999 are an English punk band which formed in London in 1976. Founded by sin… Read Full Bio ↴999 are an English punk band which formed in London in 1976. Founded by singer/guitarist Nick Cash, 999's original lineup also included Guy Days (vocals/guitar), Jon Watson (bass) and Pablo LaBritain (drums). Ed Case served temporarily as drummer following LaBritain's injury in 1978, while Watson has since been replaced by Danny Palmer (1986-1991) and former Lurkers member Arturo Bassick (1991-present). 999 became a popular act within the London punk circuit, releasing its first single ("I'm Alive") in 1977 under its own label. The band soon found chart success, attaining five top 100 UK hits under the United Artists label. However, 999's popularity began to wane in the early 1980s. 999 disbanded in the mid-1980s only to reform soon afterward. They have since released several albums and continue to tour. Also similar to the Ruts, 999 built much of their following through gigging the down and dirty venues around Southall in West London. 999 never showed the same reggae influences as the Ruts though, maintaining a 'pure punk' sound throughout. They are also still alive and well, and still gigging it hard.

No Pity
999 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Not much time to stay alive
Try the hard way take a dive
Got a new one call it sue
won't be long now coming through
Have your own way I don't care
This is my way ?solitaire?
In the event of going insane
Whatever I loose will be my gain

We're gonna make you fall
We're gonna take it all 'cause we have no pity

Take what's yours don't wait for me
I believe its all for free
Thinking fast now make our move
It's a hard thing to improve
Show me your integrity
You're no better than me
Give me all that you possesses
It's my answer to success

Don't ask me to remain aloof
Seek yourself or tell the truth
Got no shame that's how I feel
Don't you ask me to conceal
Show you my anatomy
Be a real good thing for me

Had to happen to collide
All because you really tried

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in 999's song No Pity are reflective of the nihilistic and anti-establishment punk ethos that rose to prominence in the late 1970s in the UK. The opening lines "Not much time to stay alive, try the hard way take a dive" are indicative of a disillusioned and reckless mentality that rejects mainstream values and invites destruction. The line "this is my way solitaire" is a reference to the idea of being alone because no one else understands, a sentiment that is often expressed in punk music.

The chorus, "We're gonna make you fall, we're gonna take it all 'cause we have no pity," speaks to the punk mentality of challenging authority and claiming what is rightfully theirs. The line "take what's yours don't wait for me, I believe it's all for free" reinforces this notion of taking what is theirs without shame or hesitation. The idea of success being attained through taking everything is conveyed in the line "Give me all that you possess, it's my answer to success."

The song can be interpreted as a rejection of conformity and a call to live life on one's own terms, consequences be damned. The frank and unapologetic lyrics, combined with the aggressive punk sound, make for a powerful and rebellious anthem.

Line by Line Meaning

Not much time to stay alive
We don't have much time left to live

Try the hard way take a dive
We're willing to take risks, even if it's the hard way

Got a new one call it sue
We have a new plan and it's called 'sue'

won't be long now coming through
Our plan will be executed shortly

Have your own way I don't care
You can choose to do things your way, but we don't care

This is my way ?solitaire?
We'll do things our way, alone

In the event of going insane
If we lose our minds

Whatever I loose will be my gain
We'll gain something even if we lose our minds

We're gonna make you fall
We'll make you fail

We're gonna take it all 'cause we have no pity
We'll take everything we want because we're ruthless

Take what's yours don't wait for me
Take what you want now, don't wait for us