Richard Ashcroft (born Richard Paul Ashcroft, on September 11, 1971, in Bil… Read Full Bio ↴Richard Ashcroft (born Richard Paul Ashcroft, on September 11, 1971, in Billinge, Wigan, England) is best known as the front man of The Verve, which he helped form in 1989.

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.

Picture Of You
Richard Ashcroft Lyrics

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I′ve got a picture of you
The glory of you
In my mind
On a hot summer's day, babe
You know you blew them away, yeah
With your smile
With your smile

It makes me cry
Just some dumb guy
Emotions lost in my prime
Guess I′m a little numb
Yeah, look what I've done

I watch the rolling tide
Call some friends of mine
Then I get caught up
Then I'll call you up
I got a picture of you, oh-oh
The glory of you, yeah, yeah
It makes me smile
It makes me cry

Oh, it makes me cry
It makes cry

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Picture of You" by Richard Ashcroft speak of a love lost, but never forgotten. The song begins with Ashcroft declaring that he has a picture of the person who has captured his heart and mind. He describes this image as the "glory" of this person, meaning they are the epitome of beauty and perfection in his eyes. The image is so vivid that it feels like it's burned in his mind.

Then he takes us back to a hot summer day, where the person with the picture had blown everyone away with their smile. He reminisces about the emotions he felt at that time, saying he was lost in his prime. The person with the picture of seems to have had a profound effect on him, and he feels like he's just some dumb guy who can't fully express how he feels.

The chorus is poignant as Ashcroft talks about how the picture can elicit both smiles and tears. He confesses that he's a little numb, which may imply that he's trying to keep his emotions under control. Ashcroft later describes how he's watching the rolling tides and calling up friends, but ultimately always ends up calling the person he's thinking of. The song ends with the chorus, reminding us of the power a single image can have on our emotions.

Overall, "Picture of You" is a beautiful composition that showcases Ashcroft's lyrical and musical prowess. The song's vivid imagery and Ashcroft's unique voice make it a masterpiece that stands the test of time.

Line by Line Meaning

I've got a picture of you
I have a mental image of you

The glory of you
The magnificence you possess

In my mind
In my thoughts

On a hot summer's day, babe
On a scorching day of the season, my darling

You know you blew them away, yeah
You know you impressed them immensely

With your smile
With the curve of your lips

It makes me cry
It brings tears to my eyes

Just some dumb guy
I am an ordinary person

Emotions lost in my prime
My feelings disappeared during my best years

Guess I'm a little numb
I suppose I am unreactive

Yeah, look what I've done
My actions led me to this point