Paul Heaton formed The Housemartins in the early 1980s. The Housemartins released a number of singles and two studio albums, London 0 Hull 4 and The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death. Their most famous hit was an a-capella version of the Isley Brothers' Caravan of Love, which was a Christmas number one in the UK.
In 1988, Paul Heaton formed The Beautiful South from the ashes of The Housemartins. The Beautiful South released two top ten singles, Song for Whoever and You Keep It All In, which featured Irish singer Briana Corrigan on vocals. In 1989, the band released an album "Welcome to the Beautiful South" by which time Corrigan had joined the band as a full time member. The band's biggest success to date is the release of the single "A Little Time" in 1991. It reached number 1 on the charts. In 1993 the band released their third album, "0898 Beautiful South".
In 1994, Briana Corrigan left the band and a new female vocalist, Jacqui Abbott, was brought in. During the recording of the band's fourth album "Miaow", Heaton was increasingly irritated with the band and at one time told them to get their act together or he would leave. "Miaow" is some of Heaton's most depressing songwriting (only their fifth studio album, "Blue Is The Colour", is considered sadder). Heaton was going through a break-up with his girlfriend and other problems at the time. After the release of Miaow's third single, "Prettiest Eyes", the record company was worried about the band's sales, so they proposed a greatest hits release to save the band. Heaton hated the idea as he was trying to keep the band as far away from mainstream as possible, but nevertheless, "Carry on up the Charts" was released in December 1994 and it sold overwhelmingly, going platinum and becoming one of the biggest selling albums of all time in the UK.
The band returned to form a number one album, "Blue Is the Colour". Their sixth album, "Quench", also hit the top spot. In 2000, after the release of "Painting It Red", Jacqui Abbott left the band to care for her son. A second compilation album, "Solid Bronze", was released and two more studio albums with a new female vocalist, Alison Wheeler. The first, Gaze, became the first Beautiful South album to fail to reach the top 10, and the band were then dropped by Mercury Records.
The following year (2004), newly signed to Sony, they released the curiously named covers album Goldiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs, an eclectic album that featured the Beautiful South's unique take on a wide variety of tracks by the like of ELO, Blue Öyster Cult, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, S Club 7, and Rufus Wainwright. Again, despite considerable publicity and promotional TV appearances, the album failed to make the top 10.
2006 saw the release of yet another album of new material, "Superbi." Reviews were generally positive. "Superbi" has more of an alt-country sound (plenty of slide guitar, for example) than previous Beautiful South releases. The album maintains the band's trademark eccentricity, however, featuring a dobro on one song.
On the ITV documentary music series Faith & Music screened 29th October 2006, Paul talks openly and honestly about his atheism and his battle with alcoholism.
Heaton is the father of two daughters, although he has never married.
www.paulheatonmusic.co.uk
The Pub
Paul Heaton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
blues night only popular with (?), Slim and me.
Pool nights (?) from quiz night around 1985
The men brought the cues the women stayed away
the place was barely alive.
All we ever needed was a lamp post or a tree
All we ever needed was a place to come and drink
Nearly (?)
Not zeroes
We'd come and drink
(?) one flying high over a graveyard
where an angel had spread out her wings,
flashing her teeth in some angelical smile
and some not so angelical things.
(?) burn in hell at the bottom
with a message in Latin or Greek.
Something like the meek shall inherit the earth
but the strong will then inherit the meek
Go on now go, walk out the door.
Karaoke night came and went around 1994.
A new landlady breathed some life in 1996
and we watched as it evaporated just inches from her lips.
We were park bench heroes.
Nearly (?)
Not zeroes
We'd come and drink
(?) one flying high over a graveyard
where an angel had spread out her wings,
flashing her teeth in some angelical smile
and some not so angelical things.
when a church choir suddenly appears from the jukebox singing this incredible song
Blessed are the weak and the two (?)
When there's nothing much at stake for the strong.
A new landlord and land lady took the helm in 2006
Steered us close to rocky shores almost sunk this ship
and just like all the others they left us there to list
Park bench heroes are rarely missed.
The song "The Pub" by Paul Heaton tells the story of the changes in a local pub over the years. The lyrics describe how the pub went from holding blues nights which weren't very popular, to quiz nights which brought more people in, then to pool nights which segregated the customers as the men brought cues and the women stayed away, leaving the place "barely alive." Despite this, the patrons of the pub were "park bench heroes," not "zeroes," who came to simply drink together.
The song continues to describe the changes that the pub went through, including karaoke night in the mid-90s and a new landlady who brought life into the establishment but ultimately failed to keep it afloat. The final verse speaks to the idea that even when new owners take over, the pub's regulars are rarely missed, as they're used to coming together in the same place, with or without the pub.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Pub" paint a picture of a place that means a lot to the regulars, even as it changes over time. It's a place where people can come to simply be together despite their differences and troubles.
Line by Line Meaning
Quiz night replaced the blues night in 1983
A new event replaced the traditional event in 1983
blues night only popular with (?), Slim and me.
Blues night was only attended by a few people including the singer.
Pool nights (?) from quiz night around 1985
Pool nights began around 1985 after quiz night.
The men brought the cues the women stayed away
the place was barely alive.
Men brought pool cues and women did not attend the pub, making it less busy.
All we ever needed was a lamp post or a tree
All we ever needed was a place to come and drink
The artist and friends only needed a simple place to come and drink.
We were park bench heroes.
Nearly (?)
Not zeroes
We'd come and drink
The singer and friends saw themselves as insignificant but regular patrons of the pub.
(?) one flying high over a graveyard
where an angel had spread out her wings,
flashing her teeth in some angelical smile
and some not so angelical things.
An image is described where an angel statue with a mischievous expression is seen from the pub.
(?) burn in hell at the bottom
with a message in Latin or Greek.
Something like the meek shall inherit the earth
but the strong will then inherit the meek
The artist imagines a mythical message on the monument in Latin suggesting the strong will come out on top.
Karaoke night came and went around 1994.
Karaoke night was introduced in 1994 and then stopped.
A new landlady breathed some life in 1996
and we watched as it evaporated just inches from her lips.
A new landlady brought energy to the pub in 1996, but it was short-lived.
When there's nothing much at stake for the strong.
The song being played suggests that the strong do not benefit when the weak are not a factor.
A new landlord and land lady took the helm in 2006
Steered us close to rocky shores almost sunk this ship
and just like all the others they left us there to list
Park bench heroes are rarely missed.
The artist shares disappointment with new owners who almost ruined the pub and left. They mockingly refer to themselves and their friends as park bench heroes who are not likely to be missed.
Contributed by Adalyn D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.