Bittersweet Symphony

One of the greatest annoyances of London life, as noted in my list of 16 things, is how pedestrians will hog narrow Victorian-era footpaths, without nary a thought for the hundreds of other people who also need to share the space.

Earlier this week I had cause to rewatch the music video for The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony. It's an old favourite of mine (and for many others, I gather), with soulful lyrics detailing one man's struggle of adversity of life, set against a beautiful strings score (sampled from a Rolling Stones song, apparently). But it's only now, nine years after I first saw it, and after living in London, that I really get the video. Sure, the video's story is one with global appeal, but nothing else I've seen nails the dilemma of walking on London's footpaths. It's really hard to describe the self-absorbed rudeness of some people in London. They dawdle down the street, hogging the footpath, on their phone, or zoned out listening to their iPod, and absolutely refuse to budge from a pre-determined flight path. And the problem only gets worse with a group of people, because no-one walks single-file.

Like the other ex-pats I know here, one's first response is to naturally be polite and make way for other people, but that quickly wears you out. There are just too many people in London, and far too much rudeness, for that to work. So instead, like the guy in the video, you start bracing yourself, holding firm like Gibraltar, and barge through the bastards until they start making way for you. London hardens. The city promotes selfishness, but the corollary of that argument is that you have to look after yourself, because no-one else will.

Click the YouTube link at the top of this post to watch The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony. The video was filmed in Hoxton, in the East End. Richard Ashcroft, The Verve's lead singer, is featured in the video. He starts his journey at 94 Hoxton Road, walking north on the east side of the road. Here is a map.