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").
From Under The Covers
The Beautiful South Lyrics
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Is trying to get his head down for a kip
But no sooner is it down
And then it's on with dressing gown
For this city rarely loses grip
But I have a friend who's never up by 10.00
He's fast asleep with mouth open wide
And he says to me, he cannot tell the time
It's 7.00am and we're coughing up the phlegm
Spitting out the taste of night before
And we'll vomit and we'll never choke
Just to climb their tatty rope
Well, this city has it's charm, and it's claw
And he'll blame his clock
Or he'll say he's lost his socks
And they'll tell you that he's been bitten by a snake
His excuses are an art
From the bottom of his heart
And he thinks of them whenever he awakes
It's 8.00am we're on the road again
Racing for a placing at the top
And it says green for go
For the people in the know
But for others all it says is red for stop
It's cold and it's damp
And they've dug him a grave
And the 10.15 merchants still in bed
And scrawled upon the headboard
For the whole wide world to see is
"Died In The Arms Of Big Ted"
The song "From Under The Covers" by The Beautiful South paints a picture of a bustling city that never sleeps, filled with people speeding through their mornings, spitting out the remnants of the night before, and scrambling to make it to the top. The lyrics depict a specific character, a friend of the singer who cannot seem to tell time or take responsibility for his constant tardiness, instead making elaborate and creative excuses for his many job losses. This character appears to be a sort of foil to the rest of the city dwellers, who are depicted as fast-paced and driven.
The song covers themes of the struggle to keep up in a high-pressure environment, the constant excuses people make for themselves, and the allure and dangers of city life. It also touches on the idea of mortality and the fleeting nature of existence, particularly in the last verse, which describes a funeral for someone who died in the "arms of Big Ted."
Overall, "From Under The Covers" is a commentary on the fast-paced, high-stakes nature of city living, and the toll it takes on individuals who may not be able to keep up with the demands of such a life.
Line by Line Meaning
It's 6.00am and even Big Ben
Even Big Ben, the iconic clock tower of London, is trying to rest at 6.00am.
Is trying to get his head down for a kip
Big Ben is attempting to sleep for a short period.
But no sooner is it down
However, Big Ben will soon be active again.
And then it's on with dressing gown
The metaphorical dressing gown symbolizes the city's continuation of its daily routine.
For this city very rarely loses grip
The city never seems to take a break from its hustle and bustle.
But I have a friend who's never up by 10.00
The singer knows a friend who never wakes up by 10.00am.
He's fast asleep with mouth open wide
The friend sleeps soundly, with their mouth agape.
He's lost a lot of jobs, but he's won a lot of friends
Despite not being punctual, the friend has managed to maintain friendships, despite losing multiple jobs.
And he says to me, he cannot tell the time
The friend claims that they are unable to read a clock and tell time accurately.
It's 7.00am and we're coughing up the phlegm
At 7.00am, the artist is coughing and clearing their throat from the previous night and early morning.
Spitting out the taste of night before
The singer is trying to rid themselves of the taste left over from the previous night's activities.
And we'll vomit and we'll choke
The artist has a rough time in the mornings and may vomit or choke due to the harshness of the city or their own lifestyle.
Just to climb their tatty rope
Despite the difficulties of the city, the singer continues to strive and climb towards the top, even if it means dealing with unpleasant circumstances.
Well this city has its charm, and its claw
The city is both alluring and difficult to manage at the same time, with its charm and harshness.
And he'll blame his clock
The friend may blame issues in their life on something external, like a clock or lost socks.
Or he'll say he's lost his socks
The friend will come up with excuses for their actions or mistakes, including misplacing their socks.
And they'll tell you that he's been bitten by a snake
People around the friend will make up stories or excuses on their behalf, such as being bitten by a snake.
His excuses are an art
The friend's excuses are well-thought-out and clever, almost like a form of art.
From the bottom of his heart
The excuses are sincere and genuine to the friend, coming from their innermost feelings.
And he thinks of them whenever he awakes
The friend's excuses are always on their mind, even when waking up in the morning.
It's 8.00am we're on the road again
At 8.00am, the artist is back on the road, continuing their day and aspirations.
Racing for a placing at the top
The artist is eager to succeed and make it to the top of their dreams.
And it says green for go
The traffic light turns green, signaling for the singer to proceed forward.
For the people in the know
This green light is for those who understand the city and its ways.
But for the others all it says is red for stop
To those unfamiliar with the city, the traffic light remains red and unyielding to their progress.
It's cold and its damp
The weather is uncomfortable, being both chilly and damp.
And they've dug him a grave
Someone has passed away and their grave has been dug.
And the 10.15 merchants still in bed
Despite someone passing away, some people are still asleep at 10.15am.
And scrawled upon the headboard
A message or note has been etched onto the headboard of the deceased's bed.
For the whole wide world to see
This note is in plain sight for anyone to read.
"Died In The Arms Of Big Ted"
The note simply states the name of the deceased and how they passed away, in the arms of their stuffed animal or object named Big Ted.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVE ROTHERAY, PAUL HEATON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind