'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.
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:
Fantastic song. There were a few Dylan references dotted around their music around this time, if memory serves.
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.
Doesn't one of the singles from the time even have a cover very reminiscent of Nashville Skyline, or am I imagining that?
Yep, North Country Boy had Mark recreating the sleeve.
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