That probably doesn't say much for a book that tries with deadly earnestness to deliver meaningful insights into character and relationships.

Almodóvar pumps his movie full of deadly earnestness and heady emotions.

I could see she was enjoying herself hugely, with all the gestures and grimaces of deadly earnestness.

The first excitement was gone from the Row now and its place was taken by a deadly cumulative earnestness.

Rawlon spoke the last word with deadly earnestness.

Now this exercise took on a deadly earnestness for him.

A hint of smile softened the deadly earnestness in his voice.

Slade's words rang about him with deadly earnestness.

So it is that Mattingly says with deadly earnestness: "I want it all.

But Fishbone doesn't succumb to the deadly earnestness of protest songs.