Introduction
"Cracker Island" is an English song by the British virtual band Gorillaz featuring American bassist and singer Thundercat. It was released on 22 June 2022 as the lead single from Gorillaz' eighth studio album, also titled Cracker Island, through Parlophone Records. The song was written by Damon Albarn, Greg Kurstin and Thundercat, and produced by Gorillaz with Greg Kurstin and Remi Kabaka Jr.
On this page you will find the complete Cracker Island lyrics in English, the full song details, the official music video and a simple explanation of the song's meaning.
The Song
Cracker Island opened a new chapter for Gorillaz. Built on a bouncing bassline from Thundercat and a bright, pop-leaning groove, the song describes a strange island where a cult-like collective plants seeds at night to grow a made-up paradise in which truth itself is auto-tuned. It was the first taste of the Cracker Island album, which followed in February 2023, and it quickly became one of the band's most talked-about singles.
The Artists
Gorillaz is a virtual band created in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, fronted by the animated members 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs. Behind the cartoons, Albarn is the band's main musical voice. Thundercat, born Stephen Bruner, is a Grammy-winning American bass virtuoso and singer whose elastic, funky bass playing drives this track.
The Music Video
The official music video, titled "Gorillaz - Cracker Island ft. Thundercat (Official Video)", was released on the Gorillaz YouTube channel. You can watch the official video embedded below on this page.
The Music Label
Cracker Island was released through Parlophone Records, the British label that has released Gorillaz' music for many years. The band's official YouTube channel, which carries the official video, is linked in the Song Details table below.
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Song Details
| Song | Cracker Island |
|---|---|
| Album | Cracker Island |
| Singers | Gorillaz ft. Thundercat |
| Lyrics | Damon Albarn, Greg Kurstin, Thundercat |
| Music | Gorillaz, Greg Kurstin, Remi Kabaka Jr |
| Language | English |
| Music Label | Gorillaz (Parlophone Records) |
| Released | 22 June 2022 |
Cracker Island Lyrics in English
On cracker island it was born
To the collective of the dawn
They were planting seeds at night
To grow a made-up paradise
Where the truth was auto-tuned (forever cult)
And it's sadness I consumed (forever cult)
Into my formats every day (forever cult)
In the end I had to pay (what world is this?)
In the end I had to pay (I purged my soul)
In the end I had to pay (I drank to write)
Nothing more to say (I drank to write)
They taught themselves to be occult
They didn't know its many strategies
They taught themselves to be occult
They didn't know its many strategies
Fantasies
What world is this?
What world is this?
On cracker island it was raised
By the collective from the grave
It only came out at night
It ate up their paradise (paradise)
Where the truth was auto-tuned (forever cult)
And it's sadness I consumed (forever cult)
Into my formats every day (forever cult)
In the end I had to pay (what world is this?)
Out there on my silver lake (I was not there)
In the end it will be great (beneath the hills)
I'm like a ship between the tides (I saw myself)
I held on, I survived (there in the void)
They taught themselves to be occult
They didn't know its many strategies
They taught themselves to be occult
They didn't know its many strategies
Fantasies
On cracker island it will die (forever cult)
Join the collective in the sky (forever cult)
And on a shining boat of light (forever cult)
Go up to paradise (what world is this?)
Where the truth is auto-tuned (I purged my soul)
And it's sadness I consume (I drank to write)
Into my formats every day (I drank to write)
In the end I had to pay (forever cult)
In the end I'll have to pay (forever cult)
In the end I'll be okay (forever cult)
Nothing more to say
Nothing more to say
Nothing more to say
Lyrics Meaning in English
Cracker Island is a satire of cults and of the online worlds that work like cults. On the island, a "collective" plants seeds at night to grow a made-up paradise where the truth is auto-tuned - polished, edited and fake - and the singer admits he consumed its sadness into his "formats" every day. The repeated whisper of "forever cult" and the question "what world is this?" show a man who joined willingly, then realised the price: in the end he had to pay, purge his soul and hold on like a ship between the tides to survive. It is a bright, danceable song with a dark warning inside it - paradises that are manufactured will eat themselves, and their members too.
Watch the Official Video
Conclusion
Cracker Island is Gorillaz at their most deceptive - a sunny, funky pop song about a paradise that is really a cult. With Thundercat's bass, Greg Kurstin's pop polish and Damon Albarn's weary singing, it remains the defining track of the Cracker Island era. If you enjoyed it, explore more English lyrics on Muxic Leaks through the related posts above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sang the song Cracker Island?
Cracker Island is sung by Gorillaz featuring Thundercat.
Who wrote the lyrics of Cracker Island?
The lyrics of Cracker Island were written by Damon Albarn, Greg Kurstin and Thundercat.
Who produced the music of Cracker Island?
Cracker Island was produced by Gorillaz, Greg Kurstin and Remi Kabaka Jr.
Which album is Cracker Island from and when was it released?
Cracker Island is the title track of Gorillaz' eighth studio album Cracker Island. The song was released as a single on 22 June 2022, and the album followed in February 2023 on Parlophone Records.
What is Cracker Island about?
Cracker Island is about a cult-like collective on a fictional island that builds a fake paradise where truth is auto-tuned. It is widely read as a satire of cults and social media, in which the singer joins in, consumes its sadness every day and in the end has to pay for it.