The Black Rats of London

Album: Levitate (2009)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is the opening track from American singer-songwriter Bruce Hornsby's tenth studio album, Levitate. Hornsby explained to The Express Night Out: "I think of it as my attempt at a British drinking song. Lyrically, it was inspired by a National Geographic article on Jamestown where it talks about how - were it not for these crazy bacterial strains and rodents infecting the locals - American history would have been very different. So [black rats of London] truly are the unsung heroes of American history. As the years go on I'm looking for different and more interesting subject matter. As I get older I tend to gravitate toward songs that give you a laugh."

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