After that band's demise in 1999, Ashcroft began his solo career, releasing Alone with Everybody in 2000, Human Conditions in 2002 and Keys to the World in 2006. He performed vocals for the track Lonely Soul on UNKLE's 1998 release Psyence Fiction and his voice can also be heard on the The Chemical Brothers' album Come With Us track The Test.
He is good friends with Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and Coldplay's Chris Martin (whom Ashcroft thanks for 'letting me be myself again'), and occasionally plays as support at Oasis and Coldplay concerts, including the European and second UK legs of Coldplay's 'Twisted Logic Tour'. He recently described himself as 'the best support act you'll ever see'. The Oasis track "Cast No Shadow" is dedicated to him. Chris Martin introduced him as "the best singer in the world" when he performed "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (which Martin called "the best song in the world") with Coldplay at the London Live 8 concert in 2005. On his second album Human Conditions The Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson guest stars on the song Nature is the Law.
Ashcroft is married to Kate Radley, ex-Spiritualized keyboard player.
Check The Meaning
Richard Ashcroft Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know who I can trust
Paranoia, the destroyer, comes knocking on my door
You know the pain drifts to days, turns to nights
But it slowly will subside
And when it does, I take a step, I take a breath
And wonder what I'll find
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Feel what I'm saying
Got my mind meditating on love, love
(Check the meaning)
Too much blood, too much hate, turn off the set
There's got to be something more
When Mohammed, Allah, Buddah, Jesus Christ
Are knocking down my door
I'm agnostic getting God, but man
She takes a female form
There's no time, no space, no law
We're out here on our own
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Feel what I'm saying
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Check the meaning
(The human condition)
Check the feeling
(The human condition)
Guess it's life, doing it's thing
Making you cry, making you think
Yeah life, dealing it's hand
Making you cry and you don't understand
Life, doing it's thing
Making you cry now, making you think of
Pain, doing it's thing
Making you cry yeah, making you sing
Don't say it, don't say it's too late
Don't, don't say it's too late (It's never too late, it's never too late)
Don't, don't say it's too late (It's never too late)
Don't, don't say it's too late
The human condition, the big decisions
The human condition, the big decisions
I'm like a fish with legs, I fell from the tree
I made a rocket (check the meaning), I made a wheel
I made a rocket (check the feeling), I swam the ocean (check the meaning)
I saw the moon (say a prayer), I seen the universe (and beyond)
I see you (check the feeling), I see me (check the meaning)
That's my reality
And while the city sleeps we go walking
It's a beautiful world
And when the city sleeps we go walking
We find a hole in the sky and then we start talking
And then we say "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Buy us some time, buy us some time"
Hear what I'm saying
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Can you hear what I'm saying?
It's gonna be alright
The song "Check The Meaning" by Richard Ashcroft is a powerful commentary on the human condition and the search for meaning and purpose in life. The opening lyrics reflect the singer's struggles with depression and anxiety, and the feeling of being lost and alone in the world. The line "Paranoia, the destroyer, comes knocking on my door" describes the way in which fear and anxiety can consume a person's thoughts and emotions, leaving them feeling helpless and hopeless.
However, the song then takes a turn towards hope, with the lyrics focusing on the power of love and the importance of finding meaning in life. The line "Got my mind meditating on love" suggests that the singer is focusing on a more positive and uplifting perspective, in order to overcome their feelings of despair. Additionally, the repeated line "Check the meaning" reminds the listener to focus on finding meaning in their own lives, and not to get too caught up in negative emotions or distractions.
