Music
George Ezra’s “Green Green Grass” Was Inspired By A Special Christmas Memory
That’s right, the summery song has wintry roots.
George Ezra is currently promoting the much-welcomed release of his third studio album, Gold Rush Kid. Following the success of his previous records, Wanted On Voyage and Staying At Tamara’s, his latest release is packed with catchy guitar riffs and sunny lyrics. In an interview with DIY, Ezra said that the album title was inspired by feelings he was having over whether or not to continue his career in music. He tells the magazine that he said to himself: “One day, George, it won’t be your choice whether you can do [music] or not… So, well, let’s see that as the gold rush, the pursuit of something.”
Perhaps the sunniest track from the album is “Green Green Grass.” The song has gained popularity on TikTok with its easily-grasped lyrics, but it has had one prominent critic. Fans noticed that when Ezra recently performed the song at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert, there was a noticeable lyric change. Speaking to Greg James on Radio 1, Ezra told the radio host that he was asked to cut the line “on the day that I die” by the place ahead of the concert. He explained: “You're not going to push back on the royals. You just say, 'OK, cool.’” Judging by the warm reception Ezra got at the concert, it looks like it still went down well.
The “Shotgun” singer recently told Clash Magazine that “Green Green Grass” was inspired by a memorable trip to St Lucia, whereby he witnessed a beautiful celebration of life. He explained: “I was on holiday in St Lucia with a few friends at Christmas 2018, with two of my closest mates from home… We were in this beach bar, drinking homemade rum punch and Piton, the local lager, flip-flopping between the two, p*ssing about with three local guys who worked there. And this music started up, three streets back from the sea.
“After about half an hour, I had to go see what it was. And there was a street party going on, with three different sound systems, people cooking in the street. I asked a woman what was going on and she told me it was a funeral for three people. They were celebrating three lives. I thought: ‘That is not how we do this at home.’ It’s really beautiful.”
Read full lyrics, here:
Well she moves like lightning
And she counts to three
And she turns out all the lights
And says she’s coming for me
Now put your hands up
This is a heist
And there’s no one in here living
Gonna make it out alive
Loaded up when the sun comes down
Getaway car for two young lovers
Me and the girl straight out of town
Over the hills and undercover
She said
Green, green grass
Blue, blue sky
You better throw a party
On the day that I die
Green, green grass
Blue, blue sky
You better throw a party
On the day that I die
We go together
Adam and Eve
But the girl is so much more
Than just another apple thief
Yeah, she’s a genius (genius)
Watch and learn
How she sets the world on fire
Just to watch the sucker burn
Loaded up when the sun comes down
Getaway car for two young lovers
Me and the girl straight out of town
Over the hills and undercover
She said
Green, green grass
Blue, blue sky
You better throw a party
On the day that I die
Green, green grass
Blue, blue sky
You better throw a party
On the day that I die
Throw a party, throw a party yeah
Throw a party, on the day that I die
Throw a party, throw a party babe
Throw a party on the day that I die
Loaded up when the sun comes down
Getaway car for two young lovers
Me and the girl straight out of town
Over the hills and undercover
She said
Green, green grass
Blue, blue sky
You better throw a party
On the day that I die
Green, green grass
Blue, blue sky
You better throw a party
On the day that I die
Green, green grass
Blue, blue sky
You better throw a party
On the day that I die
Green, green grass
Blue, blue sky
You better throw a party
On the day that I die
