid)
Under the white horses (the road)
My heart, it quickened (it quickened)
I could not tear myself away (myself away)
Became addiction (addiction)
If you see darkness, look away (look away)
I'ma shine a light in your eyes (look away, look away)
You'll probably shine it back on me (look away)
But I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
Oh, glorious world (glorious)
Oh, potent waves, valleys gone wild (potent waves)
Connect us to love (us to love)
And keep us peaceful for a while (for a while)
I'ma shine a light in your eyes (for a while)
You'll probably shine it back on me (for a while)
But I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
I'ma shine a light in your eyes (in your eyes, in your eyes)
You'll probably shine it back on me (in your eyes)
But I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
So many people standing there
I walked towards them
Into the floodlights
I heard no echo (no echo)
There was distortion everywhere (everywhere)
I found my ego (my ego)
I felt rebuttal standing there
Found my transcendence (transcendence)
It played in mono painted blue (painted blue)
You were the pirot (the pirot)
I was the dark room (the dark room)
I'ma shine a light in your eyes (in your eyes)
You'll probably shine it back on me
But I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
I saw the solstice (the solstice)
The service station on the road (on the road)
I took the acid (the acid)
Under the white horses (the road)
My heart, it quickened (it quickened)
I could not tear myself away (myself away)
Became addiction (addiction)
If you see darkness, look away (look away)
I'ma shine a light in your eyes (look away, look away)
You'll probably shine it back on me (look away)
But I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
Oh, glorious world (glorious)
Oh, potent waves, valleys gone wild (potent waves)
Connect us to love (us to love)
And keep us peaceful for a while (for a while)
I'ma shine a light in your eyes (for a while)
You'll probably shine it back on me (for a while)
But I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
I'ma shine a light in your eyes (in your eyes, in your eyes)
You'll probably shine it back on me (in your eyes)
But I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
I won't fall this time
With Godspeed, I'll heed the signs
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Goodbye Albert
Goodbye to you and me
Goodbye to the shallows like refugees, singing
We crossed the world
We disappeared
And no one looks to see if we are coming back soon
I was not ready yet
Let it go
Goodbye to you and me
You sat me with me at dawn
Then you left for sea, singing
I tried to find you there
Blue parasol
But I could not find it
In this world, denied it
But I think you'd rather
Let it go
I stayed away
I gave you time
Why don't you talk to me anymore?
Don't punish me forever
Goodbye, depression parade
Like a weather front at dawn
It could fade
I was crushed by sleep and unravelled dreams
Washed away for hours
I'd be there, not just send flowers
But I think you'd rather
I stayed away
Got pulled inside
Why don't you talk to me anymore?
Don't punish me
Goodbye to the shallows like refugees, singing
We crossed the world
We disappeared
And no one looks to see if we are coming back soon
I was not ready yet
Let it go
Goodbye to you and me
You sat me with me at dawn
Then you left for sea, singing
I tried to find you there
Blue parasol
But I could not find it
In this world, denied it
But I think you'd rather
Let it go
I stayed away
I gave you time
Why don't you talk to me anymore?
Don't punish me forever
Goodbye, depression parade
Like a weather front at dawn
It could fade
I was crushed by sleep and unravelled dreams
Washed away for hours
I'd be there, not just send flowers
But I think you'd rather
I stayed away
Got pulled inside
Why don't you talk to me anymore?
Don't punish me
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Far Away Island
It's on my mind
As the light fades
What you doing tonight?
Are you dancing?
Are there new tunes to play?
As I sail further away from you
Far away island, I miss you
I know you think I must be lost now
But I'm not, anymore
It's on my mind
We're away now
Down, down into the shadows
I'm cut to pieces
And I am dancing alone with the moon
And the white whale
Far away island, I miss you
I know you think I must be lost now
But I'm not anymore
Far away island, I miss you
I know you think I must be lost now, but I'm not anymore
As the light fades
What you doing tonight?
Are you dancing?
Are there new tunes to play?
As I sail further away from you
Far away island, I miss you
I know you think I must be lost now
But I'm not, anymore
It's on my mind
We're away now
Down, down into the shadows
I'm cut to pieces
And I am dancing alone with the moon
And the white whale
Far away island, I miss you
I know you think I must be lost now
But I'm not anymore
Far away island, I miss you
I know you think I must be lost now, but I'm not anymore
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Avalon
What's the point in building Avalon
If you can't be happy when it's done?
