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Sunday 23 January 2022

How High

'Can I kiss the sun?/ Run a minute mile/ While you hitch hike/ Love shines a light/ I'll be a winner's cup/ And I'm looking for the one who cut you up/ You're not having me/ You know the skies are mean/ And I'm hoping for a way to free you...'

I saw this graffiti in the tunnel beneath the M60 while walking from Sale Water Park last week and there was only one song that I could post with it. 

How High

A high octane torrent of guitar chords, rhythms and words from the Charlatans in 1997. I remember an interview with Tim Burgess where he said that the words were inspired by listening to Dylan's beat/ speed lyrics from '66 and the multi- rapper flow of Wu Tang Clan, the way the words tumble on top of each other, piling up lines of imagery, in a rush to get onto tape. Something like that. I liked the idea, that at the height of Britpop they were getting their inspiration from quite non- Britpop sources. Tim sings a line 'borrowed' liberally from Dylan, 'I'm gonna pledge my time til the day I die', one of the moments where the song slows slightly and the words surface before tumbling down all over again. 

4 comments:

The Swede said...

Fantastic song. There were a few Dylan references dotted around their music around this time, if memory serves.

Khayem said...

I was little indifferent to this song but I now have a greater appreciation for how consistently good they've been over the years and really enjoy this song. I think Tim's Listening Party has reinforced his wide-ranging love and passion for music but you're right, Adam, the atypical influences were there way back when.

Michael Doherty said...

Doesn't one of the singles from the time even have a cover very reminiscent of Nashville Skyline, or am I imagining that?

Adam Turner said...

Yep, North Country Boy had Mark recreating the sleeve.