When they appeared in the early '80s, Asia seemed to be a holdover from the… Read Full Bio ↴When they appeared in the early '80s, Asia seemed to be a holdover from the '70s, when supergroups and self-important progressive rockers reigned supreme. Featuring members of such seminal art rock bands as King Crimson (John Wetton), Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Carl Palmer), and Yes (Steve Howe), as well as Geoff Downes from the Buggles, Asia did feature stretches of indulgent instrumentals on their records. However, they also could be surprisingly poppy, and that is what brought them to the top of the charts with their debut album, Asia, and its hit single, "Heat of the Moment."

Alpha, their second album, also had a couple of hits ("Don't Cry" and "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes") but its follow-up, Astra, was a flop. The group disbanded in 1985, only to reunite in 1990 without John Wetton; John Payne took his place. After churning out a couple of new songs for a greatest-hits collection, the band hit the road, including two sold-out dates in front of 20,000 fans in Moscow. Thereafter, they toured sporadically and released Aqua (1992), Aria (1994), Arena (1996), Aura (2001), and Silent Nation (2004). The band's lineup reverted to its original form featuring Wetton, Palmer, Howe, and Downes for Phoenix (2008) and Omega (2010). In 2012, the original Asia lineup returned with the studio album XXX, featuring the single "Face on the Bridge." The following year, Howe announced his amicable departure from the group to pursue other projects, and in 2014 Asia released the album Gravitas, featuring new guitarist Sam Coulson. In January 2017, a month and a half before the scheduled beginning of an extensive U.S. tour by the band, John Wetton died from colon cancer at the age of 67.

Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

There is another band with the same name:
2) Asia was an excellent hard rock band with a drive for epic, pomp-filled rock tunes. The band was from Rapid City, South Dakota and should not be confused with the famous U.K. one, which sadly outshone them and ended up rendering the U.S. group highly obscure despite the U.S. one's critical support. Going for a loose instrumental energy similar to Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, their eventual line-up was made up of Michael English (vocals, bass, percussion), Larry Galbraith (vocals, guitars, mandolin), Mike Coates (guitars, mandolin, mellotron, piano, harpsichord, vocals), and Doug Johnson (percussion). They released two albums: 'Asia' (1979) and 'Armed to the Teeth' (1980).

Tell Me Why
Asia Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tell me why,
I don't believe in you.
I don't believe it's true.
I don't believe in you.

Happens nearly every time,
If you let them, they'll control your mind,
Yes your mind.

But that was only yesterday,
So you had to wash your head in hate.
In hate, in hate.

Tell me why,
I don't believe in you.
I don't believe it's true.
I don't believe in you.

Shall we stand against the wind?
Staring at the justice of their sins,
Their sins.

What have they done to live this way?
In a modern world, the fragile pay
They pay, oh yes they pay.

Tell me why,
I don't believe in you.

I don't believe it's true.
I don't believe in you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Asia's song "Tell Me Why" seem to speak to the feeling of disillusionment and skepticism towards the authority or influence of someone or something. The repetition of the opening line "Tell me why, I don't believe in you" suggests a deep sense of uncertainty and lack of trust. The lines "If you let them, they'll control your mind" and "So you had to wash your head in hate" convey a sense that the singer has been negatively affected by someone or something they previously trusted or believed in. The chorus is a pointed refrain that emphasizes the singer's disbelief, and perhaps a plea to someone or something to prove their worth.

In the second verse, the lyrics suggest a feeling of moral superiority over others, as the singer asks "Shall we stand against the wind?" and references the "justice of their sins." The lines "In a modern world, the fragile pay / They pay, oh yes they pay" suggest a sense of anger or frustration towards the injustices of modern society. Overall, the lyrics of "Tell Me Why" seem to be questioning the legitimacy of authority or influence and emphasizing the importance of skepticism and critical thinking.

Line by Line Meaning

Tell me why,
Questioning the reason behind a lack of belief

I don't believe in you.
Expressing distrust and disbelief towards something or someone

I don't believe it's true.
Refuting claims or statements as false or untrue

I don't believe in you.
Reiterating a lack of trust in something or someone

Happens nearly every time,
Acknowledging the frequency of a negative occurrence

If you let them, they'll control your mind,
Warning against allowing outside forces to manipulate one's thoughts and actions

Yes your mind.
Emphasizing the importance of protecting one's thoughts and mental wellbeing

But that was only yesterday,
Reflecting on a past event or experience

So you had to wash your head in hate.
Describing an attempt to rid oneself of negative thoughts or emotions

In hate, in hate.
Reinforcing the intensity of negative feelings or actions

Shall we stand against the wind?
Posing a rhetorical question about challenging adversity or obstacles