Albion (song)

A lot of songs contain the word "Albion" in their lyrics: in The Libertines' "Love on the Dole", "Bucket Shop" (both from the Legs 11 Session), "The Good Old Days" (from their debut album Up The Bracket), and in Babyshambles' "Merry-Go-Round" (from their debut album Down In Albion).

The song's lyrical quality is a reflection of its origin, a poem penned by Doherty when he was 16 (according to Babyshambles bass player Drew McConnell's remark in the 5 November 2005 NME track-by-track guide to Down in Albion, it was the first song Doherty wrote).

The single version differs from the album cut, where the song proper is preceded by a minute-long noise (thought to incorporate the sound of a Hammond organ warming up).

The promotional video for "Albion" has been directed by Roger Pomphrey and features a variety of live, fly on the wall and backstage footage of the band.

However, due to Doherty's alleged grievances against him, the record label ordered that Mullord be digitally erased from the video, hence when he and Doherty are shown arriving in Trafalgar Square for the Love Music Hate Racism gig in May 2005, Mullord's face is pixelated.