Arctic Monkeys

Released: April 18, 2007

Songwriter: Jon McClure Alex Turner

Producer: Mike Crossey James Ford

[Verse 1]
Old yellow bricks, love's a risk
Quite the little escapologist
Looked so miffed when you wished
For a thousand places better than this
You are the fugitive but you don't know what you're running from
You can't kid us and you couldn't trick anyone
Houdini, love, you don't know what you're running away from

[Chorus]
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?
Blinded by nostalgia
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?

[Verse 2]
She was enraged by the way
That the emperor put traps in the cage
And the days she'd deemed dull
Leading to nights reading beer bottles
You're such a fugitive but you don't know what you're running from
You can't kid us and you couldn't trick anyone
Houdini, love, you don't know what you're running away from

[Chorus]
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?
Blinded by nostalgia
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?

[Verse 3]
You're at a loss just because
It wasn't all that you thought it was
You are the fugitive
But you don't know what you're running away from
She said, "I want to sleep in the city that never wakes up
And revel in nostalgia"
I know I said, "Who wants to sleep in a city that never wakes up?"
But Dorothy was right though

Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, England. The band consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, rhythm/lead guitar), Matt Helders (drums, vocals), Jamie Cook (lead/rhythm guitar) and Nick O'Malley (bass, backing vocals). Former band member Andy Nicholson (bass guitar, backing vocals) left the band in 2006 shortly after their debut album was released. Their sound has changed extensively from album to album, gradually evolving from raw, youthful post-punk revival music to R ‘n’ B and jazz-inspired experiments.

All four original members of the band were devoted fans of hip-hop when they were younger, a genre that would have an immense influence on their later work, but it was the sound of The Strokes and The Libertines that would help shape their early style. The Arctic Monkeys became one of the first bands to find fame and recognition purely through internet publicity and social media; the Arctics used to sell their demos CDs at a bar where Alex Turner used to work, but due to the limited number of CDs, their fans started to upload them on the internet.

Initially, they refused to sign a record contract with any label through fear that they would want the band to change their songs, going as far as to refuse scouts guaranteed entry into their gigs. However, they eventually signed with Domino because of the “do it yourself” attitude of founder, Lawrence Bell, who ran the label from his own house.

more tracks from the album

Favourite Worst Nightmare

From the album

Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007)

Arctic Monkeys popular songs

Old Yellow BricksArctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys

Favourite Worst Nightmare