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.

Precious Stone
Richard Ashcroft Lyrics

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Life is a book and then we find the pen
Used to feel like the walls are closing in
You made decisions that you never thought you could
You've been crying in the night, yeah, yeah, yeah

You precious stone
Washed Up, feelin low
Gonna clean you up, make you feel

Like you know the answer

I've got the keys to the jail yeah (with this love)
A little love never fails yeah (overcome)
I've got the keys to the jail yeah (with this love)
A little love never fails yeah

You've been all the things that you never thought you were
You saw the devil in the night and it haunts you
Don't think about the things you can never answer
You gotta live, you gotta learn how to to love

I say,
You precious stone
Washed up, feelin low
Gonna clean you up, make you shine, make you gleam yeah
You precious stone
Why we're stuck, you don't know
Gonna clean you up, make you feel
Like you know the answer

I've got the keys to your jail yeah (with this love)
A little love never fails yeah (overcome)
I've got the keys to your jail yeah (with this love)
A little love never ever fails yeah
You're the one
With this love
Overcome
With this love

You precious stone
Washed up, feelin low
Gonna clean you up, make you shine, make you glow
You precious stone
Washed Up, you don't know
Gonna clean you up, make you shine, make you whole
You precious stone
On the beach, you're alone
Gonna clean you up, make you shine, make you gleam yeah
You precious stone
Washed Up on the beach yeah

Gonna clean you up, make you feel
Like you know the

Overall Meaning

The song "Precious Stone" by Richard Ashcroft is a soulful ballad about finding oneself and embracing love to overcome personal struggles. The opening lines, "Life is a book and then we find the pen," suggest that life is a blank canvas, and we hold the power to write our own destiny. However, sometimes we feel trapped or limited, as expressed in the line, "Used to feel like the walls are closing in." The singer has made decisions that they never thought possible, but these choices have brought about emotional distress and even tears.

The chorus of the song, "You precious stone, washed up, feelin low. Gonna clean you up, make you feel like you know the answer," is a message of encouragement to the singer. The term "precious stone" is a reference to the person's inner worth and value, which has become tarnished and lost. The singer promises to clean them up, help them find their shine and bring them back to a state of wholeness. The verses of the song, "I've got the keys to the jail yeah (with this love), A little love never fails yeah (overcome)," further explain how the love and support of others can help one overcome their struggles and free them from a sort of personal jail.

Overall, "Precious Stone" is a message of hope, a reminder that even when we feel lost and alone, we can find our way back to the light with the help of love.

Line by Line Meaning

Life is a book and then we find the pen
Life is an open book, and we have the power to write our own story.

Used to feel like the walls are closing in
Once felt trapped by circumstances, but has now broken free.

You made decisions that you never thought you could
Overcame self-doubt and made difficult choices.

You've been crying in the night, yeah, yeah, yeah
Has experienced emotional pain and turmoil.

You precious stone
Addressing the listener as a valuable and resilient individual.

Washed Up, feelin low
Feeling defeated and discouraged.

Gonna clean you up, make you feel
Promising to provide emotional support and help rebuild a sense of self-worth.

Like you know the answer
To instill a sense of confidence and clarity in the listener's decision making.

I've got the keys to the jail yeah (with this love)
Referring to the power of love to unlock emotional confinement and provide a sense of freedom.

A little love never fails yeah (overcome)
Love is a powerful force that can help overcome challenges.

You've been all the things that you never thought you were
Acknowledging personal growth and overcoming self-limiting beliefs.

You saw the devil in the night and it haunts you
Recounting a traumatic experience that still affects the listener.

Don't think about the things you can never answer
Encouraging the listener to focus on what can be changed and to let go of what can't.

You gotta live, you gotta learn how to to love
Emphasizing the importance of living and learning from experiences, while also learning to love oneself and others.

Why we're stuck, you don't know
Addressing a sense of confusion and stagnation in the listener's life.

Gonna clean you up, make you shine, make you gleam yeah
Reinforcing the promise of providing emotional support and helping the listener find their inner strength and beauty.

You're the one
Affirming the listener's worth and importance.

On the beach, you're alone
Describing the sense of isolation and loneliness the listener may feel.

Gonna clean you up, make you feel
Reiterating the promise to provide emotional support and help the listener rebuild their sense of self-worth.

Like you know the answer
Reinforcing the promise of instilling confidence and clarity in the listener's decision making.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RICHARD ASHCROFT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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