| “ | Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, white light | „ |
White Light is a song by Gorillaz and the eleventh track on their second studio album, Demon Days.
Background and Recording[]
On Gorillaz' autobiography, Rise of the Ogre, White Light is described as being "to Demon Days what Punk is to Gorillaz", a "breathless, shouty punk rocker with no table manners".
| “ | This song is about the relentless fury of alcohol. The focused drive and singular thirst that kind of desire creates. One man's passion is another man's addiction: alcohol is one of the ways we suppress our indecisions. | „ |
| ~ Noodle |
According to Russel, the drums sounded different from normal as some of his medication had just worn off by the time he recorded them. 2-D also stated that the vocals were provided by Murdoc, who sang it into a Dictaphone while drunk when he was slumped in a heap down by the canal one morning. The guitar line was played by one of Murdoc's Mexican inmates whom he brought with him after his time in jail.
Live Visuals[]
The live visuals for White Light feature a disoriented and drunk tramp walking around a canal while drinking from a can of White Light beer. The camera moves fast and the shots are often blurry to illustrate his dizziness. During the choir section, the background turns black and a round white light appears behind his head, which leads him to look up and grab another can of beer, which he starts drinking immediately after.
The tramp featured in the video was played by former Zombie Flesh Eaters member Tim Rockins, with it being filmed by Rob Barlow and with make-up done by stylist Mikaela Honeywill.[1] In an interview with NME magazine, Tim stated that he was nominated to be the "tramp" role by Jamie Hewlett because, according to him, he had “a big beard, long hair and just general tramp vibes”.
| “ | I was literally down by the canal swigging this White Light can. It was a brilliant gig. I didn’t want to show my mum [though], it felt like some sort of prophecy. | „ |
| ~ Tim Rockins |
Lyrics[]
White light
White light
White light
Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, white light
White light
White light
White light
Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, white light
White light
White light
White light
Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, white light
White light
White light
White light
Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, white light
White light
White light
White light
Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, white light
White light
White light
White light
Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, white light
Video[]
Availability[]
Song[]
- Demon Days (all editions).
Live Visuals[]
- Demon Days Live At The Manchester Opera House DVD (note: certain editions include audio from the live performance while others are from the studio recording);
- Unofficial YouTube reuploads.
Trivia[]
- White Light is Murdoc's favourite song on Demon Days[2]
- The song most likely refers to a discontinued brand of English white cider White LightningW.
Gallery[]
Live Visuals[]
Wallpapers[]
References[]
- ↑ Demon Days Live At The Manchester Opera House DVD liner notes.
- ↑ "Gorillaz Interview Kit", located at 2:13. Lily Townsend (26 June 2019). Retrieved on 3 January 2025.