Elbow - Empires Lyrics






Baby
Empires crumble all the time
Pay it no mind
You just happened to witness mine
Don't let all the light fall from your eyes
Come come
Empires crumble all the time

How can a dismally typical Tuesday
Delivering blues with lead in its canopy
Scruff me pin me and let's make a man of me
Turn up the pounding of the hearts all around
And I'm bound to get busy with checking on the living
And I'll wring out their hands and my eyes with the sobbing
But how can a bland unremarkable typical Tuesday
Be Day of the Dead?

Baby
Empires crumble all the time
Pay it no mind
You just happened to witness mine
Don't let all the light fall from your eyes
Come come
Empires crumble all the time

How can a dismally typical Tuesday
Delivering blues with lead in its canopy
Scruff me pin me and let's make a man of me
Turn up the pounding of the hearts all around
And I'm bound to get busy with checking on the living
And I'll wring out their hands and my eyes with the sobbing
But how can a bland unremarkable typical Tuesday
Be Day of the Dead?





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Elbow Empires Comments
  1. d.... p....

    A song of compassion and love. Guy Garvey is quite a songwriter.. The lyrical part of this band and the music of the band are so together here. I have never had heard a songwriter use the word malady in a song before.
    This video is one of the best looking videos I've seen in awhile. A video you watch, listen and think about. So good. That is what great music is about.

  2. O.... M....

    It's that good I can picture Radiohead covering it. Masterpiece, makes you think.

  3. P.... L....

    The Purdie shuffle

  4. z.... K....

    Brilliant

  5. R.... ....

    See you in Orange County!!! Yeah!!

    R.... ....

    Dammit! Jealous. The Observatory is a great intimate venue! Enjoy

  6. G.... Y....

    What a voice, what a song,what a band.....music at its best

  7. s.... w....

    it grows & grows..what great music!

  8. N.... N....

    of course this is a single off this beauty. this song is in my head recently

  9. P.... ....

    Quality as always :-)

  10. R.... M....

    Klassieker

  11. A.... B....

    U seem like the perfect band to get behind the team trees movement. If u have not heard of it 1 dollar is 1 tree planted and the goal is to plant 20 million trees by the end of the year. If you guys haven’t donated yet. It could be the perfect sort of charity. Already like 12 million dollars in

  12. K.... G....

    Hey, who's watching in 2019?

  13. M.... 6....

    More boring shit !!!!

  14. S.... ....

    ALL because of Invented...INCH£$ !!!!

  15. P.... C....

    i just lost my love ...this helps ….a bit..

  16. K.... S....

    🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

  17. P.... K....

    Beautiful and heart breaking. Bravo elbow

  18. C.... M....

    Great tune. Sounds like the drummer has been listening to 'Sola Sistim' by Underworld though. :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ciKeiYbfy4

  19. D.... R....

    ❤️❤️❤️ we rise...

  20. K.... D....

    What a fantastic song, Bowie like.

  21. s.... ....

    This is both epic and understated. How the hell do they do that. I find this lush and beautiful.

  22. f.... ....

    It sounds like that copyright free music you get in Poundstretcher.

  23. Z.... Y....

    Почему это так прекрасно???

  24. Z.... Y....

    Почему это так прекрасно???

  25. Z.... Y....

    Почему это так прекрасно???

  26. Z.... Y....

    Почему это так прекрасно???

  27. J.... N....

    Thank you BBC Radio 6 for heavily playing this track. It's great.

  28. L.... B....

    Fred Leo you are deluded, they are one of the most pointless shittest bands in history, boring beyond belief, no memorable songs, I couldn't name a single song if you put a gun to my head, they are that good?
    If you think they are fantastic you'll cream yourself listening to the ballads on Radiohead's the bends an album that elbow have repeatedly mined for inspiration until they had to close said mine when they had used up all inspiration and had to move on and mine Coldplay mine of slow ballads which is plentiful or was, now that too has been depleted of its shit boring songs, sorry I mean uplifting life affirming singalongs. Elbow apparently are now mining the last Mumford and sons album, you know the one that Mumford thought was experimental and edgy for inspiration for this latest pile of poo.

    L.... B....

    Firstly, I think you missed the reply button and put this comment in the main section, rather than in response to someone else.

    Secondly, you're entitled to your opinion, but you don't need to be a collosal twat about it.

  29. A.... ....

    You're a bland unremarkable typical Tuesday

  30. F.... L....

    One of the greatest bands in music history!

  31. c.... ....

    Cycle of the universe!

  32. N.... &....

    Loving this!!

