In The Beautiful South, Heaton shared the lead singer's role with Hemingway and female singer Briana Corrigan to create a trio of lead vocalists. This set-up helped to characterise the bittersweet kitchen sink dramas played out in Heaton's often-barbed songs.
The band's music might sound like bubbly, catchy, lightweight pop but Heaton's sour, savage and amusing worldview on everything and anything (alcoholism, religion, sex, politics and, mostly, the down side of relationships) is always lurking beneath the surface of the quirky melodies. The tastes and smells of the local pub are never far away either, with the band gaining a reputation for boozing. The band's first album was Welcome to the Beautiful South (1989) and spawned the hits Song For Whoever and You Keep It All In. The release of 1990's Choke album saw the band claim its only Number 1 hit to date, A Little Time. 0898 followed in 1992, with hits including Old Red Eyes Is Back.
In 1994, after Corrigan quit the band when she saw Paul's lyrics for the forthcoming album Miaow, St Helens supermarket shelf-stacker, Jacqui Abbott, was brought on board to fill in. Heaton had heard her sing at an after show party in St Helens and remembered her vocal talents.
Jacqui's first album with the band was Miaow in 1994. Hits included Good as Gold (Stupid as Mud) and a cover of Fred Neil's Everybody's Talking, previously popularised by Harry Nilsson. The end of that year saw the release of Carry on up the Charts, a "best of" compilation consisting of the singles to date plus new track One Last Love Song. The album was massively successful and it is said that 1 in 7 homes in the UK owns a copy.
Blue Is the Colour (1996), Quench (1998) and Painting It Red (2000) followed with varying success. Jacqui also quit the band in 2000. After a second Greatest Hits album Solid Bronze in 2001, they recorded Gaze in 2003 with yet another female vocalist, Alison 'Lady' Wheeler. Wheeler was still in place for 2004's Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs, an album of unusually arranged cover versions including Livin' Thing, You're The One That I Want, Don't Fear The Reaper and I'm Stone In Love With You. In 2006 the band released their tenth studio album, Superbi.
The band broke up in January 2007, releasing the statement: "The Beautiful South have split up due to musical similarities. The band would like to thank everyone for their 19 wonderful years in music."
Former members of the group have since played Beautiful South songs together as 'New Beautiful South' and more recently 'The South'.
In 2007, Mercury Records released Soup: The Best of The Housemartins and The Beautiful South, a compilation album containing 7 hit singles by The Housemartins ("The Housemartins Condensed") and 15 tracks The Beautiful South ("Cream of The Beautiful South").
A Minute's Silence
The Beautiful South Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a minute's silence for the long-lost lovers
No one's really in the mood for beer
With a minute's silence for the child
There's not much talking going down here
With a minute's silence for the girl
With a minute's silence for the younger brother
Things have never been so clear
With a minute's silence for your friend
With a minute's silence for your long-lost folk
A minute's silence lasts a year
A minute's silence seems a year
And the park is filled with pain
For this age has laid its claim
And the street's about to cry
Cos it longs for passers-by
It longs for passers-by
The lyrics of The Beautiful South's song "A Minute's Silence" touch on themes of grief, loss, and the deep emotional impact of tragic events. The song begins by mentioning a minute's silence for the dead and the long-lost lovers, indicating a somber and reflective atmosphere. The line "No one's really in the mood for beer" suggests that the weight of the moment has overshadowed any desire for celebration or distraction.
The lyrics then go on to mention a minute's silence for the child and the grieving mothers, highlighting the profound pain and sorrow associated with loss. The line "There's not much talking going down here" implies the heaviness of the atmosphere, where words seem inadequate and people are unable to express their emotions.
As the song continues, it mentions a minute's silence for the girl and the younger brother, emphasizing how these tragedies have brought clarity to the world. The following lines express the long-lasting impact of these losses, as a minute's silence lasts a year. This repetition emphasizes the prolonged mourning and the enduring effects of such profound grief.
The final part of the lyrics describes a park filled with pain and a street on the verge of crying, symbolizing the collective anguish and longing for a return to normalcy. The reference to the park and the street longing for passers-by suggests a desire for life to resume as usual, with people going about their daily activities, but the heaviness of grief and loss hangs heavily in the air.
Overall, "A Minute's Silence" serves as a poignant reminder of the power of grief and the profound impact that tragedy has on individuals and communities.
Line by Line Meaning
With a minute's silence for the dead
Acknowledging and honoring those who have passed away, showing respect and remembrance
And a minute's silence for the long-lost lovers
Remembering and mourning the loss of past romantic relationships
No one's really in the mood for beer
The somber atmosphere is not conducive to a festive or celebratory mood
With a minute's silence for the child
Showing empathy and compassion for the loss of a young life
And a minute's silence for the grieving mothers
Recognizing the pain and sorrow of mothers who have lost their children
There's not much talking going down here
The solemnity of the situation has dampened conversation and created a quiet atmosphere
With a minute's silence for the girl
Paying tribute to a girl who may have suffered or experienced tragedy
With a minute's silence for the younger brother
Honoring the memory of a young sibling who has passed away
Things have never been so clear
In this moment of reflection and silence, the truth and perspective have become apparent
With a minute's silence for your friend
Taking a moment to remember and honor a close companion
With a minute's silence for your long-lost folk
Expressing reverence and remembrance for distant relatives or ancestors
A minute's silence lasts a year
The intensity and impact of a moment of silence can feel as if time has slowed down or stretched, making it feel much longer than just a minute
And the park is filled with pain
The atmosphere in the park is heavy and sorrowful, filled with emotional anguish
For this age has laid its claim
The effects and challenges of the current era have taken their toll and are evident in the collective grief experienced
And the street's about to cry
The street, often bustling with life and activity, is overwhelmed with sadness and on the verge of expressing its sorrow
Cos it longs for passers-by
The street yearns for the presence of people, longing for the usual flow of individuals, seeking comfort in their presence
It longs for passers-by
The street deeply desires the normalcy of people passing by, missing the vibrant energy and interaction it usually provides
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL HEATON, DAVE ROTHERAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ettore
A wonderful poem that touches the heartstrings! ❤️
Gary Norman
What a true genius paul heaton is fantastic voice , genius songwriter best modern day singer/ songwriter we have writes with feeling and sincerity, not to cater to one fan base but to a generation of true fans of true talent
New York Revival
Beautiful song
Problem Chimp
'And the street's about to cry, 'cause it longs for passers-by'
Andy Bullemor - Music
Always loved this song. Had it as a b side on the War Child single