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Keep What Ya Got Lyrics

Yesterday came suddenly.
Tomorrow will we see?
Today now you’re at the wheel.
I’ll ask “how does it feel?”
Yesterday when heaven's gates I contemplate.
They seem so far.
Today they ain’t so far away and almost seem a drag.

Keep what yer got by giving it all away.
Keep what yer got by giving it all away.
Keep what yer got, hold it don’t stop.
Keep what yer got, by giving it all away.

When your halo slips for good you’ll have to wear your hood.
Good to feel the breeze of fear on all the cynics.
And you mimic all you losers all abusers wasting all my precious energy.

Keep what yer got by giving it all away.
Keep what yer got by giving it all away.
Keep what yer got, hold it don’t stop.
Keep what yer got, by giving it all away.

Remember where you came from.
Sister she told ya on a rainy day.
It’s said that heaven holds a place for all of those who pray.
And if you don’t believe in agony then you don’t care anyway.
Nobody or nothing’s ever getting in your way.
Even as you cradle on but don’t think you’ll be long.
No-ones gonna notice if yer never right or wrong.
And if you and your next neighbour, yeah you don’t quite get along.
No-ones gonna notice if your singing anyway.
Those not coming with with the few well then they gotta pay.
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Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

If Ian Brown and Noel Gallagher ever really formed a band together it would be one of the best bands ever.

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

I think the whole taking control of your life and moving on thing might be about how he's moved on from the stone roses. Maybe aimed at John Squire? A few links to Stone Roses songs there "Now you're at the wheel, tell me how, how does it feel" - Waterfall; "heavens gates won't hold me, i sold those suckers down" - Breaking into heaven. Looks like Ian's still quite bitter about the whole incident.

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

i think this song is a slight on uk goverment's ridiculous inheritance tax policy, aka the death tax. keep what ya got refers to the fact that elederly or dying people have to sign their assets away years before they eventually die in order for their loved ones to retain their personal wealth. ian brown is politically very outspoken, see recent release 'illegal attacks'. perhaps more subtle, yet equally powerful, this is another political hot potatoe that 'monkey boy' has sung about.

Haha, that's the most ridiculous explanation of the song I've ever heard. Yes Ian Brown's very politically outspoken but I don't think he'd be so parochial as to sing about inheritence tax! I think bison_libertine is dead on the money with his explanation.

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

I don't know if it was intended this way, but I take the chorus to mean that you have to give everything away, in a material sense, so that you can hold onto what is really important, i.e your soul.

I liked what bison libertine said. And what is interesting is that Jesus didn't just tell the rich young ruler to give up all his wealth, he said that anyone who wishes to be his disciple must do that as well. Pretty challenging words for anyone calling themselves a Christian!

Erich Fromm does have a pretty good explanation about that thing with the material world and Christianity. The absolute perfection would be to be absolutely independent, but well.. who can do that, except Jesus. That doesn't mean we don't have to try, but sometimes the end justifies the means (this is my opinion), e.g. if you have the money and popularity you can use them to raise attention to some problems.

And yeah, I think that Ian Brown had the same thing in mind (like you) when he wrote the lyrics for the song.

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

Ian Brown often sings about hands being at the wheel in songs, I wonder what this means? The feeling of being in control?

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

Not sure about the meaning of the song but the video is entirely cool!

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

Like it or not, Ian Brown uses a lot of Religious / Spiritual metaphor in lyrics.

Your at the wheel could mean self-will or gods will.

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

Yea take control of your life......so true.....you can't cling to the past, move forward with freedom.

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

Aren't we all????????

From what i gather, no one is as bitter as John S.

Over confidence has sunk many a ship, and it certainly has sunk his. Where is John? and are less and less people caring?

Cover art for Keep What Ya Got lyrics by Ian Brown

Jesus once said, "it is easier for a camel to thread through the eye of a needle in a sandstorm, than it is for a rich man to enter heaven" and told the rich young man to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. With references too heaven in the song, I think Brown in picking up on that specifically in the chorus. 'Keep what you got, by giving it all away' is a very powerful message really

@bison_libertine even more to the point:

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

Matthew 16:25

 
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