The Drugs Don't Work Lyrics

"The Drugs Don't Work" is a song by the British band, The Verve and is featured on their third album, Urban Hymns. It was released on 1 September 1997 as the second single from the album, charting at number 1 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's most successful single in the UK. Ashcroft wrote the song in early 1995. He briefly mentioned it in an interview at the time, relating it to his drug usage: "There's a new track I've just written, It goes "The Drugs Don't Work", they just make me worse, and I know I'll see your face again'. That's how I'm feeling at the moment. They make me worse, man. But I still take 'em. Out of boredom and frustration you turn to something else to escape." Ashcroft also performed the song when the band were touring in support of A Northern Soul. The song was eventually recorded for Urban Hymns. The album's producer, Chris Potter later referred to it as both the best song and best vocal he had ever recorded. According to Songfacts.com, the drugs in the song were ones given to Richard Ashcroft's father: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=3344 Whilst the exact meaning of the song is unclear, it is generally believed that composer Richard Ashcroft wrote the song in response to the death of his father , and is also thought to be influenced by his relationship with his wife, Ashcroft saying in an interview "to me, it's a lovesong". The lyrics of the original demo varied from the eventual album track, with the main line changing from "They just make me worse" to "They just make you worse", as Ashcroft attempted to lyrically put across different points of view in the song; "They make you/me worse" reference to the medication his father taking keeping him alive for longer, but not actually making him better, seemingly making him worse. The single was also noted during Channel 4's "100 Greatest #1 Singles" programme as unintentionally capturing the spirit of the nation as it was released the day after Princess Diana died. The song has been covered by Ben Harper on his live album Live from Mars, and has also been covered by Skin. In Australia it was also covered by Grinspoon for youth radio station Triple J's Like A Version CD. Adam Gontier has released a version of this song; it has also been covered by Devorah project on its album Bitter sweet symphony / Drugs don't work (Euro House genre) in the 90's (1996). Also covered in Australia by Kate Ceberano on her live album Kate Ceberano and the West Australian Symphony OrchestraIn 2009, Taiwanese rock singer Faith Yang recorded the song as part of her album of English-language covers Self-Selected. The song's music video begins with several references to The Verve's earlier work. The band appear in the same formation and clothes as they did at the end of the video for "Bitter Sweet Symphony". The cover of the machine on the front of the album No Come Down also appears briefly. The band turns around a corner and walk over to a vending machine called 'Feelings'. This is a reference to the song "Life's an Ocean" from their second album, A Northern Soul, where Ashcroft sings, "I was buying some feelings from a vending machine" (the same vending machine is also seen on the back of that album). The rest of the video shows the band indoors, playing the song, partially in black and white. The video ends with a piece of burning wood floating on water; the words 'Urban Hymns' are written on it. The original concept for the video was to have the band filmed in a maze to illustrate "loss of direction".