After the Sex Pistols broke up in 1978, he started Public Image Ltd. also called PiL. The group lasted for fourteen years with John Lydon as the only consistent member. In 2010, Lydon reassembled PIL and embarked on a successful tour of Europe, as well as re-visiting the United States for the first time in 18 years.
In 1997 he released a solo album on called Psycho's Path. He wrote all the songs and played (almost) all the instruments on the album.
Besides music, John has written a book called "Rotten - No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs", been in British reality television show, "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!", hosted the short-lived VH1 show "Rotten TV", co-starred in the movie "Copkiller" along with Harvey Keitel and hosted "It's a Rotten Day", a minute-long, syndicated US radio feature, in which he would offer cynical commentary on the day's headlines.
Don't Ask Me
John Lydon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the river runs dry
Put your drills in the mud
And death up in the sky
You should have saved those bottles
You should have saved those cans
You shouldn't ought'a listen to the plastic man
It's gone just like the trees
Do you like the taste of honey
Isn't it best without the bees
Be careful what you're doing
You're messing up my life
And if all the world's a cake
Then you cut too big a slice
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't ask me
'Cause I don't know
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't blame me
I told you so
You read it in the papers
You hear it on the news
Very few listen
A spew without a view
And is it really worth it
Choking on remote
I can see the red tide coming
But I don't even vote
Infection in the greenhouse
Dizzy in the clouds
Oily as an ocean
Heaven disembowelled
Still planning on a future
Well lucky for some
You can develop your body
But your mind is still a slum
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't ask me
'Cause I don't know
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't blame me
I told you so
The product in the packaging
Of multi-layered glam
150 layers of materials
To cover up a sham
Protecting my planet
Wrap it in plastic
The package is product
Perfected eternal
A crap in a cling wrap
I never met yet a prime minister or president
Who told the truth yet
Swimming in the slurry
Burning in the heat
Wind blown is the weather
I eat what you secrete
Climb the highest derrick
This circus has no prayer
No UFO to save us
And do we really care
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't ask me
'Cause I don't know
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't blame me
I told you so
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't ask me
'Cause I don't know
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't blame me
I told you so
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't ask me
'Cause I don't know
What's it all about
They scream and then they shout
Don't blame me
I told you so
Kiss goodbye to the earth, the sun, the moon
It's easy to deceive a child
In John Lydon's song Don't Ask Me, the lyrics express a sense of disillusionment and frustration with the world around us. Lydon highlights the destructive nature of human activity on the environment and criticizes the apathy and ignorance that surrounds these issues. He challenges the listener to question their actions and the actions of those in power, and to take responsibility for the impact they have on the world. The opening lines, "What you gonna do, when the river runs dry, put your drills in the mud, and death up in the sky," paint a bleak image of a future where natural resources have been depleted and pollution is rampant. The chorus, "What's it all about, they scream and then they shout, don't ask me, 'cause I don't know," highlights the confusion and ignorance that exists around these issues, and suggests that there is a need for greater awareness and education.
Lydon touches on a number of environmental issues in the song, including deforestation ("It's gone just like the trees"), plastic waste ("You shouldn't ought'a listen to the plastic man"), and pollution ("Infection in the greenhouse, dizzy in the clouds"). He also touches on political corruption and deception ("I never met yet a prime minister or president who told the truth yet"), and the impact of technology on our lives ("Be careful what you're doing, you're messing up my life"). Overall, the song is a call to action for individuals to take responsibility for their impact on the environment and to work towards a more sustainable future.
Line by Line Meaning
What you gonna do
What actions will you take?
