Charge

Album: The Take Off and Landing of Everything (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This Take Off and Landing of Everything track finds Elbow frontman Guy Garvey picturing himself in a couple of decade's time as an old rocker. Tainted by anger and sorrow, he is sitting in a bar, invisible to the attentions of the younger drinkers around him. Garvey told Mojo magazine: "It's an old man sitting in a young person's bar, saying, 'don't look at me as old'... there's some of me in there. My dad was as passionate about Manchester as I am, but in welcoming people rather than repelling people at the bar."

    "Something I'm experiencing the fringes of," he added, with a chuckle. "I don't like the way we treat our old people in Britain. It's so f---ing short sighted. Like we're not all gonna end up that old."

    "If the album has a theme, it's that the band are all approaching 40, and thinking about the part of life that's gone, and what's coming for the next 40, yet you're encouraged to live in the moment," Garvey concluded. "It's all these things at once."
  • Garvey sings on this song as being "from another century." He told Mojo: "The character from this song is definitely me but a bit older. In that song. The character is initially quite aggressive towards young people – which is not me – but I can understand where that comes from, because you get so frustrated when your mortality starts tapping."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.

Jonathan Cain of Journey

Jonathan Cain of JourneySongwriter Interviews

Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."

Gentle Giant

Gentle GiantSongwriter Interviews

An interview with Ray and Derek Shulman of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant to discuss counterpoint, polyrhythms, and... Bon Jovi.

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.

Album Cover Inspirations

Album Cover InspirationsSong Writing

Some album art was at least "inspired" by others. A look at some very similar covers.

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?