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)
Death Of A Disco Dancer
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, it happens a lot 'round here
And if you think Peace
Is a common goal
That goes to show
How little you know
The death of a disco dancer
I never talk to my neighbour
I'd rather not get involved
Oh
Love, peace and harmony?
Love, peace and harmony?
Oh, very nice
Very nice
Very nice
Very nice
But maybe in the next world
Love, peace and harmony?
Love, peace and harmony?
Oh, very nice
Very nice
Very nice
Very nice
Very nice
But maybe in the next world
Maybe in the next world
Maybe in the next world
Oh, love, peace and harmony?
Love, peace and harmony?
Oh, very nice
Very nice
Very nice
Oh, but maybe in the next world
Maybe in the next world
(In the next world, in the next world, in the next world)
(In the next world, in the next world, in the next world)
The next world, the next world
Oh
The death of a disco dancer
The death of a disco dancer
The death of a disco dancer
The lyrics of Death of a Disco Dancer, by The Smiths, seem to be making a statement about the emptiness and futility of the disco culture and the pursuit of "love, peace, and harmony" that it represents. The repeated refrain of "Love, peace, and harmony? Oh, very nice. Very nice. Very nice. But maybe in the next world." suggests that the band sees these ideals as unattainable in this world of violence, death, and detachment. The death of a disco dancer, which happens "a lot 'round here," is a symbol of the ultimate failure of this culture to provide any real meaning or purpose.
The singer of the song decides to disassociate himself from this culture, refusing to get involved with his neighbors or the disco scene. The repetition of the phrase "I'd rather not get involved" underscores the band's criticism of a culture that encourages people to be apathetic and disconnected from each other. The death of a disco dancer may be a call to action, urging listeners to reject this empty, superficial culture and seek something more meaningful and authentic.
Overall, Death of a Disco Dancer is a bleak and cynical view of the disco culture of the 70s and early 80s, and a rejection of the illusions of peace and harmony that it promoted.
Line by Line Meaning
The death of a disco dancer
The occurrence of a disco dancer's death
Well, it happens a lot 'round here
Disco dancers dying is a common phenomenon in this area
And if you think Peace
If you believe that peace
Is a common goal
Is a widely shared objective
That goes to show
It demonstrates
How little you know
Your lack of knowledge
Well, I'd rather not get involved
I prefer not to get involved
I never talk to my neighbour
I never converse with my neighbor
Love, peace and harmony?
Love, peace, and harmony?
Oh, very nice
Oh, that's lovely
But maybe in the next world
Perhaps in the afterlife
Maybe in the next world
Possibly in the afterlife
The death of a disco dancer
The occurrence of a disco dancer's death
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
loudmusic67
I still remember buying this cd the day it first dropped. I started to get stoned & by the time this song started to play (it was in full effect). This song & "that stuff" blew my mind away at the same time! This cd is still one of the best ever made...even with out the "stuff".
killgore trout
This song still at #9 sounds as good as it sounded at 16
LunarVoid
Awesome. Sounds pretty clean.
Pyewacket 5
Just sublime...
revol148
As the late (great) John Peel would have said "from an age when music mattered".