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").
Don't Marry Her
The Beautiful South Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Think of her in bed
Laying there just watching telly
Then think of me instead
I'll never grow so old and flabby
That could never be
Don't marry her, fuck me
And your love light shines like cardboard
But your work shoes are glistening
She's a PhD in "I told you so"
You've a knighthood in "I'm not listening"
She'll grab your sweaty bollocks
Then slowly raise her knee
Don't marry her, fuck me
When the Sunday sun shines down on San Francisco Bay
And you know that you can't have it anyway
You gotta wash the car
Take the kiddies to the park
Don't marry her, fuck me
Those lovely Sunday mornings
With breakfast brought in bed
Those blackbirds look like knitting needles
Trying to peck your head
Those birds will peck your soul out
And throw away the key
Don't marry her, fuck me
And the kitchen's always tidy
And the bathroom's always clean
She's a diploma in "just hiding things"
You've a first in "low esteem"
When your socks smell of angels
But your life smells of Brie
Don't marry her, fuck me
And the Sunday sun shines down on San Francisco bay
And you realize you can't make it anyway
You have to wash the car
Take the kiddies to the park
Don't marry her, fuck me
And the Sunday sun shines down on San Francisco bay
And you realize you can't make it anyway
You have to wash the car
Take the kiddies to the park
Don't marry her, fuck me
The Beautiful South's "Don't Marry Her" is a sarcastic and witty song about a man who is considering marriage to a woman who is not his current partner, and the singer is pleading with him not to do it. The verses paint a vivid picture of the mundane and unfulfilling life that awaits him with his potential wife, and contrasts it with the excitement and passion that the singer can offer. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as he encourages the man to think of him instead of his potential wife. The next lines paint a picture of a boring domestic scene, with the woman lying in bed watching TV, and the singer suggesting he would be a more exciting alternative.
The second verse focuses on the woman more specifically, and critiques her intelligence and personality. She is portrayed as someone who will constantly tell him she was right, and the man as someone who ignores her. The third verse compares their domestic skills, portraying the woman as someone who is just hiding things and the man with low self-esteem, while the singer portrays herself as offering something more exciting and unorthodox. Finally, the song returns to the image of the Sunday morning routine and reinforces the idea that the man should choose excitement over the mundane.
Line by Line Meaning
Think of you with pipe and slippers
Imagine living a boring, mundane life where all you do is sit around doing nothing.
Think of her in bed
Imagine being stuck in a sexless marriage with a woman who doesn't satisfy you.
Laying there just watching telly
Picture a life where you spend all your time watching TV, never experiencing anything new or exciting.
Then think of me instead
Consider choosing me, someone who will bring passion and excitement to your life.
I'll never grow so old and flabby
I will always stay young at heart and maintain my physical appearance.
That could never be
I will never let myself become boring and dull like others.
Don't marry her, fuck me
Choose me instead of settling for a boring and unfulfilling life with someone else.
And your love light shines like cardboard
Your love is fake and lacks depth or emotion.
But your work shoes are glistening
You focus more on your job and image than your personal relationships and happiness.
She's a PhD in "I told you so"
She always tries to control and manipulate you by saying "I told you so" whenever something goes wrong.
You've a knighthood in "I'm not listening"
You refuse to listen to others and often ignore their advice, leading to problems in your relationships.
She'll grab your sweaty bollocks
She will take advantage of you and use your weaknesses against you.
Then slowly raise her knee
She will hurt you and cause you pain in both a physical and emotional sense.
When the Sunday sun shines down on San Francisco Bay
When you have a moment to reflect on your life and relationships.
And you know that you can't have it anyway
Despite wanting something different, you feel stuck in your current situation and unable to change it.
You gotta wash the car
You are obligated to do mundane, unfulfilling tasks.
Take the kiddies to the park
You are responsible for others and their well-being, leaving little time for your own happiness.
Those lovely Sunday mornings
The idea of having a peaceful and enjoyable morning before the chaos of the day sets in.
With breakfast brought in bed
The fantasy of being pampered and cared for by someone else.
Those blackbirds look like knitting needles
The world around you seems hostile and dangerous, with even the birds seeming like a threat.
Trying to peck your head
The constant stress and pressure of everyday life is weighing on you and affecting your mental health.
Those birds will peck your soul out
The world can be cruel and unforgiving, destroying your spirit and driving you towards despair.
And throw away the key
You are trapped in your current situation with no way out, no hope for a better life.
And the kitchen's always tidy
She may seem perfect on the surface, but her cleanliness and organization hide a darker side.
And the bathroom's always clean
She may appear to have everything under control, but her obsession with cleanliness is a mask for her inner turmoil.
She's a diploma in "just hiding things"
She is a master at hiding her true feelings and emotions, keeping you in the dark about what she really wants or needs.
You've a first in "low esteem"
You suffer from low self-esteem, which makes you susceptible to staying in a bad situation instead of seeking something better.
When your socks smell of angels
Even the small pleasures in life, like clean laundry, can be fleeting and elusive.
But your life smells of Brie
Your life is stagnant and unfulfilling, lacking excitement or adventure.
And you realize you can't make it anyway
Despite wanting something more, you feel powerless to change your situation and pursue your dreams.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVE ROTHERAY, PAUL HEATON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@philiphamer5959
A classic, pure and simple. Tremblingly evocative.
@stevebrindle1724
Correct mate! What a great band!
@Exoamylase
I've known this song for 20 years and only just found out there's an explicit version. Mind blown.
@olivercuenca4109
Exoskeleton Bug Millennium You and me both!
@chantellerosebud1780
Yep, me too :)
@barbarastanbanks4815
Exoskeleton Bug Millennium On the CD that I brought it was a pg one!!
@georgiamaclennan389
Exoskeleton Bug Millennium this is the original lol
@eleanorgrimes5673
Exoskeleton Bug Millenni
@cathyprice2029
My mum always used to listen to this song always reminds me of my mum she died when I was 13 I listen to these songs when I miss her I’m 24 now it’s been 11 years :(
@honestlyitwassobigiwantedt4046
Sorry to hear about your mum. Hope you're doing better ❤️