Who is in the race again
Doesn't seem a long time since the last one?
Wishing I could still make you happy
Torn apart somehow
Must be the waves we were carried on
Crashing on the shores of Avalon
Then grey-painted aeroplanes fly over
On their way to war
And I'm dialling in, I'm dialling out
There's darkness at the door
Then I overdo my dose and I don't even know I'm here anymore
It's just something that comes to us all
What's the point in painting Avalon
If you can't be present when it's done?
Who is in the vale again
Picking up the apples of Avalon?
Then grey-painted aeroplanes fly over
On their way to war
And I'm dialling in, I'm dialling out
But the glass is still half full
Then I overdo my dose and I don't even know I'm here anymore
It's just something that comes to us all
If you can't be happy when it's done?
Who is in the race again
Doesn't seem a long time since the last one?
Wishing I could still make you happy
Torn apart somehow
Must be the waves we were carried on
Crashing on the shores of Avalon
Then grey-painted aeroplanes fly over
On their way to war
And I'm dialling in, I'm dialling out
There's darkness at the door
Then I overdo my dose and I don't even know I'm here anymore
It's just something that comes to us all
What's the point in painting Avalon
If you can't be present when it's done?
Who is in the vale again
Picking up the apples of Avalon?
Then grey-painted aeroplanes fly over
On their way to war
And I'm dialling in, I'm dialling out
But the glass is still half full
Then I overdo my dose and I don't even know I'm here anymore
It's just something that comes to us all
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
The Heights
Suppose I'm on my own tonight
Suppose I've got to find the heights
I gave a lot of heart, so did you
Standing in the back row, this one's for you
Seeing through the coma in our lives
Something so bright out there, you can't even see it
Are we running out of time?
Something so momentary that you can't even feel it
I'll see you in the heights one day
I'll get there too
I'll be standing in the front row
Next to you
Seeing through the coma in our lives
Something so bright out there, you can't even see it
Are we running out of time?
Something so momentary that you can only be it?
So momentary
Suppose I've got to find the heights
I gave a lot of heart, so did you
Standing in the back row, this one's for you
Seeing through the coma in our lives
Something so bright out there, you can't even see it
Are we running out of time?
Something so momentary that you can't even feel it
I'll see you in the heights one day
I'll get there too
I'll be standing in the front row
Next to you
Seeing through the coma in our lives
Something so bright out there, you can't even see it
Are we running out of time?
Something so momentary that you can only be it?
So momentary
Writer: Damon Albarn, David Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Steven James
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
The Ballad of Darren is the ninth studio album by English rock band Blur. It was released on 21 July 2023 by Parlophone and Warner Records. The album's songs were written by frontman Damon Albarn in 2022 while on tour with Gorillaz, and composed by Albarn and the rest of the band. It was produced by James Ford at Studio 13 in London and Devon. It is Blur's first album since The Magic Whip (2015), and their shortest album, with a runtime under 40 minutes. The album's artwork features a 2004 photograph of a man swimming alone in the Gourock Outdoor Pool in Gourock, Scotland, taken by Martin Parr. Its title refers to Darren "Smoggy" Evans, the band's longtime bodyguard.
The Ballad of Darren was released to positive reviews. It became the band's seventh consecutive number one album debut in the UK. It also topped the charts in Belgium, Ireland, Scotland and Switzerland, and became the band's first US Top 10 album on the Top Album Sales chart, reaching #8. The album was promoted by the singles "The Narcissist", "St. Charles Square" and "Barbaric", as well as a global tour.
Performed By:
BlurThe Ballad of Darren was released to positive reviews. It became the band's seventh consecutive number one album debut in the UK. It also topped the charts in Belgium, Ireland, Scotland and Switzerland, and became the band's first US Top 10 album on the Top Album Sales chart, reaching #8. The album was promoted by the singles "The Narcissist", "St. Charles Square" and "Barbaric", as well as a global tour.
Genre(s): Alternative rock, indie rock, baroque pop, lounge pop
Producer(s): James Ford
Length: 36:04
Released: July 21st, 2023
Year: 2023