The Smiths signed to the independent label Rough Trade Records in 1983 and released their first album, The Smiths, in 1984. They based their songs on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Marr. Their focus on a guitar, bass, and drum sound and a fusion of 1960s rock and post-punk was a rejection of the synth-pop sound that was predominant at the time. Several Smiths singles reached the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, and all their studio albums reached the top five of the UK Albums Chart, including the number-one album Meat Is Murder (1985). They achieved mainstream success in Europe with The Queen Is Dead (1986) and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987), both of which entered the top 20 of the European Albums Chart.
Internal tensions led to the Smiths' breakup in 1987, followed by public lawsuits over royalties. Their live album Rank (1988) reached the top 10 in Europe. Since the band's dissolution, the members have refused offers to reunite and have all separately stated that the band is finished and will never reunite.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smiths
Studio albums
The Smiths (1984)
Meat Is Murder (1985)
The Queen Is Dead (1986)
Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
Back To The Old House
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back to the old house
I would rather not go
Back to the old house
There's too many bad memories
Too many memories there
When you cycled by
The saddest thing I've ever seen
And you never knew
How much I really liked you
Because I never even told you
Oh, and I meant to
Are you still there or have you moved away?
Or have you moved away?
I would love to go
Back to the old house
But I never will
I never will
I never will
The Smiths' "Back to the Old House" is a poignant and melodious song that deals with the bittersweet emotion of nostalgia. The lyrics are imbued with a sense of loss, longing, and regret. The first stanza of the song expresses the singer's reluctance to revisit his old house because it is haunted by bad memories. The house serves as a reminder of the past, and the singer is uncertain about how he feels about it. The second stanza shifts the focus to a specific moment that marked the beginning of the singer's dreams. The sight of the person cycling by was the saddest thing he had ever seen because he could not reveal his true feelings to them. The final lines of the song convey a sense of finality, as the singer admits that he will never return to the old house, despite his desire to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
I would rather not go
I am hesitant to revisit the past.
Back to the old house
To my childhood home, a place of mixed emotions.
There's too many bad memories
I associate that place with negative experiences, which make me anxious.
Too many memories there
I do not want to relive painful memories.
When you cycled by
A specific moment in time when my heart was full of joy.
Here began all my dreams
My aspirations and hopes were awakened when I saw you pass by.
The saddest thing I've ever seen
The realization that you did not reciprocate my feelings was a source of sorrow.
And you never knew
I never shared my admiration for you.
How much I really liked you
My affection for you was profound, but I was too afraid to express it.
Because I never even told you
I regret that I did not confess my feelings to you.
Oh, and I meant to
I intended to tell you how I felt, but my fear held me back.
Are you still there or have you moved away?
I wonder if you still reside in the same place or have gone elsewhere.
I would love to go
Part of me yearns to revisit my childhood home.
But I never will
Despite my desire, I am resolved not to return.
I never will
I have made the decision not to revisit the past, and I will stick to it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jennyramos7443
lyrics ♡
I would rather not go
Back to the old house
I would rather not go
Back to the old house
There's too many bad memories
Too many memories there
When you cycled by
Here began all my dreams
The saddest thing I've ever seen
And you never knew
How much I really liked you
Because I never even told you
Oh, and I meant to
Are you still there or have you moved away?
Or have you moved away?
I would love to go
Back to the old house
But I never will
I never will
I never will
@kurapika4468
Normally after listening to a song for a while it doesn’t hit you like THAT anymore but this hits me everytime, everyday and everywhere.
@raviolesdeespinaca
for real
@avasiegel1589
instant tears-
@avasiegel1589
@@mariana.2523 THIS ONE IS
@-.__._KCAJ_.__.-
Agreed
@davidbernaldez5002
Doesnt matter how many times did you ever listened to the smiths ....they hit you again as the first time
@turkopolethestanczyk
Jesus, what a song..
@triana5619
art
@sergiol.m.5130
one of the most incredible songs of their discography
@TAZMANIANtornadoe
Hold me I'm gonna cry.