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 Rising Of Grafton Street
The Beautiful South Lyrics
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The Rising of Grafton Street is a beautiful, melancholic ballad by The Beautiful South, reflecting on the loss of a loved one. The lyrics describe a poignant scene where the singer sees their beloved walking down Grafton Street, a popular shopping district in Dublin, Ireland. The singer is struck with shock and disbelief, as they cannot understand how their beloved can be walking down the street, seemingly unaware of their passing. The song is full of longing and sadness, with the chorus repeating the phrase: "And the song that they played was called 'She's Not Dead, She's Gone'."
The lyrics suggest that the singer is struggling to come to terms with the reality of their loved one's passing. The juxtaposition of the busy shopping street with the singer's grief creates a moving contrast. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but could be seen as a meditation on the nature of grief, and the difficulties of moving on after a loss. The sombre tone of the song is accentuated by the mournful melody, gentle piano playing and vocal harmonies.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, I saw it!
I acknowledge that I witnessed something.
A big rising on Grafton Street
There was a significant disturbance or upheaval on Grafton Street.
People shouting; people crying
Individuals were vocally expressing their emotions, including anger and sadness.
Some people trying to run
Certain individuals attempted to flee or escape the situation.
Others trying to take a chance
Other individuals seized the opportunity presented by the situation.
Trying to get on with the beating of romance
People were attempting, regardless of the situation, to continue pursuing or engaging in romantic relationships.
And I was there, caught up in the middle
The singer was present at the scene and became entangled in the situation.
I was there; I was there
The artist reiterates their presence at the scene.
And then it all boils over and I'm sucked in
Eventually, the situation escalated to a point where the artist became fully involved.
Wishing I was somewhere I've already been
The artist wished they were not present and instead were in a familiar, comfortable place.
But there's no choice; there's no choice
The singer acknowledges that they have no option but to stay and deal with the situation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVE ROTHERAY, PAUL HEATON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind