The Streets Lyrics

    ------ About the song The Escapist performed by The Streets

This song is a peak in the work of Skinner, who takes us beyond our time, and his own. In earlier work, he was like Dickens in his ability to express the viscera of contemporary life, but in this song he goes way beyond, towering miles above any previous pop lyricist, shooting past Ray Davies’ highest moments (Waterloo Sunset, Autumn Almanac). Davies is possibly his only real contemporary and Skinner effortlessly goes beyond, showing an ability to capture a timeless essence that, in the blink of an eyelid, removes all historical and cultural moorings, and leaves us with the ineffable - a mystic’s eye, a romantic regard for the shattering moment of that post-psychedelic rush, where the ego is cast aside and the natural world shines forth as both the subject and the speaker.
The escapist is a song that burrows deep into the tradition of William Blake, and Thomas Traherne. Compare Blake from his Augeries of Innocence:

“To See a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.”

To Skinners

“I see the eternal setting sea
I compare all this to me,
It's all fleeting momentary me.”

And Blakes

“If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.” The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

to

“I blink my eyes, this is reminding me
Life lies in the blink of an eye
The old die for reasons, new tides for seasons
New life born is like teasing”

We can go back (time doesn’t matter here) to Thomas Traherne, Dumbness, 1674:

“Then did I dwell within a world of light, Distinct and separate from all men’s sight, Where I did feel strange thoughts, and such things see That were, or seemed, only revealed to me, There I saw all the world enjoyed by one; There I was in the world myself alone; No business serious seemed but one; no work But one was found; and that did in me lurk.”

It is with the same eyes Skinner sees:

“The truth I have told was silence sometimes
But who's soul does not hide any crimes
Wrapped in walls, encircled by work
The walls fall - the story occurs
No barrier, no boundary, all hours I please”

There he is on the beach, glancing at rocks, dancing off docks, no-where - streaming back through history, giving a vast light to his generation. Not giving what they think they want – giving what they need.

    ------ About the song The Escapist performed by The Streets

From the very first opening note of the violin to the very last verse, this song is proof that Mike Skinner has finally realised his full potential and in melodic and philisophical style. "The Escapist" is an uplifting ballad which highlights the insignifigance of a material life when compared to the beauty of nature. It is difficult to grasp the exact meaning of every verse, but then again why would you want to? To me, this song is one coming straight from the heart of a departed loved one, reassuring their family that they aren't, nor have they ever been "trapped in a box" and are instead all around them, in the form of the Earths natural beauty.

"I am not here at all,
You are dearly fooled,
I see bristling trees, the shush at the sea
Mischievous
Fluttering seagulls"

This, in its its purest sense, is poetry. Poetry of the raw emotions of the working class. Mister Skinner has captured this through an orchestra and spectacularly mixed it with his Birmingham rap, which bizzarley and spectacularly blend to create a wonderful record.
He showed glimpses of this in earlier tracks, such as "Never Went to Church" and "Turn the Page", but he has now finally brought it to a glorious conclusion.

Utterly brilliant.

    ------ About the song Dry Your Eyes performed by The Streets

I never knew that i had this song with me. Then last year my friend ask for this song. It take whole day to search but we didn't found. The funny thing was that night i hear the song title dry your eyes in my cel. Next day he punch so hard in my head because of me. Till one year this knock my many times and i really love this song

    ------ About the song Blinded by the Lights performed by The Streets

sounds like a bad omen. i've been screwed since day one. so i can relate to what they are saying, i'm fucked and i know it - i care, but there is nothing i can do about it anyway. whatever is meant to happen with happen. i've been doing everything I thought was the rigth thing to do. if it isn't it isn't. what can i say. i did what I could. i always do. they'e made it impossible for me. done all they could too make me miserable. theey succeeded. but, i made it a long way alone and miserable and that says a lot

    ------ About the song Blinded by the Lights performed by The Streets

Anyone suggesting this song is not about drugs has obviously never taken any and is therefore incapable of making that judgement.

The song's about being lonely on pills, and it captures that feeling superbly.

    ------ About the song Never Went To Church performed by The Streets

I like this song, because to me it exposes the depth of spriritual hunger there is in secular societies, that think they have done away with the entire concept and necessity of knowing our creator. And its when you lose someone close to you that you realise how this life is empty without God to give it meaning and purpose.

    ------ About the song Blinded by the Lights performed by The Streets

The lines "but I'm fucked and I don't care" & "This is fuckin amazing" make me think this really is about rolls. If you've ever been in his situation, you know EXACTLY what it means to be fucked and not care.
P.S. Thinking the drugs you've taken are shit, and taking more because of that, classic mistake we all make. Always turns out horrible yet great.

    ------ About the song Pranging Out performed by The Streets

This song is about taking drugs until your so high you're actually scared of coming back down,and the only way not to come down is by taking more but by taking more your body tells you you need to stop and so on,and either your body gives up and you pass out or die,or you stop yourself before it's too late.A lot of people contemplate suicide when they are like this because that's the only way they can see out.Tip: Don't take drugs.

    ------ About the song Blinded by the Lights performed by The Streets

This song isn't about taking pills! Fair enough there is drugs in the song, but it is truly about simone, and wanting to see her. This is about Love.
If you go deeper too, hes describing pills as a bad thing... so all you sayin ''ahhh mate i love pills'' stop being chavs an get a life!
The Streets are legendary.

    ------ About the song Turn The Page performed by The Streets

i think thats exactly what he tries to get across to the audience. it mirrors the chaos in your thoughts when in being in trouble or feeling confused or scared...and says: calm down, this is normal. take what you need, be on your way and watch out...