Public Image Ltd – Albatross

Know something about this song or lyrics? Add it to our wiki.
Send "Albatross" Ringtone to Cell

Slow motion, slow motion
Getting rid of the albatross
Sowing the seeds of discontent
I know you very well, you are unbearable
I've seen you up far too close
Getting rid of the albatross

Frying rear blinds
If I wanted
Should I really
If I run away, run away

Riding along on the crest of the wave
Getting rid of the albatross
Another will not forget
I know you very well

Run away, run away
Should I
I run away
Getting rid of the albatross
I know you very well, you are unbearable
I see you far too close
If I wanted to, if
Run away, run away
I ran away, I ran away

Send "Albatross" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by oswaldtherabbit

Track duration: 10:35

"Albatross" as written by Keith Levene, John Wardle, John Lydon

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Albatross song meanings
Add your thoughts

9 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:According to Mr Lydon: 'A song like “Albatross” is about the confusion of things. It’s about the [antiwar] riots outside the American Embassy [in London] in 1968. It’s really about nothing. The song really tries to capture that, the confusion of that moment. You can’t really sum up a riot in a verse-chorus format. It’s a slow, grinding, deliberate, purposeful examination'.
    Flag magus23on April 08, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's about the Sex Pistols and perhaps in effect, punk, which Lydon was very disillusioned with at the time. Getting rid of the unbearable albatross with slow motion "non music."
    Flag robwyattfanon November 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Scratch it all, I read an interview with Lydon in which he claims he improvised the lyrics pretty much on the spot, in a sort of trance, à la Damo Suzuki at a live Can performance. But perhaps that validates every answer here...
    Flag Cynothoglyson January 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:These lyrics are from the liner notes.

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… is about the poem where the albatross reference is from.
    Flag Tristax!on July 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The "rear blinds" part was certainly misheard. It's also "I have seen you far too close". But to end my nit-picking...

    Another possibility is that it's about some horrible incident on a ship. I believe that it is a seafaring tradition that to kill an albatross is sure to bring bad luck. Or is it any appearance of it... I can't recall.

    It reminds me of a incident in which a ship was found with only two survivors after a terrible storm and several months. The two men left had lived by eating the others remains, and were discovered staring each other down from other sides of the deck...

    Appropriate, I think, for the same fellow who penned "Poptones".
    Flag Cynothoglyson June 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Dictionary.com has a definition of 'albatross': "a seemingly inescapable moral or emotional burden, as of guilt or responsibility." The easiest interpretation is that the singer is getting rid of the burden of the Sex Pistols, thought Lydon did that already with 'Theme'.
    Flag Tristax!on June 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Almost certainly alluding to Samuel Coleridge's 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'...
    Flag fuzzyslipperson February 12, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:That is the sound of disco dying.
    Flag Dweedon January 28, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:AFAIK, John Lydon thought it would be funny to put an atonal, 10-minute jam session with meaningless lyrics at the start of the second album in order to further annoy/alienate the people who were criticizing him because his new band didn't sound like the Sex Pistols.
    Flag heartbeats_xxxon May 23, 2006   Link
    • 2 Replies

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain