As the years progressed, the PiL line-up would change, adding renowned drummer Martin Atkins in 1979 as the direction of the band evolved. Compared to their first three albums, the later 1980's/early 1990's period saw a more conventional sound to the musical aspect, but still retaining Lydon's biting lyrics. The album compact disc (aka Album or Cassette, depending on what format you have it on), recorded by Lydon with a slate of studio musicians organized by producer Bill Laswell, is considered the artistic highpoint of this period of PiL's evolution. PiL reached their commercial zenith with their aptly titled ninth album, 9, during 1989/1990.
PiL kept going as a Lydon project until 1993, when Lydon disbanded the group. Their final lineup consisted of Lydon, Ted Chau (guitar, keyboards), Mike Joyce of The Smiths (drums), John McGeoch of Magazine and Siouxsie and the Banshees (guitar), and Russel Webb (bass).
In September 2009, Lydon announced that the band would reform, including earlier members Bruce Smith and Lu Edmonds, for a number of Christmas shows in the UK. The One Drop Songfacts reports that Lydon financed the reunion using money he earned doing a UK television commercial for Country Life butter. This Is PiL, the band’s first album for 20 years was recorded at Steve Winwood’s studio, which is located in a barn, in the middle of the Cotswolds in southern England. It was released on May 28, 2012.
Don't Ask Me
Public Image Ltd. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put your drills in the mud - Death up in the sky
Should have saved those bottles -
Should have saved those cans
Shouldn't ought'a listen to the plastic man
No more toilet papet - 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
What's it all about - They scream and then they shout
Don't ask me - Cause I don't know (I don't know)
What's it all about - They scream and then they shout
Don't blame me - I told you so
Read it in the papers - You hear it in the news
Very few listen - A spew without a view
And is it really worth it - You're choking on remote
I see the red tide coming - But we don't even vote
Infection in the greenhouse - Dizzy in the clouds
Oily as an ocean - Heaven disemboweled
Planning on a future - Well lucky for some
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 (Well don't ask me)
Don't blame me - I told you so (Middle-age)
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
This 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 this weather
I eat what you secrete
I climb this 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 (Do we really care)
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 (No UFO to save us)
Don't ask me - Cause I don't know
What's it all about - They scream and then they shout (No fun, no religion)
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 (Climb this highest derrick)
Don't blame me - I told you so
Kiss goodbye to the Earth, the sun, the moon
It's easy to decieve a child.
The lyrics of Public Image Ltd.'s "Don't Ask Me" capture the frustration and despair of living in a world where environmental destruction, political corruption, and societal apathy seem to be the norm. The opening verse warns of the consequences of exploiting natural resources, with the image of drills in the mud and death up in the sky creating a sense of looming disaster. The second verse focuses on the media's role in shaping public opinion and the value of critical thinking. The line "I never met yet a prime minister or president who told the truth yet" suggests a pervasive sense of disillusionment with the people in power.
Throughout the song, the refrain "don't ask me" serves as a bitter retort to those who demand answers to the world's problems. The final lines of the song, "Kiss goodbye to the Earth, the sun, the moon / It's easy to deceive a child," suggest a sense of hopelessness and resignation. The issues are so complex and overwhelming that even the idea of passing on a better world to future generations seems daunting.
Overall, "Don't Ask Me" is a searing critique of the state of the world in the 21st century, where greed, ignorance, and apathy have combined to create a dire situation. The song challenges the listener to confront these issues head-on and take responsibility for their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
What you gonna do - When the river runs dry
What will you do when resources run out and we cannot sustain our way of living?
Put your drills in the mud - Death up in the sky
Continuing to extract resources through drilling will lead to pollution in the air, causing death.
Should have saved those bottles -
We should have reused plastic products rather than discarding them.
Should have saved those cans
We should have reused metal containers rather than discarding them.
Shouldn't ought'a listen to the plastic man
We should not have been listening to those who encouraged the use of disposable plastics.
No more toilet papet - It's gone just like the trees
Resources like trees that we depend on are being depleted, including the ones used for toilet paper.
Do you like the taste of honey - Isn't it best without the bees
Bees are essential for pollinating and helping plants produce many of the foods we consume, but they are dying at an alarming rate.
