DON'T ASK ME
Lydon John Lyrics


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What you gonna do
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
And there's no more toilet paper
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

Overall Meaning

Lydon John's song "Don't Ask Me" is a scathing commentary on the environmental destruction caused by humanity, as well as a criticism of society's blindness to the problem. The lyrics use vivid and often disturbing imagery to paint a picture of a world on the brink of collapse - a world where rivers have run dry, toilet paper is no longer available, and the taste of honey is tinged with the absence of bees. The song begins with a call to action, urging listeners to stop the destruction before it's too late: "What you gonna do when the river runs dry? Put your drills in the mud and death up in the sky."


Throughout the song, John highlights the consequences of humanity's actions, such as the loss of trees and wildlife, the pollution of the oceans, and the greenhouse effect. He also criticizes society's lack of awareness and responsibility, which he believes is fueled by a culture of consumerism and apathy. The lyrics of the song suggest that the problems facing the planet are complex and daunting, and that there are no easy solutions.


In the end, John seems resigned to the idea that the world is beyond saving: "Kiss goodbye to the earth, the sun, the moon". The repeated refrain of "Don't ask me, 'cause I don't know" further emphasizes the feeling of powerlessness and hopelessness that pervades the song.


To summarize, "Don't Ask Me" is John's unflinching critique of society's environmental impact, a call to action to halt further destruction, and a warning of dire consequences if humanity fails to act.


Line by Line Meaning

What you gonna do When the river runs dry Put your drills in the mud And death up in the sky
When resources run out and environment is damaged, drilling for resources might end up killing us.


You should have saved those bottles You should have saved those cans You shouldn't ought'a listen to the plastic man
We should have recycled, used less plastic and listened to those who warned us about environmental destruction.


And there's no more toilet paper 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
As natural resources deplete, our way of life is in peril, and we should be aware of how our actions affect the ecosystem.


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
People are often clueless about environmental destruction and the harm they cause, even when they are warned in advance.


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
Even though we are exposed to news on environmental destruction, few care and take actions, and even fewer vote for politicians who would try to make a difference.


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
The natural world is being destroyed by pollution, and we need to wake up to this reality and do something about it.


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
The packaging industry is a significant contributor to pollution, and many politicians lie about the real consequences of environmental destruction.


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
Environmental degradation affects everything we do, including what we eat, and the consequences could be fatal if we don't act fast.


Kiss goodbye to the earth, the sun, the moon
The world is on the brink of environmental disaster, and the consequences could be catastrophic.


It's easy to deceive a child
It's easier to educate children about environmental conservation rather than adults who are already set in their ways.




Lyrics ยฉ Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMINA ACHOUR, DERREK TAYE, SVEN WAJE, TIM WAJE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

M M

Great song and a great message. Well done Johnny ๐Ÿ‘ thanks mick ๐Ÿ‘

Mick's Music and Interests.

Thanks buddy. Glad you enjoyed it ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘

David Jones

Love this song,
Great upload Mick sir ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘

Mick's Music and Interests.

Thanks David ๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ‘

Donna's Adventures

This is a new band to me! As a nature lover I enjoyed the message, ๐Ÿ˜€ ...just too bad it's still so relevant. ๐Ÿ™

Mick's Music and Interests.

They've been around since 1978 Donna so a while now. The message is serious and it's almost become a race against time now sadly.
Thanks for watching ๐Ÿ™‚๐Ÿ’ž

David Jones

The real Legend that is Sir Johnny

Mick's Music and Interests.

He absolutely is ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ‘

Flowerfolk Farm

Great song mick but we still havenโ€™t managed to get the message ๐Ÿ˜ข breaks my heart!! Really enjoyed this! Loved the startโ€ฆ. โ€œVaguely โ€œ ๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ˜† hope you guys have a really awesome weekend my friend ๐Ÿ’๐ŸŒป๐ŸŒท

Flowerfolk Farm

@Mick's Music and Interests. so true ๐ŸŒฑโ˜ฎ๏ธ๐Ÿ˜ข

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