You Wouldn’t Have To Ask
Bad Books Lyrics


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Crooked days come bundled up in bunches
They break your brain like a branch
And push you out here asking after for something
you should know I don't have

If I had it you wouldn't have to ask
If I had it you wouldn't have to ask
Later on when you bargain with your mirror
and you ask is it really that bad

If it wasn't you wouldn't have to ask
If it wasn't you wouldn't have to ask

How could you know if you didn't?
What's left to say when your tongue's turned to ash?
Well I tell you you're finally forgiven
So you wouldn't have to ask

Shoot what's left, slip inside your sinner smile
Another man in a mask

If you faced it you wouldn't need a mask
If you meant it you wouldn't need a mask




If I could fix you you wouldn't have to ask
If I could help you you wouldn't have to ask

Overall Meaning

In Bad Books's song You Wouldn't Have to Ask, the lyrics discuss the struggles and hardships of life, which come in waves like "crooked days bundled up in bunches". These tough times can break a person's spirit and leave them feeling lost and in search of something they don't even know they need. The singer acknowledges that he doesn't have all the answers, but if he did, the person in question wouldn't have to ask. This sentiment speaks to the longing for guidance and direction when things feel uncertain and overwhelming.


As the song progresses, the lyrics address the act of self-reflection and the tendency to question oneself. The line "Later on when you bargain with your mirror and you ask is it really that bad" suggests that in times of struggle, people are often forced to confront themselves and their own faults. The repetition of the phrase "If it wasn't you wouldn't have to ask" is a reminder that when we question ourselves, it is often because we already know the answer deep down.


The final verse of the song touches on the idea of hiding behind a mask or a facade. The line "Shoot what's left, slip inside your sinner smile, another man in a mask" paints a picture of a person who is hiding their true self behind a false image. The singer suggests that if this person faced their issues and tried to change, they wouldn't need to hide behind a mask. The final lines of the song, "If I could fix you you wouldn't have to ask, if I could help you, you wouldn't have to ask" provide a sense of hope and compassion, acknowledging that we all have struggles and could benefit from a helping hand.


Line by Line Meaning

Crooked days come bundled up in bunches
Difficult times often come all at once and can be overwhelming.


They break your brain like a branch
These difficult times can be mentally exhausting.


And push you out here asking after for something
As a result, it might make you feel like you need to ask for something that you know is not available.


you should know I don't have
The person being asked does not have what is being requested.


If I had it you wouldn't have to ask
The person being asked wishes they had what was being requested, so the other wouldn't need to ask.


Later on when you bargain with your mirror
The song changes topics to a reflective state where the person is talking to themselves in front of a mirror.


and you ask is it really that bad
They are questioning their own choices and actions, wondering how things got so difficult.


If it wasn't, you wouldn't have to ask
If the situation wasn't really that bad, they wouldn't be questioning it in the first place.


How could you know if you didn't?
The person is questioning how we can really know something if we haven't experienced it ourselves.


What's left to say when your tongue's turned to ash?
Our inability to express ourselves can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair.


Well, I tell you you're finally forgiven
The person is offering forgiveness to themselves for their mistakes and shortcomings.


So you wouldn't have to ask
They are telling themselves that they no longer need to ask for forgiveness.


Shoot what's left, slip inside your sinner smile
The person is essentially telling themselves to accept their past actions and move on.


Another man in a mask
The mask represents our tendency to hide our true selves from others.


If you faced it you wouldn't need a mask
If we truly accepted our past mistakes and faced them head on, we wouldn't feel the need to hide behind a mask.


If you meant it you wouldn't need a mask
If we were sincere and honest with ourselves and others, we wouldn't feel the need to hide behind a mask.


If I could fix you, you wouldn't have to ask
The person wishes they could fix the problems of the person being asked, so they wouldn't have to ask for help.


If I could help you, you wouldn't have to ask
The person wishes they could offer help to the person being asked, so they wouldn't have to ask for it.




Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: KEVIN PATRICK DEVINE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Johnny Anaya

Two original and different voices doing such harmonies makes an incledible contrast and it sounds GREAT!

eliseocls

If this song was an hour long it still wouldn't be long enough. Andy is excellence

Mark Sheppard

True, but this is Kevin's song.

Brian Ayers

My only wish is that this song was longer, I love everything about it.

Inner Ear Productions

One of my favorites! Keep up the wonderful work! Feeling inspired to make music myself! ⭐

Riddled Rhythms

This was exactly what I was searching for! Thanks so much! Time to make some music myself. ❣️❣️

Zalomé Ztudios

What an excellent way to start the day! Fantastic video! Time to use all this inspiration to make some tunes.

Matthew Meadows

bad books is so freaking amazing!

Bettina Ujfalusi

wow, i just found them on spotify. thanks god! they're amazing!!! 

DarthXasthur

The ear to ear smile i wore for that entire video performance was rejuvenating as well as therapeutic. With the inception of Bad Books, its seemingly pointless to mix in other music of any kind. Ive sworn off other entirely and am now on a strict vegan diet of Andy and Kevin. 2 of the 5 greatest songwriters of our time are in this. They should tour with two toughs, another amazing all-star band. Really though its a rather elementary concept. Andy Hull plus Kevin Devine equals? Nuff Said...

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