The group gained some notoriety when a single from its first album, Blood and Roses, was included on the soundtrack for and as the theme song of the 1986 Albert Pyun movie Dangerously Close and the video got some moderately heavy rotation on MTV. The group spent some time in its initial semi-celebrity phase defending itself in Rolling Stone against thinly-veiled accusations of sounding too much like The Byrds and The Beatles, pointing out that its Marshall Amplifier-heavy live sound was closer to heavy metal than it was to The Beatles.
Along with a basic Eastern-coast roots-rock sound that owed much to the inspirations of DiNizio, including Buddy Holly, The Who, The Clash, Elvis Costello, and Nick Lowe, the Smithereens deployed a uniquely retro obsession with Mod, the late British Invasion pop of John's Children and The Move, and other artifacts of fifties and sixties culture that lent its music substance and style. The highest position a Smithereens album attained on the Billboard pop charts was in 1990, when 11 peaked at #41 on the strength of the single A Girl Like You (which hit #38). The group is still active and tours frequently, but went for seven years without releasing a new studio album, following God Save the Smithereens in 1999.
In January 2007, the band released a cover of the album Meet the Beatles titled Meet the Smithereens. Bassist Mike Mesaros does not appear on the album, replaced by Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion . An album of original material was promised for later in the year, but Christmas with The Smithereens, released in October 2007, included only three original songs along with nine covers of Christmas songs.
Blues Before And After
The Smithereens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(And you make me want you more when you hurt me a lot)
I say I really love you and you say that you don't
(And it really turns me on when you say that you won't)
The blues before and after
I get the blues before and after I'm with you
The blues before and after
Sometimes I need to hear you voice
Sometimes I don't want to know
(I get so tired of tryin' to win you I just don't want to know)
You're takin' just what you need
And then you're well on your way
(I hear the same old story almost every day)
The blues before and after
I get the blues before and after I'm with you
The blues before and after
I get the blues before and after loving you
It's a shame that you won't see me when I need you tonight
Cause I know that if you did then everything would be right
And I've tried my very best to give the things that you need
But the blues they seem to follow me I never succeed
I want to take you in my arms and you just don't want to know
(When I finally get to touch you, feels like forty below)
Just as always you have gotten your way
Just a normal complication in a typical day
The blues before and after
I get the blues before and after I'm with you
The blues before and after
I get the blues before and after loving you
The Smithereens's song "Blues Before And After" is a tale of a man in a complicated and frustrating relationship with a woman he loves deeply. The opening lines of the song express the singer's longing to see his lover even though she may hurt him, revealing how he is willing to go through pain to be with her. He confesses his love for her, but it appears that she is not interested in reciprocating his feelings. The singer finds this attitude of hers attractive and irresistible, adding to the complexity of their relationship.
In the chorus, the lyricist creates a metaphor of the blues, conveying the emotional state of the singer before and after being with his lover. He experiences a sense of melancholy and sadness despite being with her because of the unstable nature of their relationship. The chorus also highlights how the "blues" become a constant in his life, persisting even after loving her. He needs her but often doesn't want to deal with her, and this paradox keeps him in a state of emotional turmoil.
The final verse repeats the same pattern of the singer's desire to be with his lover, who seems to be indifferent towards him. He is willing to give her anything she needs but never seems to get what he desires. The song ends with the singer feeling defeated by the same old story that keeps repeating itself in their relationship.
Overall, "Blues Before and After" is a bittersweet song that captures the complexities of relationships and how they can leave us in a state of emotional confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I really want to see you when you know I might not
I want to see you even though you may not be available
(And you make me want you more when you hurt me a lot)
Your unavailability increases my desire to be with you
I say I really love you and you say that you don't
I confess my love for you but you reject it
(And it really turns me on when you say that you won't)
Your rejection of my love excites me
The blues before and after
I feel sad both before and after being with you
I get the blues before and after I'm with you
Being with you doesn't bring me happiness
I get the blues before and after
My circumstances bring me continuous sadness
I get the blues before and after loving you
Even though I love you, being with you doesn't make me happy
Sometimes I need to hear you voice
At times, I need to hear your voice
Sometimes I don't want to know
However, sometimes I don't want to hear from you
(I get so tired of tryin' to win you I just don't want to know)
I become fatigued with the constant effort of trying to win you over
You're takin' just what you need
You only take what you need from me
And then you're well on your way
After you've taken what you need, you're content to go your separate way
(I hear the same old story almost every day)
I grow tired of hearing the same story from you day in and day out
It's a shame that you won't see me when I need you tonight
It saddens me that you can't see me when I need you tonight
Cause I know that if you did then everything would be right
If you were here, everything would be okay
And I've tried my very best to give the things that you need
I've done everything I can to provide what you require
But the blues they seem to follow me I never succeed
Despite my efforts, I can't seem to shake my sadness
I want to take you in my arms and you just don't want to know
I desire to be close to you, but you remain indifferent
(When I finally get to touch you, feels like forty below)
Even when we're together physically, it feels like there's no connection
Just as always you have gotten your way
As usual, you've achieved what you wanted
Just a normal complication in a typical day
Your behavior is just another challenge I face each day
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: PAT DINIZIO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thewordlove4316
I don't know ...
William Wilson,
Room Without A View,
Maria Elena,
Yesterday Girl,
Baby Be Good,
Cut Flowers,
Kiss Your Tears Away,
Blue Period ...
there's not a clunker on this one!!
Wolf Soul
I know these guys, and they are most excellent dudes who never received their just desserts. In other words, they should have been HUGE. Rest in peace, Pat. You were awesome and always so kind to me. Thank you.
Edwin Mikesell
Hell yeah! Very approachable and underrated!!
Barronius
I love this song
Old Яomans
Yeah I really enjoyed them back in the day, but looking back, I see that thier dad-rock look didn't help them marketing-wise.
Eliazar Ramirez
I never forget this band.
Terry Quelet
The Village Green in Hillsboro, NJ loves the Smithereens.
funny videos
smithereens are amazing before and after everything.
ajdoman317
I hate when I discover a band that I REALLY like and then I found out the lead singer passed away. RIP Pat. Its a bummer I'll never get to hear you live, but thank you for your music.
cthulhugamete
Under appreciated, rock solid band.
Emily Bryyson
This band is entertaining as hell live. Up there with Iggy & The Ramones. This band goes to 11 for real!