When the river runs dry
When resources become scarce
Put your drills in the mud
Destroy the environment faster to maintain profits
And death up in the sky
The impact of industrialization on human health
You should have saved those bottles
Waste reduction should have been practiced
You should have saved those cans
Recycling should have been practiced
You shouldn't ought'a listen to the plastic man
Corporations aim to mislead the public through advertising
And there's no more toilet paper
Overconsumption without sustainable practices leads to resource scarcity
It's gone just like the trees
Deforestation leads to environmental destruction
Do you like the taste of honey
Enjoying the benefits of nature
Isn't it best without the bees
The impact of human actions on nature
Be careful what you're doing
We must act with caution and consideration for the environment
You're messing up my life
Human actions have consequences for all living beings
And if all the world's a cake
The abundance of resources on earth
Then you cut too big a slice
Human consumption and waste practices are unsustainable
What's it all about
The purpose and meaning of human actions and their impact on nature
They scream and then they shout
People are expressing their discontent with the current state of the world
Don't ask me
The singer is not the one responsible for the current state of the world
'Cause I don't know
The singer is questioning human actions and their impact on nature
Don't blame me
The singer is not responsible for the current state of the world or human actions
I told you so
The singer has repeatedly warned about the impact of human actions on nature
You read it in the papers
News outlets report on the negative impact of human actions on nature
You hear it on the news
News outlets report on the negative impact of human actions on nature
Very few listen
People are not taking the necessary action to protect the environment
A spew without a view
Media platforms are not providing adequate information about protecting the environment
And is it really worth it
The cost of environmental destruction versus economic growth
Choking on remote
The negative impact of human actions on air quality
I can see the red tide coming
The negative impact of human actions on the oceans
But I don't even vote
People are not using their power to create change in society
Infection in the greenhouse
The negative impact of human actions on agriculture
Dizzy in the clouds
The negative impact of human actions on air quality
Oily as an ocean
The negative impact of oil spills on the environment
Heaven disembowelled
The destruction of natural habitats
Still planning on a future
Despite the current state of the world, there is still hope for the future
Well lucky for some
Some individuals have the privilege to not be affected by the negative impact of human actions on nature
You can develop your body
People are focusing on personal physical well-being over environmental well-being
But your mind is still a slum
People need to focus on developing their understanding of environmental issues
The product in the packaging
Consumerism and materialism
Of multi-layered glam
Excessive packaging and marketing tactics
150 layers of materials
The absurdity of packaging practices
To cover up a sham
The lies and deceptions of corporations
Protecting my planet
The need to prioritize environmental protection
Wrap it in plastic
Excessive plastic usage
The package is product
The focus on appearance and packaging rather than the actual product
Perfected eternal
Packaging practices are unsustainable
A crap in a cling wrap
The absurdity of excessive packaging practices
I never met yet a prime minister or president
Politicians are not prioritizing environmental protection
Who told the truth yet
Politicians are not honest about their environmental policies or actions
Swimming in the slurry
The negative impact of human actions on water quality
Burning in the heat
The negative impact of human actions on air quality
Wind blown is the weather
The unpredictability of weather patterns caused by climate change
I eat what you secrete
The negative impact of human actions on food quality
Climb the highest derrick
The absurdity of sacrificing the environment for monetary profit
This circus has no prayer
The current state of the world is beyond repair
No UFO to save us
We cannot rely on external forces to save the environment
And do we really care
The need for people to prioritize environmental protection
Kiss goodbye to the earth, the sun, the moon
The potential end result of continued environmental destruction
It's easy to deceive a child
The importance of educating future generations about environmental issues
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMINA ACHOUR, DERREK TAYE, SVEN WAJE, TIM WAJE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bethshadowen904
John has always been ahead of his time by DECADES! He is an amazing poet
@LaurenLawDawg
He was always RIGHT ON TIME....
Sometimes the rest of us are too late...
@bentramer682
This song is criminally underrated
@rowanisacake
Just getting into P.I.L. Only heard a couple songs. This one rocks for sure.
@nijittwerdle9166
Ok, you've had a bit of time. What do you think?
@maxkazzora4234
I wasn't into punk rock back in the 80s but this track was a exception to that rule of mine. Maybe ive mellowed. The track is so apt to life in general.
@andrywez
I loved the song when it came out. So many quotable lines..."It's easy to deceive a child." Pointing the figure at Pres #45.
@franciscosalazar5593
26 years trying to listen to this song ... it's been so long. I'm excited. Thank you so much
@bodsnvimto
Sir John was ahead of the times, the same lyrics would be trite today.
@simonreeves3229
John Lydon was way ahead of the game