Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943 in Dartford, Kent), is an English gui… Read Full Bio ↴Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943 in Dartford, Kent), is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with The Rolling Stones. Richards has played guitar on releases by Chuck Berry, Max Romeo, Peter Tosh, Hubert Sumlin, Les Paul, Tom Waits, Bono and The Edge of U2, Nona Hendryx, John Phillips and Aretha Franklin. He was first known to the public as Keith Richard because Andrew Loog Oldham, the first manager of the Stones, removed the "s" to resemble the name of popstar Cliff Richard; Richards later restored the "s" to his surname. "The Human Riff" and "Keef Riffhard" are lasting epithets.

Amnesia
Keith Richards Lyrics

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Nowhere
Nowhere
Don't know who I am, forgotten my name
I got no address and who the hell's to blame
Knocked on my head, everything went blank
I didn't even know, the Titanic sank
Nowhere
Nowhere

Check my passports but it seems I've been around
But I can't remember time like baggage lost and found
Thought I met mother, she said you don't belong to me
Behind you must be trouble, broken hearts and misery
Nowhere, I'm talkin' nowhere
(Remember)
I try and jock my memory, it's a futile exercise
When you amount to nowhere, ha, you don't get a prize
How can I regret, huh, it's so easy to forget
You know everything I do, I know nothing about you
No-fucking-where (remember)
I can't recall the past

Nowhere, nowhere
Nowhere

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Keith Richards's song 'Amnesia' speak of a man who has lost all sense of identity, meaning, and direction in his life. He doesn't know who he is, where he's headed, or what he's supposed to do. He has no address which could mean that he has no place to call home or that he's lost his way in life. The man's memory loss is so severe that he doesn't even remember significant historical events like the sinking of the Titanic. He checks his passport, but it only adds to his confusion because it shows he's been around and yet, he has no memory of his past.

The man attempts to recall his past, but it's just a futile exercise because he has nothing to remember. He reflects on how easy it is to forget and how he knows nothing about the people around him, including the person who seems to know everything about him. He laments his situation, realizing that he has amounted to nowhere and gets no prize for it. The lyrics convey a sense of disorientation, confusion, and loss for the character in the song, who is suffering from amnesia.

Overall, 'Amnesia' is a poignant expression of the experience of memory loss and what it feels like to lose one's sense of self. The song speaks to the universality of the human experience and reminds us that we all face challenges and struggles in life that we must confront.

Line by Line Meaning

Nowhere
Feeling lost and unsure of one's direction in life.

Nowhere
Continuing to feel lost and aimless.

Don't know who I am, forgotten my name
Suffering from memory loss and confusion about one's identity.

I got no address and who the hell's to blame
Being homeless and feeling a sense of helplessness and frustration about one's situation.

Knocked on my head, everything went blank
Having experienced a traumatic event that has caused memory loss and disorientation.

I didn't even know, the Titanic sank
Being so disconnected from the world that important historical events are unknown or forgotten.

Check my passports but it seems I've been around
Having traveled extensively in the past, but unable to remember or appreciate those experiences.

But I can't remember time like baggage lost and found
Finding it difficult to recall past events and experiences, as if they were easily misplaced belongings.

Thought I met mother, she said you don't belong to me
Encountering family members and being rejected or misunderstood by them.

Behind you must be trouble, broken hearts and misery
Assuming that trouble follows one wherever they go, and feeling weighed down by sadness and heartbreak.

I try and jock my memory, it's a futile exercise
Making an attempt to remember past events, but finding it to be a useless endeavor.

When you amount to nowhere, ha, you don't get a prize
Feeling a sense of worthlessness and insignificance, and recognizing that there is no reward for being lost and directionless.

How can I regret, huh, it's so easy to forget
Being unburdened by the weight of regret, since memory loss makes it difficult to remember specific events and their associated emotions.

You know everything I do, I know nothing about you
Feeling disconnected from others and unable to form meaningful relationships due to memory loss and a sense of aimlessness.

I can't recall the past
Continuing to feel the effects of memory loss and being unable to remember important events from one's own life.

Nowhere
Feeling lost and disconnected, with no clear direction or sense of purpose.

Nowhere
Continuing to feel without direction or purpose.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: KEITH (GB) RICHARDS, STEVE (US 3) JORDAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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