Blue World

“Blue World” (titled as "Blue world") is a song by English synth-pop duo Soft Cell. It was written by Marc Almond and Dave Ball exclusively for the Netflix animated series Hilda. It is included on the series' third season soundtrack. In 2024, it was featured on the soundtrack album Hilda: The Songs from the Show.

Origin
In January 2023, during the production of the third season of Hilda, Luke Pearson was aware of Soft Cell's music history and asked if they could record an original song that would be featured in the third season of Hilda. Almond describes the song as "an anecdote that documents the lives of outsiders who find themselves stuck in a weird trance-like state, and realizes that they can get out by changing who they are."

The song's opening sample includes an excerpt from "What is Reality?" by Alan Watts.

Record and release
Almond and Ball recorded the song from February to March 2023.

"Blue World" was announced to have their CD and 12" formats released in early 2024.

Music video
An animated music video directed by Andy Coyle and animated by Mercury Filmworks was released on the official Soft Cell YouTube channel on October 6, 2023. It features Almond and Ball as animated versions of themselves performing the song at the Mirage in the 1980s.

Lyric video
A lyric video was released on January 26, 2024. It was created by Ewan McWilliam of Design Workshop and features footage of forests, particularly those in Europe.

Lyrics
[Intro]

A person who thinks all the time has nothing to think about except thoughts.

So he loses touch with reality and lives in a world of illusions.

[Verse 1]

The world of nature I know has

A face that’s filled with a smile

I wish it stays that way now

Once we run the full-length mile

I could go meet my good old friends

Who have had my back for a long, long time

But now they've all grown up, left me and

It's all a sad song

[Chorus]

We're stuck in a blue world

That's always a chore

We're stuck in a blue world

Different from before

We're stuck in a blue world

I feel all so new

We're stuck in a blue world

I cannot subdue

'''[Verse 2] ''' You are all I have now

Cos’ the others have all gone ‘way

But will it all last greatly

If all else falls and lay?

The monsters have a scary face and

I don’t know what to do now

Will you come and save us from this

Terrifying no-go show?

[Chorus]

We're stuck in a blue world

That's always a chore

We're stuck in a blue world

Different from before

We're stuck in a blue world

I feel all so new

We're stuck in a blue world

I cannot subdue

[Refrain]

Blue world (7x)

[Verse 3]

And now, here we are

The end of the line is here

For what could be seen as a

One time stress and fear

But don’t think it’s all that hopeless

I think that there’s a way

For us to see each other

In all of our days

[Chorus]

We're stuck in a blue world

That's always a chore

We're stuck in a blue world

Different from before

We're stuck in a blue world

I feel all so new

We're stuck in a blue world

I cannot subdue

We're stuck in a blue world

That's always a chore

We're stuck in a blue world

Different from before

We're stuck in a blue world

I feel all so new

We're stuck in a blue world

I cannot subdue

[Outro]

We're stuck in a blue world (4x)

Trivia

 * This marks the first time Soft Cell has performed a song for a TV show.
 * The song's beat is similar to the duo's 2018 song "Northern Lights".

Credits and personnel
Producer, Electric Guitar, Vocals: Marc Almond

Synthesizer, Background Vocals, Producer: David Ball

Drum Programmer, Sound Engineer, Synthesizer, Producer: Philip Larsen

Sound Engineer: Barry Grint

Sound Engineer: Jonny Solway

Background Vocals: Bryan Chambers

Background Vocals: Simon King

Background Vocals: Louise Marshall

Flute, Soprano, Baritone Solo, Tenor, Contrabassoon, Alto, Bass, Sopranino  Saxophone: Gary Barnacle

Cello: Martin McCarrick

Violin: Kimberlee McCarrick

Drums: Chris Smith

Author, Composer: Marc Almond

Author, Composer: David Ball