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)
Cemetry Gates
The Smiths Lyrics
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So I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
A dreaded sunny day
So I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
While Wilde is on mine
All those people, all those lives, where are they now?
With-a loves, and hates and passions just like mine
They were born, and then they lived, and then they died
Seems so unfair, I want to cry
You say: "'Ere thrice the sun done salutation to the dawn"
And you claim these words as your own
But I've read well and I've heard them said
A hundred times, maybe less, maybe more
If you must write prose and poems the words you use should be your own
Don't plagiarise or take "on loan"
'Cause there's always someone, somewhere with a big nose, who knows
And who trips you up and laughs when you fall
Who'll trip you up and laugh when you fall
You say: "'Ere long done do does did"
Words which could only be your own
And then produce the text from whence was ripped
Some dizzy whore, 1804
A dreaded sunny day, so let's go where we're happy
And I meet you at the cemetry gates
Oh, Keats and Yeats are on your side
A dreaded sunny day, so let's go where we're wanted
And I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side, but you lose
'Cause whale blubber Wilde is on mine
Sugar
The Smiths’ song “Cemetry Gates” is a contemplative and introspective look into the futility of life and the human condition. The song begins with the singer meeting someone at the cemetery gates on a sunny day. They are surrounded by the graves of those who once lived, loved, and died, and the singer reflects on the unfairness of it all, wanting to cry. However, the conversation turns to a discussion about writing and plagiarism as the other person claims to have come up with well-known phrases and words that have been recycled throughout literature. The song ends with them deciding to leave and go where they are happy, but the singer defeats the other person with the declaration that they have the support of “weird lover Wilde.”
The lyrics of the song are a commentary on the common themes of life and death, and the poets mentioned – John Keats, William Butler Yeats, and Oscar Wilde – add a literary and artistic dimension to the song. It speaks to the struggles of the human condition and how we cope with the inevitability of death. It also touches on the importance of originality and authenticity in creative writing and the dangers of plagiarism.
Line by Line Meaning
A dreaded sunny day
The atmosphere is strange and oppressive, despite the bright, sunny day.
So I meet you at the cemetry gates
The singer meets their friend at the gates of the cemetery.
Keats and Yeats are on your side
The friend admires the work of poets John Keats and W.B. Yeats.
While Wilde is on mine
The artist identifies more with the wit and style of playwright Oscar Wilde.
So we go inside and we gravely read the stones
The two friends enter the cemetery and walk around reading the inscriptions on the gravestones.
All those people, all those lives
The graves represent the diverse lives and experiences of the people buried there.
Where are they now?
The singer considers where the deceased individuals might be in their afterlife or what their legacy may be.
With loves, and hates
The dead had deep emotions and values, just like the artist.
And passions just like mine
The artist relates to the passions and enthusiasms of those buried in the cemetery.
They were born
And then they lived
And then they died
The cycle of life and death is universal and affects everyone.
It seems so unfair
I want to cry
The singer feels grief and disbelief at the apparent injustice of mortality.
You say : "'Ere thrice the sun done salutation to the dawn"
The friend quotes a poetic line, claiming it as their own original thought.
And you claim these words as your own
The friend is presenting borrowed words as their creation.
But I've read well, and I've heard them said
A hundred times (maybe less, maybe more)
The singer is familiar with the quote and has heard it used in many contexts before.
If you must write prose/poems
The words you use should be your own
Don't plagiarise or take "on loan"
The singer admonishes the friend for stealing other people's words and encourages original thought and expression.
'Cause there's always someone, somewhere
With a big nose, who knows
And who trips you up and laughs
When you fall
Who'll trip you up and laugh
When you fall
There will always be someone who uncovers the deception and takes pleasure in revealing the truth.
You say : "'Ere long done do does did"
The friend quotes another line, once again presenting it as their own.
Words which could only be your own
And then produce the text
From whence was ripped
(Some dizzy whore, 1804)
The singer accuses the friend of stealing the words from a disreputable source and disingenuously passing them off as original.
So let's go where we're happy
And I meet you at the cemetry gates
The two friends leave the cemetery and go to a place where they feel content.
Oh, Keats and Yeats are on your side
The friend is still enamored with the poetry of Keats and Yeats.
So let's go where we're wanted
And I meet you at the cemetry gates
The artist suggests they go somewhere that appreciates Wilde's style instead.
Keats and Yeats are on your side
But you lose
'Cause weird lover Wilde is on mine
The artist claims victory in the debate over which poet's work is superior and inflates their own ego by calling Wilde a 'weird lover.'
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind