The Drugs Don't Work

The Verve

About The Drugs Don't Work

"The Drugs Don't Work" is a song by the English rock band the Verve, written by Richard Ashcroft and is featured on their third album, Urban Hymns. It was released on 1 September 1997 as the second single from the album, debuting at number one on the UK Singles Chart. The beginning of the video shows the band walking down the street, following on from the end of “Bitter Sweet Symphony”. Ranked number seven on Channel 4's list of the 100 Greatest #1 Singles, the sombre nature of the song unintentionally captured the spirit of the nation as it was released the day after Princess Diana died. In October 2011, NME placed “The Drugs Don't Work” at number 78 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years". 


Year:
1997
5:05
207 
#1

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All this talk of getting old
It's getting me down my love
Like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown
This time I'm comin' down

And I hope you're thinking of me
As you lay down on your side
Now the drugs don't work
They just make you worse
But I know I'll see your face again

Now the drugs don't work
They just make you worse
But I know I'll see your face again

But I know I'm on a losing streak
'Cause I passed down my old street
And if you wanna show, then just let me know
And I'll sing in your ear again

Now the drugs don't work
They just make you worse
But I know I'll see your face again

'Cause baby, ooo, if heaven falls, I'm coming, too
Just like you said, you leave my life, I'm better off dead

All this talk of getting old
It's getting me down my love
Like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown
This time I'm comin' down

Now the drugs don't work
They just make you worse
But I know I'll see your face again

'Cause baby, ooo, if heaven falls, I'm coming, too
Just like you said, you leave my life, I'm better off dead

But if you wanna show, just let me know
And I'll sing in your ear again

Now the drugs don't work
They just make you worse
But I know I'll see your face again

Yeah, I know I'll see your face again
Yeah, I know I'll see your face again
Yeah, I know I'll see your face again
Yeah, I know I'll see your face again

I'm never going down, I'm never coming down
No more, no more, no more, no more, no more
I'm never coming down, I'm never going down
No more, no more, no more, no more, no more
I'm never going down, I'm never coming down
No more, no more, no more, no more, no more
I'm never coming down, I'm never going down
No more, no more, no more, no more, no more
I'm never coming down, I'm never going down
No more, no more, no more, no more, no more

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The Verve

The Verve were an English alternative rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bass guitarist Simon Jones and drummer Peter Salisbury. The guitarist and keyboard player Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space rock, by the mid-1990s the band had released several EPs and three albums. It also endured name and line-up changes, break-ups, health problems, drug abuse and various lawsuits. Filter referred to them as "one of the tightest knit, yet ultimately volatile bands in history". The band's commercial breakthrough was the 1997 album Urban Hymns, one of the best-selling albums in UK Chart history, and the single "Bitter Sweet Symphony", which became … more »

4 fans

Written by: RICHARD ASHCROFT

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Creation
Richard Ashcroft, the lead singer of "The Verve," wrote "The Drugs Don't Work" years before it was finally published.
Inspiration
The song was written during a time when Ashcroft's father was passing away, demonstrating that it is directly linked to real-life experiences of the songwriter.
Title Interpretation
Although the song is titled "The Drugs Don't Work," it is not about illegal drugs. Many listeners and critics interpret it as a reflection of the failing medicines used during Ashcroft's father's battle with cancer.
Chart Performance
It became the band's first number one single on the UK Singles Chart in 1997 and has since acquired the status of a classic.
Cover Versions
Multiple artists, including Ben Harper, have covered "The Drugs Don't Work," validating its popularity and influence on various music genres.
Emotional Impact
The song is known for its emotional and heartfelt lyrics, providing comfort to many people dealing with loss and grief.
Music Video
The music video for "The Drugs Don’t Work" further heightens the emotional narrative of the song, showing the band walking around a typical suburban neighborhood, intercut with shots of Ashcroft alone, looking isolated and anguished.
Album Success
"The Drugs Don't Work" is part of "The Verve's" highly successful album "Urban Hymns," which was one of the best-selling albums in UK Chart history.
Unexpected Success
Despite the song's melancholic theme, it surpassed another upbeat track, "Bitter Sweet Symphony," becoming the band's most commercially successful single.
Song Analysis
Some elements in the song symbolize healing and spiritual growth. The lyric "like a cat in a bag waiting to drown" suggests feeling trapped and helpless, whereas taking a bullet signifies sacrificial love.

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