Thoughts from the Bus Stop: This Is A Low

And into the sea goes pretty England and me
Around the Bay of Biscay and back for tea
Hit traffic on the Dogger bank
Up the Thames to find a taxi rank
Sail on by with the tide and go asleep
And the radio says
This is a low
But it won't hurt you
When you're alone it will be there with you
Finding ways to stay solo

On the Tyne, Forth and Cromarty
There's a low in the high Forties
Saturday's locked away on the pier
Not fast enough dear
And on the Malin head
Blackpool looks blue and red
And the Queen, she's gone round the bend
Jumped off Land's End...

This Is A Low, Blur

It dawned on me the other day that I haven't posted in weeks. Why? Because I couldn't be bothered. I can't bothered with a lot of things lately. I have an unwelcome guest, who hasn't been around for a few years but is back and sapping my energy, appetites and motivation, making me withdrawn and unproductive. Thanks, Depression - how long were you planning on staying?

And yet... I have been moved to post by My New Favourite Thing: the Shipping Forecast teatowel which the fragrant Mr & Mrs Ison bought me on their hols. They know how much I love maps (and map scarves and map teatowels), and I'd also told them about my fondness for Blur's This Is A Low, whose lyrics were inspired by a hanky printed with the shipping regions map, a Christmas present from Alex to Damon,. I'd mentioned how many years I'd been looking for such a hanky, in vain. I have very good friends.

This Is A Low is one of those atmospheric, ambiguous songs you can project your own feelings on. It's perfect when I need something which has substance but doesn't require much effort on my part for it to minister to me. It soothes me in my melancholic moments - as does listening to the Shipping Forecast on Radio 4 - poetry, both of them.

The artist Mark Power has taken photos in each shipping forecast region - view them on his website, or there's a book available.

Also:
YouTube: Blur perform 'This Is A Low' at Glastonbury in 1994