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").
The Lure Of The Sea
The Beautiful South Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But maybe it's the lure of the sea
Who knows the effect,
that whisky could've had on me
It could've been the lure of the sea
'Cause leather ain't as strong as the weather
But leather can strangle any dream
But leather took Curtis from me
Maybe it's the lure of the sea,
maybe it's the lure of the sea
Suicide's just the anarchist that kicks down modesty
But maybe it's the lure of the sea
Once I felt chained, and now, now I feel free
Maybe it's the lure of the sea
Polo and Da Gama,
well those two had nothing on me
Could be I'm a sucker for the sea
'Cause silver, ain't as quick as the tongue
But silver, took the M.L.K so young
And metal ain't as strong as the petal
But metal left the verse unsung
Maybe it's the lure of the sea,
maybe it's the lure of the sea
Suicide's just the anarchist that kicks down modesty
But maybe it's the lure of the sea
Freedom's taken a liking to me
Maybe it's the lure of the sea
Look in my eyes 'cause my belt's broke free
Maybe it's the lure of the sea
The Pirates Of Penzance,
they have nothing on me
Maybe it's the lure of the sea
Maybe it's the lure of the sea, maybe it's the lure of the sea
Suicide's just the anarchist that kicks down modesty
But maybe it's the lure of the sea
Maybe it's the lure of the sea, maybe it's the lure of the sea
Suicide's just the anarchist that kicks down modesty
But maybe it's the lure of the sea
The Beautiful South's "The Lure Of The Sea" explores the idea of freedom and escape through the metaphor of the sea. The lyrics suggest that the singer has always had a tendency to act foolishly and perhaps recklessly, but that this behavior could also be attributed to an irresistible pull towards the sea. The song references various materials such as leather, silver, and metal, which all have their weaknesses and limitations. In contrast, the sea is portrayed as an alluring force that can inspire a sense of freedom and unbridled potential.
Through the lyrics, the song also alludes to the darker aspects of this sense of escape. Suicide is mentioned as an act of anarchy that defies traditional notions of modesty or restraint, and the song suggests that perhaps this desire for escape is rooted in something deeper, like a subconscious longing for release from the constraints of life. However, the song also presents a more positive interpretation of this impulse, suggesting that freedom and the lure of the sea can be empowering and transformative.
Overall, "The Lure Of The Sea" seems to be a meditation on the complexities of human desires and the different ways in which we seek to fulfill them. It explores the tension between various impulses like recklessness and restraint, and suggests that perhaps the sea represents a kind of ultimate freedom that we are all drawn to in different ways.
Line by Line Meaning
If I walk like a fool, I've walked like that since school
I've always had a peculiar way of walking, and it hasn't changed since school
But maybe it's the lure of the sea
Perhaps my infatuation with the sea is the reason for my odd behavior
Who knows the effect,
that whisky could've had on me
It's unknown how much the whiskey influenced me
It could've been the lure of the sea
Maybe my love for the sea played a role in my behavior under the influence
'Cause leather ain't as strong as the weather
But leather can strangle any dream
And leather ain't as strong as the weather
But leather took Curtis from me
Leather is not as durable as the weather, yet it can destroy any aspiration. Although, leather might not be as strong as the elements, it still managed to take Curtis away from me
Suicide's just the anarchist that kicks down modesty
Suicide is an extreme act that defies social norms and causes a stir
Once I felt chained, and now, now I feel free
Maybe it's the lure of the sea
I used to feel restricted, but now, I feel liberated. It could be because of my love for the sea
Polo and Da Gama,
well those two had nothing on me
Could be I'm a sucker for the sea
Polo and Da Gama, the famous explorers, aren't as impressive as me. It's possible that I am obsessed with the sea
'Cause silver, ain't as quick as the tongue
But silver, took the M.L.K so young
And metal ain't as strong as the petal
But metal left the verse unsung
Silver is not as fast as speech, yet it managed to end MLK's life. Although metal is not as sturdy as a flower petal, it failed to acknowledge a significant artistic contribution
Freedom's taken a liking to me
Maybe it's the lure of the sea
I have a fondness for liberty, and it could be because of my passion for the sea
Look in my eyes 'cause my belt's broke free
Maybe it's the lure of the sea
See into my soul because my self-restraint has been released. It could result from my adoration for the sea
The Pirates Of Penzance,
they have nothing on me
Maybe it's the lure of the sea
The Pirates of Penzance are less remarkable than me. It's feasible that I am under the spell of the sea
Maybe it's the lure of the sea, maybe it's the lure of the sea
Suicide's just the anarchist that kicks down modesty
But maybe it's the lure of the sea
I might be captivated by the sea, and this fascination could explain my behavior. Suicide goes against societal rules, but maybe it's related to my love for the sea
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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