Songfacts®:

• Originally a rather minimalist (and somewhat dull) rap with the gimmick of a cartoon voice (rather than an angry, heavy bass vocal), a club remix became a huge dance hit at the turn of the century and turned Gorillaz into a household name, both because of how catchy the melody and lyric are and because so few people who love the song seem to know its title - and those who do have no idea why it's called "19-2000." Well, here's the answer: Murdoc Nickels, who operates as the leader of the virtual band said: "I wrote this around the end of the last millennium, as the clocks were changing and the 21st century was dawning. A new age was upon us. It would be ridiculous for the occasion to go unmarked by a band as forward thinking and iconic as Gorillaz. I just needed a title that reflected that change. 19/2000 fitted the bill. It was that or 'Millennium' and that's a s--t name for a song."
• For anyone who doesn't know the song by its title, it's the one that starts with rapping about a monkey in the jungle watching a paper trail, followed by a momma telling her kids they have to make their own shoes, and then ramps up to a chorus of "Get the cool! Get the cool shoeshine!" >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  S.D. - Denver, CO, for above 2
• This samples "Sing a Simple Song" by Sly & the Family Stone.
• Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club provided backing vocals on this track.