#musicmonday Ben Howard: London

I'm going to do something quite out of character here. I am going to tell you how much I enjoy a song that is about not liking London. I think it's very clear from this blog that London is one of the loves of my life and normally a song about not liking it would be a turn off for me- but I really like Ben Howard and something about these lyrics makes me smile- perhaps it's because to me it sort of reminds me of why I do adore this city despite the sirens and the missing stars, perhaps it's the hopeful bit about Paris at the end, perhaps it's because it's just a really good song. You can find Ben Howard on his myspace and you can download his EP 'These Waters' from itunes.

London..


Oh, how i wish i could drag you down here,
Pull these feet far from the ground
Because this, this city ain't no friend of mine
Ain't no friend.


All i can do
When the tracks stop at the final destination
Is just push on through,
The weariness and silences of such a crowded situation here.


All i can do
When every brick, every bar, every elegance i see, i see her face,
Is just push on, just push on through,
These embers of memories that float from the fire, from the fire of this place.


So don't give up on me now,
Oh these legs that'll walk me home.


Because it's only concrete and cars,
It's only sirens and missing stars,
It's only whiskey and disregard
In the smallest hours here, when i feel alone.


All i can do
when these lights, they haunt me like orchids in a graveyard,
Is just just push on, just push on through
These faces of dust and stone,
The dirt and bone of loss.


So don't give up on me now,
Oh these legs that'll walk me home.


Because it's only concrete and cars,
It's only sirens and missing stars,
It's only whiskey and disregard
In the smallest hours here, when i feel alone.


..and i hope, Paris is as beautiful as i've been told
and that everything you do is galvanised in gold.