  33. C.... M....

    Masterpiece

  34. W.... V....

    Love this song

  35. S.... E....

    Sadly no Birmingham date's? Love the new music ❤

  36. S.... ....

    EMPIR£$

  37. L.... ....

    Humans as a species dont just kill and enslave their own kind, they also destroy the mother of all life known. We live in a society that is too busy watching TV, complaining about celebrities and consuming 24/7 to realize that we are slowly digging our own graves, be it actively or passively.
    Its just such a frustrating situation. But hey, how could the world end on a typical tuesday, am I right? Tuesday is pancake day!

  38. B.... Y....

    How does this video not have more likes and views?! 😍

  39. D.... ....

    1:01 Hey, it’s one of the buildings that was taken down in Rakka.

  40. M.... ....

    This song is almost like comforting somebody about your own downfall... it's really sad but also kind of hopeful in a very somber way <3

  41. J.... P....

    Could be the next Bond song!

  42. T.... W....

    I'm going to the tour

  43. O.... O....

    Brilliant song and I'm not a fan of elbow.

  44. G.... S....

    I think this is a song about the end of a relationship (Their empire). "Day of the dead", "Don't let all the light fall from your eyes". The imagery is purely symbolic of things crumbling, falling apart.

    G.... S....

    Nope. It's about EMPIR£$ !!!!!!!!!

  45. t.... ....

    This so much fits my current life. I'm usually a very positive person, but one false decision turned everything upside down and now I'm in a mess which will take some time to get out. All empires crumble some day. Hope to build another one soon.

  46. R.... C....

    Superb... Back to their absolute best. I hear aspects of Gorillaz in this... sounds like it could be off 'asleep in the back'

  47. N.... ....

    Both video and song are brilliant. Thank you for some good Music.

  48. S.... ....

    This is the same group that had their song in DiRT 10 years ago. Man am I glad to see you guys again

    S.... ....

    They've been releasing music ever since, and before. They didn't go anywhere!

  49. L.... J....

    You all high or what?

    L.... J....

    Leeroy Jenkins be for and after I listened to this great song.

  50. P.... H....

    This band is very important .... met em on pollard screen green room whilst I was jamming in a band locally...ever the gentleman was Mr Garvey, as welll as the rest of the band , still churning out quality xx brill

  51. C.... W....

    At least we have elbow to help us make sense of the ludicrous world we live in

  52. M.... D....

    This is the one and only time that I didn't skip a youtube advert. It was such an intriguing intro, musically and visually.
    This is a real piece of work people of Elbow. Thank you so much for this song and the excellently fitting video.
    You have a new fan. Peace and please keep doing what you do!

    M.... D....

    Welcome to Elbow fandom! May I suggest checking out "Forget Myself" and the entirety of "The Seldom Seen Kid" to get started.

    M.... D....

    Thank you Dagger33 :D I'll grab my headphones.

    M.... D....

    the 28.26 YT video ''Empire Files: The Tyranny of Big Oil,'' and others [by Empire Files]

  53. H.... ....

    The best ad on youtube.

  54. C.... J....

    Horrible not Ear candy its anoying

  55. D.... E....

    Fuuuuuck yes

  56. J.... ....

    I feel this song to the core, nothing less or more.

  57. W.... P....

    please - https://www.gofundme.com/f/new-school-kitchen

  58. R.... R....

    Take me to another dimension! Charge your smarties and enjoy the parade of the lost boys
    Humans = destruction

  59. E.... A....

    Man, I really hope they haven't infected the next album with political commentary.

    E.... A....

    @Adam You mean instantly dating itself by making hyperbolic statements about current events, treating the now as though it's the most important time that has ever existed? That shit ain't deep, that's the same lazy de jour approach that infects late night comedy shows.

    E.... A....

    I mean it just seems like maybe this band isn't for you and it probably isn't worth getting annoyed about them continuing to make the kind of music they make...?

    E.... A....

    @ThatWouldBeCareless What an insanely idiotic conclusion. Elbow have plenty of great music that doesn't rely on cheap navel gazing about current events; that's precisely what makes this so disappointing.

    E.... A....

    @Egbert Aethelbald Right-o stranger on the internet, this has got angry enough for no reason at all. I hope you're having a good day. I really do. And I hope you find something you enjoy in the new album like you found it alongside the political stuff in previous albums - like I find stuff I love in Frank Turner albums even though it means ignoring stuff I don't like as much. And I hope all kinds of lovely new music that's right up your street comes out too because that's the best feeling. *fist bump*

  60. A.... t....

    gorillaz vibes

    A.... t....

