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 Opening of a New Book
The Beautiful South Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A singular wave crashing
The opening of a new book
Sat on your chuff knowing nothing
The opening of a new book
A ticket on a train from nowhere to somewhere
The opening of a new book
The opening of a new book
A sip, a swig, a gulp, a mouthful, a session, a bender, a life
The opening of a new book
Does this personality have any brakes?
The opening of a new book
Does anyone know who oils the brakes?
Are you supposed to oil them yourself?
Can you whisky? Can you gin?
Can you speed without brakes?
Are you cancelled? Are you taken?
Can you whisky? Can you gin?
Can you speed without brakes?
Can anyone repair me?
Can you whisky? Can you gin?
Can you speed without brakes?
Are you cancelled? Are you taken in?
Can you whisky? Can you gin?
Can you speed without brakes?
Can anyone repair me?
The Beautiful South's "The Opening of a New Book" is a song about starting anew, embracing change and the fear of the unknown. The first verse describes the opening of a book as a singular wave crashing, implying that the moment is significant and irreversible. It then asks if the listener is "sat on [their] chuff," which means they are doing nothing and waiting for life to happen to them. The opening of a new book is an opportunity for growth and adventure, but only if one is willing to take the first step.
The second verse likens the opening of a book to a one-way ticket on a train to somewhere, acknowledging the uncertainty that comes with change. The question "Are you Elephant Man or George Michael?" suggests that the listener could either view their new beginning as a source of shame, like the disfigured Elephant Man, or as a chance to reinvent themselves, like the transformative George Michael. The third and fourth verses explore the idea of a new beginning as a chance to reinvent oneself completely, free from the constraints of one's old identity. The repeated refrain of "Can you whisky? Can you gin? Can you speed without brakes?" asks whether the listener is brave enough to take risks without fear of failure, and whether they are willing to accept help when they need it.
Overall, the song encourages the listener to embrace the unpredictability of life and to be open to new opportunities, even if they are scary or unfamiliar.
Line by Line Meaning
The opening of a new book
A new beginning or start of something
A singular wave crashing
A sudden, impactful change or event
Sat on your chuff knowing nothing
The ignorance or uncertainty when starting something new
A ticket on a train from nowhere to somewhere
The journey of self-discovery and growth
Are you Elephant Man or George Michael?
The contrast and diversity of personalities and identities
A sip, a swig, a gulp, a mouthful, a session, a bender, a life
The potential experiences and choices that come with a new beginning
Does this personality have any brakes?
The lack of control or inhibition in facing new challenges
Does anyone know who oils the brakes?
The need for guidance or mentorship in navigating new experiences
Are you supposed to oil them yourself?
The self-exploration and self-sufficiency in growing and learning
Can you whisky? Can you gin?
The temptation to indulge in vices or distractions
Can you speed without brakes?
The risks and consequences of reckless behavior or decision-making
Are you cancelled? Are you taken?
The uncertainty and vulnerability in seeking acceptance and validation from others
Can anyone repair me?
The hope for support and redemption in facing challenges and mistakes
Contributed by Scarlett F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@greenalien787
lyrics
Old Red eyes is back
Red from the night before the night before
Walked into the wrong bar walked into a door
Old Red's in town
And sitting late at night he doesn't make a sound
Just adding to the wrinkles on his deathly frown
They're only red from all the tears that I should've shed
They're only red from all the women that I could've wed
So when you look into these eyes I hope you realise
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
Listen up Old Red
You never listened to a word the doctor said
He told you if you drank another you'd be dead
Old Red Eyes is back
His shoulders ache all over and his brain is sore
He pours a drink and listens to his body thaw
They're only red from all the thoughts unused inside my head
They're only red from all the things I could have done instead
So when you look into these eyes I hope you realise
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
Blue is a street without an end
Red is the colour of my hell
Blue is a greeting from a friend
Red is the colour of farewell
Old Red he died
And every single landlord in the district cried
An empty bottle of whisky laying by his side
A lazy little tear running from each eye
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
They could never be blue
@jaywhite6139
This is an absolute classic tune with some of the most incredible, insightful and bitter sweet lyrics of all time
@bubblezovlove7213
I love the way he dances amd his drunk self is being a puppet like copy. Thats so clever... i hadn't seen the video until now...
@eleanormelaugh2342
Yes I know a red eyes I can relate
@LastOfTheGangToDie10
@@eleanormelaugh2342 it’s the saddest thing in the world to witness.
@horserider591
Scary when singing in the mirror after being out from the night before the week before?
@richardstokes3625
It’s very clever in all aspects
@stewarthall2658
Always loved this tune. Now im 13 years sober and this songs lyrics still hit hard in so many ways
@maypolekittenbubbletea2266
Well done you... My dad's 20 years this year and this is one of my favorites I'm his baby. We went to see them last weekend an absolute magic moment, he loved em I loved em. Just an amazing singer and something to be proud of.... Well done 👍
@rossmacmillan1065
Well done mate!!!!!! I am sober too
@stewarthall2658
Thanks guys