It was only last week when I was driving when I heard a familiar one on the radio. There was this live version from the 'Dour' festival in Belgium playing 'Weak become Heroes'. Now Dour already is a bit of a love and hate festival as it is not one of the most known ones in Belgium. Logistics are crap, stages are crap but the vibe is always good and they always have some nice surprises on stages.
Although this is an alternative festival over the whole line, this was also the place where 'Destinys Child' had their mud baptism on festivals back in like the year 2000 or so.
Regardless, this was about 'The Streets' playing on the radio and even though it had been years since I had listened anything from them, the words came straight to mind and came flowing through the car.
Wikipedia
Good there was no passenger with me listening to all of this crap! Let's have a look at some of the classics which to me are always the ones with a bit of of minor chords or with a sad tone in there.
So no...this ain't about the Dour festival, this is about British Garage hiphop. Where I learned a new vocabulary ..
...around here, we say birds not bitches
Turn the page
There is something with the tone in this song that is just sad. Synths getting darker and darker and coming out of the background taking over the song.
It was all based on the movie Gladiator apparently this song, and now I know I see more and more of that through the lyrics.
It's in this place you'll see me
Brace yourself, 'cause this goes deep
I'll show you the secrets, the sky and the birds
Actions speak louder than words
Stand by me, my apprentice
Be brave, clench fists
Isn't it awkward how you can just speak and song those words without even having to think of them because somewhere they are living rent-free in the back of your brain and they are like ready to instantly use?
I love the tone of the start of this album
It's too late
Another British word added to my vocabulary because of this album. I had no idea what a geezer was before this album, but hey...Here it is integral throughout right?
Actually this whole album was full of a new language. Also in this song which again has this extremely sad minor chord undertone in there about a girl leaving ofcourse.
Mate bells me to borrow money, I got two Henry's and a dealer to pay
Now this is where I learned that a 'Henry' is a High Earner, Not Rich Yet of better said, someone that lend the guy money, because he is always at the bar messing up his life.
For some reason I get the vibe here from this guy spending his life at the pub, drinking it all away, making poor life choices
Of course the girl walked away, but the tone in this song... It just screams sad throughout!
Blinded by the Lights
OKay fair enough. This song is not from the first album ' Original Pirate Material' but from the album after called 'A Grand don't come for free'.
But this one... Well, I think everyone who had had one far too many will totally recognize every feeling in this song, regardless if it is a beer or something else.
Whoa, everything in the room's spinning
I think I'm going to fall down
My heart's beating to quick, I'm fucking tripping out
I wonder whether they got in, turned away, no doubt
But again....It's all about the tone of the song. The tone of someone who doesn't have it all under control and also of course where the girl is involved.
For me this was one of the first bands where I had realized that British is really something else. The words, the vocabulary, the directness... I'm appreciating it more by the year.
Do you know these old works from The Streets?