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)
El Matador
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She is here
Aye, matador
I feel her eyes
They are wide with excitement and fear
I feel her heart for it cries
When the horns are too near
But I will be numero uno, torero fino
She′ll dream tonight of me
Ole, ole, ole! (Pasa!)
Viva el matador!
Ole, ole, ole! (Venga!)
Viva el matador!
Aye, Torero
She is here
Aye, matador
I see her smile
And I see there's a reason she came
Toro, come closer
Come here and I′ll whisper her name
You may be brave and as bold as you're black
But I will be numero uno, torero fino
Toro, come back
Ole, ole, ole! (Pasa!)
Viva el matador!
Ole, ole, ole! (Venga!)
Viva el matador!
Ole, ole, ole! (Pasa!)
Viva el matador!
Ole, ole, ole! (Venga!)
Viva el matador!
Toro, aqui
Closer
Closer
Closer
Closer
The lyrics of The Smiths's song El Matador are centered around the theme of bullfighting, with a torero (bullfighter) addressing the bull, his female admirer in the crowd, and his own skill and bravery in the ring. The chorus 'Ole, ole, ole!' is a common cheer in bullfighting, while 'Torero fino' means 'fine bullfighter.'
The torero describes his female admirer with a mixture of excitement and fear, acknowledging that the danger of the bull can heighten attraction. He speaks of his bravery in the ring and his desire to be the best, but also hints that his chosen profession might not be the most noble or fulfilling.
The chorus repeats throughout the song, emphasizing the thrill and spectacle of bullfighting, but the torero's private thoughts and concerns are revealed in the verses. Morrissey's signature wit and wordplay are evident in the lyrics, with phrases like 'Closer, closer, closer' suggesting both the physical closeness of the torero to the bull and the emotional intensity of his connection to the female spectator.
Overall, the song presents a complex meditation on masculinity, performance, and desire, using the vivid imagery of bullfighting to explore larger themes.
Line by Line Meaning
Aye, Torero
The singer is addressing himself in the role of a Torero.
She is here
Someone significant has arrived.
Aye, matador
The singer is addressing himself in the role of a matador.
I feel her eyes
The significant person is making eye contact with the artist, indicating a connection.
They are wide with excitement and fear
The significant person is feeling a mixture of emotions such as nervousness and anticipation.
I feel her heart for it cries
The singer can perceive that the significant person's heart is racing with emotion.
When the horns are too near
The significant person is afraid of getting hurt when the horns come too close.
I will be bold, brave, and swift will I be
The artist promises to be courageous and quick on his feet.
But I will be numero uno, torero fino
The artist emphasizes that he will be the top performer, a skilled matador.
She'll dream tonight of me
The artist anticipates that the significant person will have pleasant dreams about him.
Ole, ole, ole! (Pasa!)
A shout of encouragement towards the matador.
Viva el matador!
Long live the matador, a phrase of support and celebration.
Aye, Torero
The singer reiterates that he is a Torero.
I see her smile
The significant person is smiling, perhaps experiencing delight or relief.
And I see there's a reason she came
The singer is perceiving that the significant person had a purpose for coming here.
Toro, come closer
The artist is addressing the bull telling it to approach.
Come here and I'll whisper her name
The artist promises to reveal the significant person's name if the bull gets closer.
You may be brave and as bold as you're black
The bull is black and representing it as a brave, fierce animal.
But I will be numero uno, torero fino
The singer assures himself that he will still be the best, the skilled matador.
Toro, come back
The artist urges the bull to return as it may have moved away.
Toro, aqui
The artist calls out to the bull and tells it that he's here.
Closer
The artist wants the bull to approach even closer than before.
Closer
The singer repeats his desire for the bull to move closer.
Closer
The artist repeats his desire for the bull to move closer yet again.
Closer
The singer emphasizes his desire for the bull to move even closer.
Writer(s): T. Burgess, J. Bowers
Contributed by Parker V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.