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

Movie Stars In Music Videos

Movie Stars In Music VideosSong Writing

Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 Hits

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

Joan Armatrading

Joan ArmatradingSongwriter Interviews

The revered singer-songwriter talks inspiration and explains why she put a mahout in "Drop the Pilot."

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo Lyric

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo LyricMusic Quiz

In this quiz, spot the artist who put Romeo into a song lyric.

Melanie

MelanieSongwriter Interviews

The singer-songwriter Melanie talks about her spiritual awakening at Woodstock, "Brand New Key," and why songwriting is an art, not a craft.

Linda Perry

Linda PerrySongwriter Interviews

Songwriting Hall of Famer Linda Perry talks about her songs "What's Up" and "Beautiful," her songwriting process, and her move into film music.