The Beautiful South were a British pop group formed in 1989, from the ashes… Read Full Bio ↴The Beautiful South were a British pop group formed in 1989, from the ashes of Hull, England group The Housemartins. The band was put together by lead singer, Paul Heaton, and drummer, Dave Hemingway. They were joined by Sean Welch (Bass), Dave Stead (Drums) and Dave Rotheray (Guitar). Rotheray also co-writes the songs with Heaton.

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 Table
The Beautiful South Lyrics

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This table has four sturdy legs
And a heart of very near wild oak
When others would have screamed out loud my friend
This one never even spoke

I've been sat upon, I've been spat upon
I've been treated like a bed
Been carried like a stretcher,

when someone thinks they're dead
I've been dined upon, I've been wined upon
I've been taken for a fool
Taken for a desk,
when they should have been at school

This table's been pushed against the door
When tempers, well tempers flare at night
Banged upon with knuckles clenched my friend
When someone thinks that they are right

I've been sat upon, I've been spat upon
I've been treated like a bed
Been carried like a stretcher,
when someone thinks they're dead
I've been dined upon, I've been wined upon
I've been taken for a fool
Taken for a desk,
when they should have been at school

Tables only turn when tables learn
Put me on a bonfire, watch me burn
Treat me with some dignity, don't treat me like a slave
Or I'll turn into the coffin in your grave

I've been sat upon, I've been spat upon
I've been treated like a bed
Been carried like a stretcher,
when someone thinks they're dead
I've been dined upon, I've been wined upon
I've been taken for a fool
Taken for a desk,
when they should have been at school

Tables only turn when tables learn
Put me on a bonfire, watch me burn

Treat me with some dignity, don't treat me like a slave
Or I'll turn into the coffin in your grave

Overall Meaning

The Table by The Beautiful South is a song about a table that symbolizes the human condition of being constantly used and abused by others. The table has been around for a long time, made from "very near wild oak," which indicates that it is a sturdy table that has endured a lot. The first verse alludes to the table's resilience – while others would be screaming out loud, the table remains steadfast and silent.

The second verse describes how the table has been mistreated and taken for granted over the years. It has been sat on, spat on, and treated like a bed or desk. The table has even been used as a stretcher for someone who has fallen ill or passed away. The lyrics highlight how people tend to use and discard objects, without giving them proper care or value.

The chorus emphasizes the message of the song, that tables only turn when tables learn. The table is not just a piece of furniture, but a metaphor for how we should treat each other with respect and dignity. Otherwise, we will face the consequences in the future.

The TableThe Beautiful South Lyrics

The Table
The Beautiful South Lyrics