2025 Competition Entry:

The Know It Alls by The English Assassin

Genre

Pop

Co-writer(s)

no

Performer(s)

Philip Solman – Vocals and all instruments.

Description

The lyrics began with the opening line about hindsight. I get so annoyed and frustrated with all the pundits and talking heads who always know better than the actual people in charge and always know exactly what should or shouldn’t have been done…. in hindsight.
This got me thinking about the young me, who was definitely a know it all and definitely very strongly attached to my ideas and opinions.
Thankfully, as I have aged I learned that even when I was certain I was right, I might actually be wrong. I have developed humility and an understanding that very few things in life are simple, very few problems have simple answers, and that my ignorance far, far outweighs my knowledge.
This finally took me to the new/old US president. A man/child who could definitely benefit from a big dose of humility, but who is unlikely to ever learn, sadly.

Bio

The English Assassin is the musical alter-ego of Philip Solman, a Coventry kid whose personal history links post-punk bands to Indie Dance, post-industrial cities to new world vistas, and English cynicism to Canadian idealism.

Let’s just say that The English Assassin is a musical magpie drawing together influences from the 80s- to now, to craft songs with something to say about life, death, love, and politics.

And all created from a quiet corner of Canada.

Lyrics

Yes, no, left, right
It’s always obvious in hindsight
We are so sure
We know it all, don’t need to know no more

The know it alls, what they know is nothing
The know it alls, what they know is nothing

When I was young I knew it all
Was never wrong, no never ever wrong
As my sight fades
I see the world in different shades of grey

It makes a difference how you see
In shades of grey or binary
A heart that’s closed or open wide
Till you have found humility
It makes a difference how you see
In shades of grey or binary

The know it alls, what they know is nothing
The know it alls, what they know is nothing
The know it alls, what they know is nothing
The know it alls, what they know is nothing

We know big men who know it all
They never lose, they only ever win
They tell big lies
The harm they cause for all, should be no surprise

It makes a difference who you hear
A voice of love, a voice of fear
Words that unite, words that divide
You wanna hug, or pick a side
It makes a difference how you see
In shades of grey or binary

The know it alls, what they know is nothing
The know it alls, what they know is nothing
The know it alls, what they know is nothing
The know it alls, what they know is nothing
Nothing, nothing, nothing
They know nothing

They know nothing

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