It was played live on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and was very well received by critics, applauding the song for its upbeat nature. Despite his new carer's efforts, the elephant's mother was nowhere to be found, and Albarn dedicated the song to him. The track was played in a demo form, for the elephant by Albarn and Paul Simonon when they visited Tanzania.

The baby elephant became separated from his mother and Albarn wrote the song as a tribute to the elephant. Hence a song like 'Mr Tembo', which I never would have considered recording, because I put that in my 'songs I write for other things', like for kids' birthdays, or in this case, it was for a baby elephant I met in a place called Mkomazi, in Tanzania.' Īn article on the baby elephant that Albarn wrote 'Mr Tembo' about was released. I started off giving Richard a lot of songs, 60 or 60-plus – he had the editorship. He said, 'I'd really like you to try that,' so I did. With regards to 'Mr Tembo', Albarn said 'It was recorded on a phone, and in a light-hearted moment, I put it on a list for Richard. Albarn spoke about 'Mr Tembo', and said that the eponymous elephant had grown up around gospel music, as his owners were fans, so Albarn decided to incorporate The Leytonstone City Mission Choir, to offer a more gospel element to the track, saying in the programme: 'If the elephant does hear the finished track, hopefully he'll like it.' Īs for the recording process of the album, Albarn started it with nearly 60 songs written down, and then would allow co-producer Richard Russell to pick his favourites, which would then become tracks on his album. On 17 February 2014, Albarn was the subject of an episode of The Culture Show, in which he talked about the album, and his own personal experiences from his earlier life and how they had a profound effect on his songwriting. I sang it to him.' 'Tembo' in Swahili means 'elephant'. I was there, and I met this little elephant, and he was very sweet. He said in an interview for Rolling Stone: 'It was recently orphaned and walked onto this aerodrome the people I know took it in and called it Mr. And considering the melancholy, downbeat nature of the rest of Everyday Robots, you'll probably want to repeat both to lift you back out of the inevitable funk.'Mr Tembo' was recorded for a baby elephant that Albarn met in a national park in Mkomazi, Tanzania. Along with Heavy Seas it's the album highlight. Its ukulele strums and choir backing make for a light, fun, listen. Looking like standing stones,' he sings as the music replicates the slow, relentless grind of a factory process.ĭon't worry, there is the odd brighter moment on the album - Mr Tembo is an uplifting track written for a baby elephant Albarn saw in a zoo in Tanzania.

This song, Everyday Robots, has a point to make about the effects on us of the march of technology.

And the title track's electronic elements wouldn't be out of place on a Gorillaz track. That said, there are glimpses of Blur's quieter moments - album closer Heavy Seas of Love recalls the group singalong vibe of Tender from the 1999 album 13. In other words, don't expect to hear another Blur or Gorillaz album, this is Damon Albarn stripped bare - raw and emotional. Possibly not making up for Blur's non-appearance at this year's Big Day Out, frontman Damon Albarn has released his solo debut album.Īlbarn probably said it best in describing the sound of his solo debut album, saying the music leaned towards his more melancholic, introspective soulful side.

Mr tembo ukulele