Be careful what you're doing - You're messing up my life
The actions of humans are causing harm to the environment, which is directly affecting the lives of other living beings.
And if all this world's a cake - Then you took too big a slice
We are consuming too much and taking more than we need from the Earth, causing harm to the environment.
What's it all about - They scream and then they shout
Many people passionately argue over the issues of environmentalism and their impact on the world.
Don't ask me - Cause I don't know (I don't know)
The singer is acknowledging that they do not have all the answers regarding environmental issues and cannot provide a solution.
Don't blame me - I told you so
The singer believes that they warned people about environmental issues but were not heard or believed.
Read it in the papers - You hear it in the news
Environmental issues are often reported in the media.
Very few listen - A spew without a view
Many people do not pay attention to environmental issues and continue to act carelessly, without understanding the consequences of their actions.
And is it really worth it - You're choking on remote
Many people prioritize materialistic aspects of life but are actually hurting themselves in the long run by contributing to harmful environmental policies and practices.
I see the red tide coming - But we don't even vote
People do not take the necessary action or vote to make informed decisions about environmental policies that can prevent detrimental effects on the environment.
Infection in the greenhouse - Dizzy in the clouds
Greenhouse gases and pollution in the atmosphere are causing harm to both the Earth's environment and humans themselves.
Oily as an ocean - Heaven disemboweled
Oil spills in the ocean are causing harm to marine life, as well as harming the environment, leading to an environmental degradation.
Planning on a future - Well lucky for some
Some people are lucky to have the privileges to plan sustainably for the future, while others do not have that luxury.
Develop your body - But your mind is still a slum
While some prioritize physical health, they may not be aware of the environmental effects of their actions on their own communities and beyond.
The product in the packaging
The method of packaging products with excessive materials is putting the environment in danger, just to make a product look better or more attractive.
Of multi-layered glam
Products are packaged with many layers of materials that are detrimental to the environment and its sustainability.
150 layers of materials
Companies are using excessive amounts of materials, damaging the environment and natural resources in the process.
To cover up a sham
The use of excessive product packaging is a misleading marketing tactic used to sell the product, but it very often puts the environment at risk of degradation.
Protecting my planet
Despite the environmental dangers that come hand-in-hand with excessive packaging, companies continue to contribute to the degradation of the environment and natural resources.
Wrap it in plastic
The excessive use of plastic is a major environmental problem that causes harm to the environment and its sustainability.
This package is product
The overuse of product packaging contributes to environmental scrap and waste, harming the environment in the process.
Perfected eternal
The use of excessive packaging through technological advances in production makes products last longer on the shelves, but the environment suffers the long-term consequences.
A crap in a cling wrap
The use of unnecessary plastic packaging to sell and promote products can be seen as a ridiculous way of contributing to environmental harm.
I never met yet a prime minister or president
Government leaders have committed to incomplete or non-existent policies to address and combat environmental problems.
Who told the truth yet
The singer suggests that government officials have not given full transparency about environmental issues, the cause of climate change and its effects on the planet.
Swimming in the slurry
Swimming and living in pollution has become a new normal due to chemicals and pollutants being dumped into various water resources.
Burning in the heat
The Earth is warming to an unsafe level due to greenhouse gases and pollution.
Wind blown is this weather
Climate change is making the weather harsher and more unpredictable, leading to negative effects on biodiversity and the environment.
I eat what you secrete
Humans unknowingly consume products that are exposed to harmful chemicals, harming them in the process.
I climb this highest derrick
The artist is trying to raise the alarm about the environmental dangers and degradation, but it seems to be falling on deaf ears as no one is listening.
This circus has no prayer
The chance to call out environmental problems and provide real solutions to them seem to be shrinking due to people's unwillingness to listen or act on the matter, making it a lost cause.
No UFO to save us
There is no magical fix to the environmental problems that we have caused.
And do we really care
Even in the face of clear evidence of environmental harm, people are still apathetic and actively making political and consumption choices that harm the environment each day.
Kiss goodbye to the Earth, the sun, the moon
Unless a radical change is made to the environmental policies and actions taken, we could eventually lose the Earth to the climate crisis.
It's easy to deceive a child.
It is much harder to inform and change the mindset and behavior of adults who refuse to believe in the reality of the environmental crisis.
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