Ashton collaborates and records with some of the world's most renowned musicians, his songs reflecting a wealth of experience and a lifetime spent paying his dues. In 2010 Italian guitar maker Liutart presented him with his own-design Gwyn Ashton signature model guitar – his perfect electric slide-machine.
As a duo, Ashton is joined by young impassioned percussionist / drummer 'Killer' Kev Hickman, who provides the backbeat, groove and perfect counterpoint to Ashton's guitar skills. Ashton and Hickman crash their way into the alt. music scene and blast down the boundaries between the blues, hip-hop and indie rock with riff-laden, edgy, high-octane songs. Drawing inspiration from the great rock and blues acts from the past, Ashton has developed his own distinctive identity, bringing the blues firmly into the 21st century and carving a notch in a world full of predictable, homogenized music.
Ashton has toured with BB King, Ray Charles, Buddy Guy, Mick Taylor, Rory Gallagher, Peter Green, Junior Wells, Johnny Winter, Canned Heat, Robin Trower, Jeff Healey, The Yardbirds, Status Quo, Magnum and many others. He has also recorded with Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds), Robbie Blunt (Robert Plant), Chris Glen/Ted McKenna (SAHB, MSG), Don Airey (Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne), Gerry McAvoy/Brendan O'Neill (Rory Gallagher). Ashton also replaced Thin Lizzy/Motorhead guitarist Brian Robertson fronting Band Of Friends - a memorial to Rory Gallagher featuring Gerry, Brendan, Lou Martin and Mark Feltham.
Ball And Chain
Gwyn Ashton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been burned
I've been talked down
And I've learned
That a woman like you
Ain't no good for my brain
Tried to get me get tied up
I've been lonely
I've been sad
Up to good times
To not so bad
Well a woman like you
Ain't no good for my brain
Tried to get me tied up
Like a ball and chain
I've been ripped off
I've been burned
I've been talked down
And I learned
That a woman like you
Ain't no good for my brain
Tried to get me tied up
With a ball and chain
Well a woman like you
Ain't no good for my brain
Tried to get me tied up
With a ball and chain
No a woman like you
Ain't no good for my brain
Tried to get me tied up
With a ball and chain
In Gwyn Ashton's Ball and Chain, the lyrics express the singer's experiences with being taken advantage of and let down in relationships. The opening lines "I've been ripped off, I've been burned, I've been talked down, and I've learned" suggests a sense of defeat and disappointment, possibly hinting at negative experiences with past lovers or partners. The lyrics express that the singer has learned a lesson about the type of women that are no good for his emotional well-being. He describes that "a woman like you ain't no good for my brain" and "tried to get me tied up with a ball and chain." This metaphor of a ball and chain is often used to describe the feeling of being trapped or tied down to something that is difficult to escape from or is weighing one down.
The chorus is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the message that the persona is trying to convey. The chorus shows the persona's reluctance to fall into old patterns with someone who he knows will not benefit him, demonstrating a sense of growth and change in character. The lyrics are delivered with a soulful, bluesy style that captures the emotions of betrayal and resistance, making the song an effective testament to the conflicting feelings experienced after a bad breakup.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been ripped off
I have been cheated in some way
I've been burned
I have been hurt or let down
I've been talked down
I have been belittled or insulted
And I've learned
Through these experiences, I have gained knowledge
That a woman like you
This statement refers directly to the person he is singing to
Ain't no good for my brain
Being with this person is not mentally healthy for him
Tried to get me get tied up
This person has attempted to restrict or control him
With a ball and chain
This traditional phrase refers to a restrictive partner, as if they were a physical ball and chain
I've been lonely
He has experienced isolation and sadness
I've been sad
Feelings of loss or emptiness have overwhelmed him
Up to good times
There have been positive moments that contrast with the difficult ones
To not so bad
However, during these other times things were still not great
Well a woman like you
This phrase reinforces his thoughts
Ain't no good for my brain
Again, being with this person is mentally unhealthy for him
Tried to get me tied up
The idea of restriction or control is used once again
Like a ball and chain
A traditional phrase for being chained and powerless
No a woman like you
The final line reinforces the idea that he needs to break free
Ain't no good for my brain
Reinforcing this person is not good for his mental health
Tried to get me tied up
Final repetition of the theme of control
With a ball and chain
Final reinforcement that being with this person is restrictive
Writer(s): Gwyn Ashton
Contributed by Elena T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jozef Škrabak
Good on you my friend...it is marvelous blues...in some way it remains me Big Jimmy... Hendrix ...I love to listening your music..Gwyn Ashtom Trio...JOŠi, 14102013, Slovakia
TheBlindghost
Man, i'm glad u born the same time as me brother. keeep it alive
valerie andes
kikass!!!!!! frm TT.