The later verses of the song take a more spiritual turn, with references to various religious figures and a focus on the idea of a higher power or divine force. The singer describes himself as agnostic, but still acknowledges the importance of love and connection in his life. The line "There's no time, no space, no law, we're out here on our own" suggests that perhaps there is no objective or universal meaning in life, but that we must create our own meaning and purpose for ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
When I'm low, and I'm weak, and I'm lost
In moments of sadness, weakness, and confusion
I don't know who I can trust
I don't know who I can rely on
Paranoia, the destroyer, comes knocking on my door
Fear and distrust become overwhelming
You know the pain drifts to days, turns to nights
The emotional pain persists
But it slowly will subside
But eventually it will lessen
And when it does, I take a step, I take a breath
And in that moment of relief, I try to move forward
And wonder what I'll find
Wondering what the future holds
Too much blood, too much hate, turn off the set
Too much violence and negativity in the media
There's got to be something more
A desire for something beyond the norm
When Mohammed, Allah, Buddah, Jesus Christ
The major religious figures
Are knocking down my door
Are competing for my attention and belief
I'm agnostic getting God, but man
Conflicted beliefs about religion
She takes a female form
But my conception of God is feminine
There's no time, no space, no law
A sense of the infinite and chaotic nature of existence
We're out here on our own
And we must navigate life without a clear guide
Guess it's life, doing it's thing
Reflecting on the unpredictable nature of life
Making you cry, making you think
Causing both emotional pain and introspection
Yeah life, dealing it's hand
Life is not always fair
Making you cry and you don't understand
Causing sadness and confusion
Don't say it, don't say it's too late
Don't give up hope
It's never too late, it's never too late
There is always time for change
The human condition, the big decisions
Reflecting on the fundamental struggles of life
I'm like a fish with legs, I fell from the tree
Reflecting on the strange nature of human evolution
I made a rocket (check the meaning), I made a wheel
Celebrating human achievements in science and technology
I swam the ocean (check the meaning)
Celebrating human achievements in exploration and adventure
I saw the moon (say a prayer), I seen the universe (and beyond)
Celebrating human achievements in space exploration and discovery
I see you (check the feeling), I see me (check the meaning)
Reflecting on the nature of self and identity
That's my reality
This is my truth
And while the city sleeps we go walking
Finding peace and meaning outside of the busy city
It's a beautiful world
Despite its struggles, life is beautiful
We find a hole in the sky and then we start talking
Wondering about the mysteries of the universe
And then we say "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Expressing awe and amazement at the universe
Buy us some time, buy us some time"
Asking for more time to enjoy life
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Do you understand my message?
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Thinking deeply about love and its power
Check the meaning
Reflect on the true significance
The human condition
The fundamental struggles and experiences of being human
The big decisions
The important choices we make in life
Check the feeling
Reflect on the true emotional impact
It's gonna be alright
Despite the struggles, everything will be okay
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RICHARD ASHCROFT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
gnknowsmusic
"Check The Meaning"
When I'm low, and I'm weak, and I'm lost
I don't know who I can trust
Paranoia, the destroyer, comes knocking on my door
You know the pain drifts to days, turns to nights
But it slowly will subside
And when it does, I take a step, I take a breath
And wonder what I'll find
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Feel what I'm saying
Got my mind meditating on love, love
(The human condition, the human condition)
Too much blood, too much hate, turn off the set
There's got to be something more
When Mohammed, Allah, Buddah, Jesus Christ
Are knocking down my door
I'm agnostic getting God, but man
She takes a female form
There's no time, no space, no law
We're out here on our own
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Feel what I'm saying
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Check the meaning
(The human condition)
Check the feeling
(The human condition)
Guess it's life, doing it's thing
Making you cry, making you think
Yeah life, dealing it's hand
Making you cry and you don't understand
Life, doing it's thing
Making you cry now, making you think of
Pain, doing it's thing
Making you cry yeah, making you sing
Don't say it, don't say it's too late
Don't, don't say it's too late (It's never too late, it's never too late)
Don't, don't say it's too late (It's never too late)
Don't, don't say it's too late
The human condition, the big decisions
The human condition, the big decisions
I'm like a fish with legs, I fell from the tree
I made a rocket (check the meaning), I made a wheel
I made a rocket (check the feeling), I swam the ocean (check the meaning)
I saw the moon (say a prayer), I seen the universe (and beyond)
I see you (check the feeling), I see me (check the meaning)
That's my reality
And while the city sleeps we go walking
It's a beautiful world
And when the city sleeps we go walking
We find a hole in the sky and then we start talking
And then we say "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Buy us some time, buy us some time"
Hear what I'm saying
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Can you hear what I'm saying?
