‘Time for Heroes’ and the riot that inspired The Libertines’ generational anthem
Despite their critical acclaim and general status, many artists aren’t viewed as champions of what they wrote about. Press outlets choose what they want to focus on, so some messages get left behind, buried in a trail of eye-catching headlines. This applies somewhat to The Libertines, as Pete Doherty was responsible for some of the most poetic and poignant lyrics in recent decades, but stories about the message he was trying to convey got bogged down in obsession over his personal life.
Major musical movements have been inspired by ingenious lyricism and an uncompromising intention of being unapologetically oneself. Combined, these elements are a poetic concoction that means lyrical themes become relatable, but the point made within songs is said in a way that hasn’t been said before. Pete Doherty’s depictions of working-class life and the struggles faced by the everyman were a familiar message conveyed uniquely. That, paired with The Libertines’ raw musical energy, meant they were always destined for great things.
However, when so much of who you are is put into what you create, you set up your art and yourself for scrutiny. That happened with Doherty, as his personal life became a headline just as much as the music he made did. People criticised his blasé attitude towards life in general, as well as extensive alcohol and drug abuse.
This means that many people look back on The Libertines’ rise to fame and have their memory clouded by week-long benders and tales of troubled teens, but what the band did and wrote about came to so much more than that. They could provide public commentary in a way that had never been seen before yet resonated massively with those who listened to it. Tracks about love, dreams, fallouts, and feelings of the world being against you filled their catalogue, with one of the most poignant that combined all of the above being ‘Time for Heroes’.
‘Time For Heroes’ carries a deep meaning around with it, as the lyrics portray a truthful and gritty narrative of working-class individuals’ lives. Socioeconomic challenges and disillusionment were faced by those who had the odds stacked against them, and the song beautifully highlights this. The inspiration behind the music comes from what Doherty observed in everyday life, but his trigger to put pen to paper took place during the Mayday riots.
The Mayday riots in the 2000s were put together by people campaigning against capitalism. Peaceful actions turned violent, meaning many of those in attendance found themselves on the receiving end of police brutality.
There are a couple of stories about the inspiration behind the track and specific lyrics. One angle states that Doherty went to check his hair in the reflection of a riot shield and got clubbed for it, which prompted him to sit down and create ‘Time For Heroes’ while others focused on some of the other people in attendance.
The line “Wombles bleed, truncheons and shields” has been confirmed by Doherty himself to be about some protestors who dressed up as Wombles for the demonstration. He wrote on a Libertines web forum, “The ‘Wombles’ were a revolutionary sect from the era of the Mayday riots in the year 2000. They were rioters who all dressed up like Wombles from the TV series, including tinfoil shields and wobbly truncheons, mimicking the riot police. There were about 12 of them, but they had many enthusiastic disciples.”
The Libertines were thrust into the public eye thanks to the popularity of their music and the outlandish way they lived. Many people focus on the latter, meaning what they achieved with the former must be addressed. Realistically, what you get with The Libertines’ music, especially early tunes such as ‘Time For Heroes’, are some of the most honest and poetic depictions of working-class life ever written.
