English Lane

Album: Blue Slide Park (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Miller singing about the blue slide in Frick Park mixed with the sounds of children playing outside. The Pittsburgh native uses the playset to represent a sense of normalcy now that he's achieved fame. "They thought the money should've changed it/ Slide still blue, why the world keep trying to paint it?/ When life around you changes, try to keep your sameness," he croons. Miller explained to MTV News: "No matter what happens in life, no matter where you go, where you're off to, what happens with the park, that slide will always be blue. That will always be Blue Slide Park no matter what. You can go to New York and live for 10 years and become a huge business mogul and then come back to the 'Burgh and no matter how much money you got, that slide is still blue."
  • Frick Park is located two blocks from Pittsburgh's Taylor Allderdice High School where the rapper used to attend. Mac's Rostrum Records labelmate Wiz Khalifa is another famous former pupil of the school.
  • The actual English Lane is an adjacent street to Blue Slide Park. Having almost completed his debut album, Miller was walking to the park to get some last-minute inspiration. He told MTV News: "I walked by and was like, 'English Lane would be an ill title for a song, that's how I wanna open the album, with a song called 'English Lane,' ' because that's how you walk up to Blue Slide Park."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

Jonathan Cain of Journey

Jonathan Cain of JourneySongwriter Interviews

Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.