Ricky Gervais is no stranger to music, dropping comedic songs under his famously cringe character David Brent from The Office who fancied himself as a rockstar in Life on the Road - but now he’s set to release a “serious” song for the first time.
The 60-year-old has penned a tune called Just Three Things which will become part of the soundtrack to his black comedy Netflix series After Life.
“I wrote a song with Andy Burrows for After Life. It’s not in the show but the instrumental is, because it’s really good – we recorded it and I’ve even cut an unofficial video for it,” he said, The Sun reported.
Despite being quick to pick up the guitar as office manager David Brent - Gervais himself confessed he’s “worried” about releasing the track.
“But I’m worried about putting it out because I’m embarrassed as it’s a real song,” Gervais explained. “I can put out ironic songs as David Brent but I haven’t written a serious song in 40 years so I’m thinking, ‘What if it’s crap?’ – but it’s not, it’s really good.”
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He added that the song is about the hit Netflix series which Gervais created, directs and stars in as Tony, whose life is turned upside down after the death of his wife, Lisa.
While Gervais’ vocals are front-and-centre in Brent’s musical exploits such as Free Love Freeway and Lady Gypsy, it’s Burrows’ vocals who feature on the new song.
“It’s not me being me, it’s a song about After Life and Andy’s singing so I wouldn’t need to tell anyone that I’ve written it but still. There’s something in it when you’re being serious. You’re worried about the critical reaction more than when you’re being stupid because when you’re being stupid and somebody goes, ‘That’s rubbish’ you’re like, ‘I don’t give a f**k’.
Gervais continued: “If you’re being really serious and someone says, ‘It’s rubbish’, you go, ‘F**k, is it?’ And also, music means so much to me and there’s so many artists I’m so in awe of, for me to suddenly go, ‘I can do that.’ Plenty of other people have thought that and failed.”
After Life season three is set to be released on Netflix in 2022.