It's gonna be alright
José Luis Valero
You know the pain drifts to days, turns to nights
But it slowly will subside
And when it does, I take a step, I take a breath
And wonder what I'll find
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love
❤️
Feel what I'm saying
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Too much blood, too much hate, turn off the set
There's got to be something more
When Mohammed, Allah, Buddah, Jesus Christ
Are knocking down my door
I'm agnostic getting God, but man
She takes a female form
There's no time, no space, no law
We're out here on our own
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love ❤️
Feel what I'm saying
Got my…
José Luis Valero
When I'm low, and I'm weak, and I'm lost
I don't know who I can trust
Paranoia, the destroyer, comes knocking on my door
You know the pain drifts to days, turns to nights
But it slowly will subside
And when it does, I take a step, I take a breath
And wonder what I'll find
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love
❤️
Feel what I'm saying
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Too much blood, too much hate, turn off the set
There's got to be something more
When Mohammed, Allah, Buddah, Jesus Christ
Are knocking down my door
I'm agnostic getting God, but man
She takes a female form
There's no time, no space, no law
We're out here on our own
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love ❤️
Feel what I'm saying
Got my…
Liam Ball
2020 and still a thought provoking song, still the best. Who's still listening?
Tom
2021 baby
Tom Teasyy
Hes underrated i believe
Likeabossman
Yep love RA tunes a couple have relevance to the tyranny in today's government's
Flower of Scotland
@Likeabossman Yes I like the one, "The Army of the People" and "Go home British Soldier". Top protest songs by 'ra.
Flower of Scotland
What part is "thought provoking"? If the entire song, "How does it inspire thought". And why do you need reassurance that others are listening? It's for folk to say I like that song and tbumbs up. That's what you're counting on. Not happened though.
gnknowsmusic
"Check The Meaning"
When I'm low, and I'm weak, and I'm lost
I don't know who I can trust
Paranoia, the destroyer, comes knocking on my door
You know the pain drifts to days, turns to nights
But it slowly will subside
And when it does, I take a step, I take a breath
And wonder what I'll find
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Feel what I'm saying
Got my mind meditating on love, love
(The human condition, the human condition)
Too much blood, too much hate, turn off the set
There's got to be something more
When Mohammed, Allah, Buddah, Jesus Christ
Are knocking down my door
I'm agnostic getting God, but man
She takes a female form
There's no time, no space, no law
We're out here on our own
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Feel what I'm saying
Got my mind meditating on love, love
Check the meaning
(The human condition)
Check the feeling
(The human condition)
Guess it's life, doing it's thing
Making you cry, making you think
Yeah life, dealing it's hand
Making you cry and you don't understand
Life, doing it's thing
Making you cry now, making you think of
Pain, doing it's thing
Making you cry yeah, making you sing
Don't say it, don't say it's too late
Don't, don't say it's too late (It's never too late, it's never too late)
Don't, don't say it's too late (It's never too late)
Don't, don't say it's too late
The human condition, the big decisions
The human condition, the big decisions
I'm like a fish with legs, I fell from the tree
I made a rocket (check the meaning), I made a wheel
I made a rocket (check the feeling), I swam the ocean (check the meaning)
I saw the moon (say a prayer), I seen the universe (and beyond)
I see you (check the feeling), I see me (check the meaning)
That's my reality
And while the city sleeps we go walking
It's a beautiful world
And when the city sleeps we go walking
We find a hole in the sky and then we start talking
And then we say "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Buy us some time, buy us some time"
Hear what I'm saying
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Can you hear what I'm saying?
It's gonna be alright
Matthew Macconnell
This song, till this day makes me shiver. I have had the privilege of seeing him live twice and have heard this song on both occasions. This album made me pick the guitar up at the age of 12 (now 26) i still play and still love playing songs from this album, especially this one.
ZettiMusicLover
The profound message of this song can be compared to the greatest classics of Literature. Ashcroft always share a deep sense of spirituality and love. He's one of the greatest geniuses in universal music, in my humble opinion.
agnieszka kowalik
I agree with you