This is the next century
Where the universal's free
You can find it anywhere
Yes, the future has been sold
Every night we're gone
And to karaoke songs
How we like to sing a long
Although the words are wrong

It really, really, really could happen
Yes, it really, really, really could happen
When the days they seem to fall through you, well just let them go

No one here is alone, satellites in every home
Yes the universal's here, here for everyone
Every paper that you read
Says tomorrow is your lucky day
Well, here's your lucky day

It really, really, really could happen
Yes, it really, really, really could happen
When the days they seem to fall through you, well just let them go

Well, it really, really, really could happen
Yes, it really, really, really could happen
When the days they seem to fall through you, well just let them go

Just let them go



Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by tpfang56

Track duration: 04:00

"The Universal" as written by Nate James, Francis Eg White

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Universal song meanings
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45 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:One of my favorite songs of blurs and the music video referring is to the film clockwork orange is a masterpiece and goes with the song very welI.I think its about Prozac...
    Flagged zane1971on October 17, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of my favorite songs of blurs and the music video referring is to the film clockwork orange is a masterpiece and goes with the song very welI.I think its about Prozac...
    Flagged zane1971on October 17, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:so many songs 4 a band who didnt have 2 many radio hits???
    Flag koala5412on September 01, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Of the two guys drinking together, the man in the monochromatic outfit was definitely gay. I believe the point was that, because they both took 'The Universal', the straight man couldn't tell that his friend was hitting on him, while the gay man couldn't see that his love interest wasn't returning the favor.

    The four pictures were (I believe there were four)..
    1. A hat on top of a pair of legs, which could either mean that that the future's new civilians will look classy and sophisticated from the outside (it was a top hat), but will have no 'brains' or 'heart', or possibly just that they can't think for themselves and the hat was necessary for the viewer to notice the intentional lack of a head and torso.
    2. A set of handcuffs that one of the links was undone, which could either mean that the people feel as if they are free, but the shackles are still there and can be reapplied at any time, or maybe they just symbolized freedom and only one being undone was a stylistic choice. (not important for this point)
    3. A fetus above a cocktail glass, literally to be taken as "drinking your life away", or possibly "drinking away any ability to start a new life".
    4. A magnet and a person, obviously meaning "human attraction".

    Despite the fact that Damon can easily tell that the gay friend is going to make a move that night, even winking right before it happens, neither person can see it in the other from literally feet away from each other. Damon's also under the influence of the drug (he can't fully smile and when he does, it doesn't seem quite right), but is self aware. The users of The Universal have become so devoid of emotion that they can't even sense love if it isn't shoved right in their faces, maybe because it numbs them, maybe because it helps them choose to forget.

    The point is that, while being completely numb to emotions makes life easier to manage and control, it doesn't lead to a satisfying life. Damon's practically bashing a possible future generation, "the Prozac generation".

    ..oh, and one more thing, since none of you realized it yet. Notice that even though the old men were very happy with the real world in their force-fed happiness (notice how their glasses are specifically rose colored), once they found out it wasn't what they were told happiness is, they were immediately unhappy. It was practically "Wow, this is great! ..wait a second, I recognize this place. This isn't true happiness! (outrage)".
    Flag bjkpersonalon November 26, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:little odd.... but it sounds okay.
    Flag iloveiguanason September 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:if you get what you want, all your old ideals will be noting. that's not only for the future, but that's the quintessence of humanity. I've had an eating disorder, and no matter how like what i wanted i was i always wanted to be thinner. everyone's like that. no matter how rich you are, you always want some more money, no matter how perfect your life is, you want it to be better. the moment you reach your ideals, they become old and obsolete, and you must find other ideals, stronger than the older ones and harder, otherwise you will fall to pieces, and that's what makes everyone miserable. that's what it is generally about, but specifically, it is about speeding things up: no matter how fast things are, you will still see something that wastes your time.
    Flag TrixieFalconon November 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Lukefun has it!
    Flag Danellleon October 10, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Everyone mentioning the National Lottery is spot on. Damon has said himself that the song is in fact about the lottery and his belief that it was a bad thing. The song is basically predicting his, our and in turn the whole country's downfall due to people believing everything they hear such as "tomorrow's your lucky day" and becoming motivated by the most impossible and unlikely dreams. The lyrics can be said to be prophetic in where British culture was going at the time, so I think people mentioning New Labour have a point, even if the song wasn't strictly political.
    Flagged WillEnglishon March 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think that there are a number of comments here that give the song it's meaning.

    There isn't just one drug like the Universal that helps obscure the grim nature of reality, there's a whole collection of things that distract us. The mass media, movies, TV etc. all assist in making life
    seem better than it really is.
    Flag mgvsmithon August 24, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think Tonyk hit on something with the mention of the National Lottery as that is what the song has always put me in mind of. The lottery is an illusion that makes ordinary working class life more bearable. People are convinced that "it really really really could happen". Each week they're dissapointed but it doesn't shake their optimism. "As the days they seem to fall through" people just let the days go, rolling on their optimism to the next week. It's a symbol of the inertia in modern life where instead of working to improve their lives people are just resigned to their dissatisfaction with the world and get through it by pinning their hopes on near impossible dreams that require the minimal ammount of effort on their part such as winning the lottery.
    Flag Androgynouson August 17, 2009   Link

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