Best Band Ever*

*according to me, at this moment, subject to change.
I'm beginning to have a hard time understanding why I do these Best Band Ever*, like what is the point. I intersperse a few personal tidbits and why the band "means so much to me" and other useless trivia that I know about them, between video clips. It seems like an exercise in pomposity or vanity (in which I pronounce judgement and try to sound informed and reputable), but then again the whole blog endeavour is an exercise in those two "ity"s as well. But on the other hand it does give me a chance to find and see a few videos that I never would have known existed if it wasn't for the impetus of needing something for this post.
And on that quite upbeat note Blur is the Best Band Ever*.
For the last two days when I've woken up I've had the opening riff (or whatever it's called; my usage of musical terminology is a shame) that Graham Coxon does, of Beetlebum stuck in my head, and so I figured that it was probably a sign or an omen. It is a really great and catchy song, but is also one of those where since I haven't memorized the real lyrics I tend to make up my own, as I am wont to do at times. I had heard that the song was referring to Damon Albarn's girlfriend at the time (the lead singer of Elastica) and her heroin addiction, but apparently the meaning hasn't ever been explicitly stated, which is how all good songs should be; retaining an aura of mystery. Here's the video; the song is off their 1997 eponymous ( I love that word) album

It is off the same album as, and is track 1 preceding that Blur song which I never really got into like everyone else; maybe it was the overplaying at like any sporting event or high school talent show or I guess it didn't really "move" me.Maybe I thought it was a little cheesy and lazy and cheap, or maybe just trying too hard, I don't know.

I think maybe that song came out before I knew who Blur was so I never really gave it a chance. At that point all I may have known was that they were "feuding" with Oasis, who I did and was thusly firmly behind (before realizing what twits they are.) But then I saw this video somewhere maybe MTV and it was such an amazing concept and execution with a really great song to back it up that I was hooked and amazed. And to this day I still find myself under my breath singing that chorus "so give me coffee & t.v./history/i've seen so much I'm going blind/and i'm braindead virtually./Sociability/is hard enough for me/ take me away from this big bad world/and agree to marry me. So we can start over again."
It's of their 1999 album 13 and here's the video that I so love. (though it's so emotional it's I wonder I don't start crying watching it)

That may have been the song that got me into them and as I tend to do I went gaga and searched through their previous work and I'll just leave you with two of my other favorite songs ( I think 5 videos in a post is more than enough, otherwise this would be excessively excessive.) Anyway I heard of their song "Girls & Boys" and being the gender questioning one that I was I immediately glomed onto the lyrics " girls who are boys who like boys to be girls who do boys like they're girls who do girls like they're boys" I thought they were really progressive with thoughts of sexual and gendered freedomand what not ( well that and the fact I read somewhere that Damon was Bi) but then I read somewhere else on that gospel that is the internet that the song is actually making fun of weekend holidayers who go off to Ibiza and enjoy hedonism. Eh I still enjoy it (and it's message of sex only with love; aww.) it's from their Parklife album, if you're so inclined.

God I love BritPop. But my absolute favorite song of theirs is probably The Universal from their Great Escape album. it is one of those songs that evoke a sense of hope, of limitless possibilities, of living in each day and the connection of all things:
This is the next century
Where the Universal's free
You can find it anywhere
Yes, the future's been sold
Every night we're gone
And to karaoke songs
How we like to sing along
'Though the words are wrong

It really, really, really could happen
Yes, it really, really, really could happen
When the days they seem to fall through you
Well, just let them go

No-one here is alone
Satellite's in every home
Yes, the Universal's here
Here for everyone
Every paper that you read
Says tomorrow's your lucky day
Well, here's your lucky day

It really, really, really could happen
Yes, it really, really, really could happen
If the days they seem to fall through you
Well, just let them go

So here's the video which I had never actually seen before. Damon is quite gorgeous:

Here's to a lucky day

(and I'm pretty happy with that I think)

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