Tarantula

Album: Cracker Island (2023)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Gorillaz virtual vocalist 2-D desires a romantic partner who can love him and anchor him.

    I need you, I need you, I need you
    If you're good for me
    Then I'm good for you
    And that's all I need


    2-D would be a caring and devoted partner who would sacrifice his own well-being to support his loved one.
  • Gorillaz recorded "Tarantula" for Cracker Island. It's the most romantic track on the album, but there's no mention of any spiders in the lyric. According to Spotify's Storyline of the song, when Damon Albarn, co-creator of the virtual band, arrived at Montevideo Airport on the first day of Gorillaz's South American tour, he saw a tarantula walking about at baggage claim. The large hairy spider inspired this song. "It's a very beautiful creature," he said. "A simple thing that charms you."
  • Gorillaz's cartoon bass player, Murdoc Niccals, offered his commentary on this disco ballad in his own inimitable way during a Cracker Island listening party.

    "2-D claims the inspiration was, he met a tarantula that looked like George Michael," he said. "Total rubbish! It was inspired by a dream I had. I was being chased by giant spiders! I woke up screaming, and gradually my scream of terror morphed and mellowed into a brilliant riff. Behold, the track was born. Trigger warning: arachnophobes might want to mute."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."