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.
Why Not Nothing?
Richard Ashcroft Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or your masqueraded machavellian tricks
Goodbye, you know I ain't got time
don't deny it its abuse of the cross
Lets get some of god squad in the dock where they belong
Ah where's ya song ?
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
That's when we started singing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Tonight I need survival through your everyday
Who the fuck are you when you take that mask away ?
Friend I don't know, ahh where do we go ?
I do not know what's real on the screen
Hollywoods directing world war 3
What's going on?, ahh pass me the gun
Its a- I know that your wrong you gotta learn the way you do
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
That's when we started singing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
[Repeat: x2]
'cause its a- I know that your wrong you gotta learn the way you do
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
That's when we started singing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Its a- I know that your wrong you gotta learn the way you do
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
That's when we started singing
Why not nothing
Why not nothing
Why not nothing
Why not nothing
The lyrics of Richard Ashcroft's song "Why Not Nothing" express the singer's lack of interest in politics and the manipulations of those who practice it. He bids goodbye to those who engage in "masqueraded machiavellian tricks," indicating that he has no time for such games. He points out the abuse of the cross and calls out the "god squad" for their hypocritical behavior. He encourages listeners to stand up for themselves and not be treated like a fool, advising them to learn from their mistakes.
The chorus repeats the phrase "why not nothing," which seems to speak to a sense of existential emptiness or nihilism. The second verse touches on the idea of masks, asking who people really are when they take them off. Ashcroft expresses his confusion about what's real in the world and implies that Hollywood and its portrayal of war may be contributing to the confusion. The song ends with an urgent need for survival and a repeated plea to understand that there's nothing to lose by taking risks: "Why not nothing."
Line by Line Meaning
I ain't got time for your politics
I'm not interested in your political views or tactics
Or your masqueraded machavellian tricks
I don't have patience for your deceitful tactics
Goodbye, you know I ain't got time
I am leaving, I have better things to do than deal with you
don't deny it its abuse of the cross
You can't deny that misuse of religion is happening
Lets get some of god squad in the dock where they belong
Let's hold religious leaders accountable for their actions
Ah where's ya song ?
What happened to your message?
Its a- I know that your wrong you gotta learn the way you do
I understand that you are mistaken but you need to learn for yourself
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Listen to my advice and don't let others take advantage of you
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
I want to have a serious conversation with you
That's when we started singing
That's when we began to express ourselves through music
Why not, why not nothing
Why not consider the possibility of there being nothing?
Tonight I need survival through your everyday
I need to be able to cope with the challenges of everyday life tonight
Who the fuck are you when you take that mask away ?
Who are you really when you're not pretending?
Friend I don't know, ahh where do we go ?
I don't know, where do we go from here?
I do not know what's real on the screen
I don't know what is true when I see it on the screen
Hollywoods directing world war 3
Hollywood is influencing a potential global conflict
What's going on?, ahh pass me the gun
What is happening? Give me the gun for protection
Why not nothing
Why not consider the possibility of there being nothing?
Why not nothing
Why not consider the possibility of there being nothing?
Why not nothing
Why not consider the possibility of there being nothing?
Why not nothing
Why not consider the possibility of there being nothing?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anderson Morales
I ain't got time for your politics
Or your masqueraded machavellian tricks
Goodbye, you know I ain't got time
don't deny it its abuse of the cross
Lets get some of god squad in the dock where they belong
Ah where's ya song ?
Its a- I know that your wrong you gotta learn the way you do
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
That's when we started singing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Tonight I need survival through your everyday
Who the fuck are you when you take that mask away ?
Friend I don't know, ahh where do we go ?
I do not know what's real on the screen
Hollywoods directing world war 3
What's going on?, ahh pass me the gun
Its a- I know that your wrong you gotta learn the way you do
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
That's when we started singing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
[Repeat: x2]
'cause its a- I know that your wrong you gotta learn the way you do
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
That's when we started singing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Why not, why not nothing
Its a- I know that your wrong you gotta learn the way you do
Take my advice don't let em treat you like a fool
Hey babe, I'm gonna look you in the eye
That's when we started singing
Why not nothing
Why not nothing
Why not nothing
Why not nothing
Valeria alves Farias
He is the best! When i'm lost and confuse, he help me to pull my pieces back together, i don't know. His lyrics, his songs... It's amazing.
R.C
Richard Ashcroft es sinónimo de musica de verdad.
Madrid Fan
In my opinion, the greatest musician of my generation.
Jon Finch
Richard your music got me through the despaired times and the constant breakdown's that I have had to endure for a couple of decades. comment posted by a schizophrenic
Mark Carnevale
Me too pal, take care
ayeisha haze
I love his voice
Poeta das Calçadas
muito bom!
TALITAH
Brutal , este chico lo tiene todo !!
MrBowww1
Richard Ashcroft shuld have a trillion views on youtube and be known n loved by everybody worldwide !!
Derek Gray
abso-fuckin-lutely