Old Music Tuesdays: Gorillaz “Dirty Harry”

Since I was Subtle last week, I decided to be more obvious this week. (Sorry for the bad pun.) In keeping with the hip hop/trip hop momentum, this week’s featured old music is from the UK’s Gorillaz. They are wildly popular, so you’ve probably heard of them. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last fifteen years, Gorillaz is a collaborative alternative art/music group formed by musician Damon Albarn and illustrator Jamie Hewlett.

Prior to Gorillaz, Albarn was best known as the frontman for the alternative band Blur, and Hewlett primarily for the underground-turned-mainstream punk comic Tank Girl. The “members” of Gorillaz are all animated characters designed by Hewlett. The music relies heavily on guest spots and collaborations among artists such as Del the Funkee Homosapien, Pharcyde, Miho Hatori, Dan the Automator, Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, and many more. Gorillaz’ style is a bit difficult to pin down, as they blur the lines between hip hop, alternative rock, dub, reggae, grunge, and trip hop.

Dirty Harry is the third single off of their sophomore album, Demon Days. (Click the link to get it for $4.) The San Fernandez Youth Chorus sings the hook, and Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown provides the rap verses. Simply put, it’s an anti-war song. (The heavy military iconography of the single’s cover and in the music video makes it obvious.) I’ve embedded the video and included the lyrics, below.

Please enjoy the video, and comments are always appreciated. Enjoy!

Lyrics

I need a gun to keep myself among
The poor people are burning in the sun
But they ain’t got a chance
They ain’t got a chance
I need a gun
Cos all I do is dance
Cos all I do is dance

I need a gun to keep myself among
The poor people are burning in the sun
No, they ain’t got a chance
They ain’t got a chance
I need a gun
Cos all I do is dance
Cos all I do is dance

In my backpack
I got my act right
In case you act quite difficult
And your resolve weaken
With anger and discontent
Some are seeking and searching like Nimoy

I’m a peace-loving decoy
Ready for retaliation
I change the whole occasion to a pine box six-under
Impulsive don’t ask why or wonder
Orders given to me is:
strike and I’m thunder with lightning fast reflexes on constant alert
from the constant hurt that seems limitless with no dropping pressure

Seems like everybody’s out to test ya
’til they see your break
You can’t conceal the hate
That consumes you
I’m the reason why you fill up your Isuzu

Chill with your old lady at the tilt
I got a 90 days visit
And I’m filled with guilt
From things that I’ve seen
Your water’s from a bottle
mine’s from a canteen

At night I hear the shots
Ring so I’m a light sleeper
The cost of life,
it seems to get cheaper
out in the desert
with my street sweeper
The war is over
So said the speaker with the flight suit on
Maybe to him I’m just a pawn
So he can advance
Remember when I used to dance
Man, all I want to do is dance

(Dance!)
(Dance!)
(Dance!)

I need a gun to keep myself among…

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