Smith was born in in Epworth, Lincolnshire and from an early age studied dance with the Joyce Mason School of Dancing in Scunthorpe. She was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre from 1995-2001, performing a number of lead roles in productions such as Bugsy Malone and Into the Woods.
Smith's theatre credits include the musical Into The Woods at London's Donmar Warehouse, and Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park.
She also played Audrey in the stage production of Little Shop of Horrors at The Menier Chocolate Factory, London, from November 2006 which then moved to The Duke Of York's Theatre in March 2007, and due to a very successful run moved again at the end of June 2007 to The New Ambassadors Theatre, its run ended in September 2007. Smith received a nomination for the 2008 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, for her performance in the show.
Smith appeared as Vanessa in Tinderbox: a Revenge Comedy by Lucy Kirkwood at the Bush Theatre, Shepherd's Bush, in April 2008.
Smith is currently playing the lead Elle Woods in the musical version of Legally Blonde as it transferred from Broadway to London's West End in December 2009.
I Smell a Rat
Sheridan Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I smell a rat baby,
You better watch out,
Cus (haha)
Time and time again,
these men try and get me too wrapped up,
we gotta be smart ladies, you know what I'm talking about
I smell a rat babe,
They don't think we know what's really going on,
but oh we do,
from the lipstick on his collar to the whiskey on his breathe
You won't tell me where you've been,
Whiskey running all down your chin,
I smell a rat baby, I smell a rat baby
You better watch out, cus I smell a rat baby
You come stumbling down the hall,
Bump your head up against the wall,
Knocked down drunk and that ain't all,
I know you've been having yourself a ball,
I smell a rat baby, I smell a rat baby,
You better watch out, cus I smell a rat baby
So there's one guy in particular,
I let him take me out a few times,
I had my reservations, you know what I'm sayin'
Anyway, we had some fun and it was all fun,
Until I found out about the other ones,
And there were lots of other ones
You come stumbling down the hall,
Bump your head up against the wall,
Knocked out drunk and that ain't all,
I know you've been having yourself a ball,
I smell a rat baby, I smell a rat baby,
You better watch out, cus I smell a rat baby,
I smell a rat baby, I smell a rat baby, I smell a rat baby, yeah-eah
Then he came crawling back with the
excuses, the cards, the flowers, well honey,
You can shove those flowers right up your...
I smell a rat babe!
"I Smell a Rat" by Sheridan Smith is a song which talks about a betrayal in a relationship, where the singer suspects her partner of being unfaithful. She has noticed some signs that things are not okay and this is the reason she feels like something is wrong. She warns other women that they need to be careful as men can be deceitful and they should try to be smart about it all. The song highlights how men often try to cover their tracks, but women are not easily fooled, and they can pick up on little things that give them away.
The lyrics of this song are full of images and metaphors, from the singer's suspicions being compared to the smell of a rat to the traces of lipstick on the collar and whiskey on the partner’s breath throwing off signals. The lyrics emphasize that the singer is not a fool and she is equipped with all the knowledge she needs to catch the man's infidelity. She is portrayed as a strong and independent woman who does not need a man to take care of her, making her a vocal advocate for all women who do not want to be deceived.
Overall, "I Smell a Rat" is an empowering song that showcases the singer's strength and independence while also warning other women about the deceitfulness of men.
Line by Line Meaning
I smell a rat baby,
I sense that something is wrong or deceitful in our relationship.
I smell a rat baby,
I am suspicious of your behavior and motives.
You better watch out,
Be careful because I am on to you.
Cus (haha)
I find your actions amusing because I know your true intentions.
Time and time again,
Repeatedly, men try to control me or deceive me.
these men try and get me too wrapped up,
These men attempt to manipulate or ensnare me in their lies.
we gotta be smart ladies, you know what I'm talking about
I must be intelligent and astute to avoid being deceived by men.
They don't think we know what's really going on,
These men think that they can hide their infidelity or malfeasance from us, but we know the truth.
but oh we do,
We are aware of their deceit.
from the lipstick on his collar to the whiskey on his breathe
We notice the small details that reveal the truth about their behavior.
You won't tell me where you've been,
You refuse to reveal your whereabouts or activities to me.
Whiskey running all down your chin,
You have been drinking heavily and are unable to hide the evidence on your face.
You come stumbling down the hall,
Your drunken behavior is obvious and embarrassing.
Bump your head up against the wall,
You are so intoxicated that you are unable to walk straight and injure yourself.
Knocked down drunk and that ain't all,
You are completely incapacitated by the effects of alcohol.
I know you've been having yourself a ball,
You have been enjoying yourself at my expense, engaging in illicit activities.
So there's one guy in particular,
One man stands out in my experience.
I let him take me out a few times,
I allowed him to court me and establish a relationship.
I had my reservations, you know what I'm sayin'
I was skeptical of his intentions or character.
Anyway, we had some fun and it was all fun,
We enjoyed ourselves initially and had fun together.
Until I found out about the other ones,
I uncovered evidence of his infidelity or dishonesty.
And there were lots of other ones
He was not faithful and had numerous other relationships at the same time.
Then he came crawling back with the
He attempted to return to my good graces with the
excuses, the cards, the flowers, well honey,
Apologies, gifts, and other attempts to make amends were offered.
You can shove those flowers right up your...
I am not interested in his apologies or attempts to reconcile.
I smell a rat babe!
I am certain that something is not right and cannot be deceived or manipulated.
Contributed by Ava Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.