    HA HA HA

  61. N.... C....

    ...excelente videoclip!

  62. b.... ....

    How do I stop light fall from my eyes when I see shite happening in my home.
    Beautiful MV, sad to live in it though.

    Love from Hong Kong.

    b.... ....

    I am a Hongkonger who loves Elbow too!

  63. N.... K....

    Thank you Elbow! I'm so in love with your music😍

    N.... K....

    Normalnõi pesenka palutsilos. 🍰👌

    N.... K....

    Nastassia Kuliashova you must be easily pleased to love this shit

  64. G.... H....

    Those of the developed countries have it so good, it's a crime others have it so hard. I like the warning in this video concerning the environment. Not a fan of the music of this song, though. I can't wait for October 11th! Cheers from Birmingham, USA.

  65. B.... W....

    RIP the Grenfell lost.

  66. S.... V....

    Amazing, but just for a second....imagine a Depeche Mode version. 🤔

    S.... V....

    hmmm it will be heavier

  67. M.... J....

    To say I'm excited for this new album is an understatement.

  68. i.... ....

    first you think - oh wow, nice apocalyptic sci fi scenery video and then you stop and think, oh no, it's reality.

    i.... ....

    ingota ‘ it’s gonna happens... sad but human nature means destroying

  69. M.... O....

    awesome.

  70. A.... W....

    Good to feel some art reflecting the state of the world today

  71. W.... G....

    Terrifying pictures, stunning words, beautiful music. How do they do this? Amazing!

  72. J.... H....

    Fantastic video!!!! 😍

  73. B.... J....

    Number 699! ..... What's up with the 6 others? They don't belong!🤔

  74. G.... B....

    Remarkable. Sobering. Beautiful.

  75. M.... R....

    Elbow are always innovating - great single cant wait to hear the new music! Guy’s voice - nothing like it!

    M.... R....

    Just wanna hail a fellow Bowie fan. Good day friend!

  76. J.... G....

    brilliant

  77. K.... B....

    CONTINUED PRECIOUSNESS.

  78. F.... R....

    this is making me so sad that it is sublime

  79. T.... O....

    Anyone know if Dexter and Sinister will be on the tracklist for this album?

    T.... O....

    Yeah it’s the opening track

  80. R.... T....

    wow, what a video, what a song. thanks elbow for your music.

  81. A.... ....

    The hype is real for the album!

  82. T.... M....

    I'm generally not a listener of Elbow, but I do like this with the organ and backwards snare, also.

  83. Z.... ....

    0:06 *Water pollution has entered the chat*

  84. J.... P....

    1:33 Yik Fat building....brings back childhood memories, coupled with a delicious new Elbow track.....Heaven!

  85. s.... ....

    I live in Hong Kong.. among endless protests and senseless police violences .. seeing our crumbling city features so much in this videos saddens me..

    s.... ....

    I'm so sorry but glad you are so courageous. It must be really hard to say the least. Greetings from Alabama, USA.

    s.... ....

    The irony is huge here🙂

    s.... ....

    I spent my childhood in HK in the 80s - a shining beacon of vibrant multiculturalism and liberty. My heart goes out to you and all HK residents because of what the Chinese government is trying to do to you and the toll it has taken on your great city.

  86. j.... g....

    Great lyrics once again. Not a fan of the song though. A grower, perhaps.

  87. J.... ....

    Fantastic song and fantastic video. Those vocal harmonies are delightful

  88. D.... R....

    F@#$ng love this!!! beautiful! xx

  89. L.... P....

    Omg this is so good

  90. B.... D....

    Nice to have Elbow back, hope the rest of the album is as good.

  91. A.... D....

    Best single they’ve had in years

  92. T.... B....

    So far sounding much better than their last album. I hated it.

    T.... B....

    Their last album was my personal favourite.

    T.... B....

    @jon galloway
    I just couldn't get into it. I found it very forced. The lyrics came off as very sappy to me.
    I will give it another listen though.
    My 2 favorite albums are Asleep in the Back, and Take off andLanding...

    T.... B....

    I find it all forced, contrived manc shite. Substanceless hipsters at their worst.

  93. N.... C....

    Great new song by a cool band. Been enjoying this a lot lately.

  94. p.... ....

    great stuff

  95. H.... A....

    💜💜💜💜💜💜

  96. J.... H....

    I fucking *love* that I'm in the US and getting advertising for health/life insurance for MILITARY MEMBERS ONLY on this video 😒😒😒