The band are still playing throughout Europe.
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http://www.discogs.com/artist/148396
http://www.angelicupstarts.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelic_Upstarts
Never Ad Nothing
Angelic Upstarts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He wants some glory but the price is high
He sees the way out and wants to touch the sky
A star for today and a corpse for tomorrow
The media love him just for a day
That's all he needs to pave his way
His hours of glory should have been made to last
But it all ended in just one blast
I ain't ever been nothin'
I ain't ever 'ad nothin'
I ain't ever been nothin'
I ain't ever 'ad nothin'
Going up in a puff of smoke
Going up in a puff of smoke
I'm gonna go up in a puff of smoke
I want to go up in a puff of smoke
I can see him villain, a noose around his neck
Making his grand finale, his farewell to us all
Why didn't he see a future?
Why no bridges left to cross?
Is all that existed in his mind
To be a star for just one day?
To reach the point of no return
After stardom for just one day
No turning back no after thoughts
Just a bullet in his chest
I ain't ever been nothin'
I ain't ever 'ad nothin'
I ain't ever been nothin'
I ain't ever 'ad nothin'
Going up in a puff of smoke
Going up in a puff of smoke
I'm gonna go up in a puff of smoke
I want to go up in a puff of smoke
(Going up in a puff of smoke
Going up in a puff of smoke
I'm gonna go up in a puff of smoke
I want to go up in a puff of smoke
(Going up in a puff of smoke
Going up in a puff of smoke
I'm gonna go up in a puff of smoke
I want to go up in a puff of smoke
If I'm goin' out I'm takin' some of you fucks with me!
The song "Never Ad Nothing" by Angelic Upstarts is a commentary on the destructive nature of the desire for fame and glory in today's society. It tells the story of an eighteen-year-old boy who wants to die because he sees no future for himself except a short-lived fame that comes at a high price. He believes that the only way to reach the sky and make a name for himself is to become a star, but at the same time, he is aware that the price of fame is high - his glory is fleeting, lasting only as long as the media gives it attention. The boy is willing to pay this price, however, and in his quest for fame, he comes to embrace the idea of dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse.
The song criticizes the media for playing into the boy's desires for fame by giving him attention for only a day. It questions why there was no future in the boy's mind and why he saw no other bridges to cross. The song ends with the boy committing suicide by shooting himself in the chest and taking some of the people who contributed to his despair with him.
Overall, "Never Ad Nothing" is a poignant commentary on the societal pressure to become famous and the consequences of seeking glory at any cost. It sheds light on the reality that fame often comes with a price and that the desire for it can be dangerous if it is not tempered with responsibility.
Line by Line Meaning
He's eighteen and he wants to die
At eighteen, he desires to commit suicide
He wants some glory but the price is high
He craves fame, but it comes at an enormous cost
He sees the way out and wants to touch the sky
He identifies a path to escape and aims for the highest levels
A star for today and a corpse for tomorrow
He only enjoys a fleeting moment of fame, followed by death
The media love him just for a day
The media shower him with attention and adoration for a brief time
That's all he needs to pave his way
He thinks that moment of recognition is enough to set him on a path to success
His hours of glory should have been made to last
His brief moment of fame should have been extended
But it all ended in just one blast
It all comes to a tragic and abrupt conclusion through a single violent act
I ain't ever been nothin'
The singer has never had any significant accomplishments
I ain't ever 'ad nothin'
The singer has never had any substantial possessions or achievements
Going up in a puff of smoke
The singer expects to die suddenly and without warning
I'm gonna go up in a puff of smoke
The singer anticipates an uneventful and unremarkable death
I want to go up in a puff of smoke
The singer desires a sudden and painless death
I can see him villain, a noose around his neck
The singer imagines the young man as a tragic villain, about to be executed
Making his grand finale, his farewell to us all
The young man sees his death as a dramatic and final goodbye
Why didn't he see a future?
The singer wonders why the young man couldn't see any hope for his life
Why no bridges left to cross?
The singer wonders why the young man feels there are no more options for him
Is all that existed in his mind
The singer questions if the young man had any other thoughts or plans
To be a star for just one day?
The singer wonders if the young man's only goal was a brief moment of celebrity
To reach the point of no return
The young man has crossed a line of no turning back
After stardom for just one day
The young man's moment of glory was incredibly short-lived
No turning back no after thoughts
The young man has no regrets and no way to undo his choice
Just a bullet in his chest
The young man's death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound
If I'm goin' out I'm takin' some of you fucks with me!
The singer expresses a violent and vengeful sentiment towards certain people in his life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Deeznutseighthundredthirty
What an incredible band. Rip mensi
@mehitabelgill6711
"I can see him villian, a noose around his neck '
The correct lyrics are
" I can see him, vivid, bandolier slung "round his chest..."
They are printed right on the record sleeve
@butthair6327
Ooooh ohhh!
@LarzGustafsson
One of the best bands ever, and this is one of their best songs. I remember that it was featured in the Smash Hits magazine back in the early 80's.
@teriakamoto
Thank You so f***ing much ! This is the gear ! Grew up on this and will never waiver ! UNITED !
@ProudRockabillyRebel
It's a bleedin' classic!
@rubytigerlivs
awesome artwork too
@user-gw8xv6qg4v
Looks like Nick Blinko from Rudimentary peni. Another great band.
@cosmoline_aesthetic
I without irony listened to this at 18, it described me perfectly. Was looking to die in some war. sometimes wish I had
@user-bh4rx8mf8g
First heard it when I was 15 or 16. A lifetime ago. It was one of the first Oi! songs I listened to and it described me perfectly as well!