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)
Girl Afraid
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where do his intentions lay ?
Or does he even have any ?
She says :
"He never really looks at me
In the room downstairs
He sat and stared
In the room downstairs
He sat and stared
I'll never make that mistake again !"
I'll never make that mistake again
I'll never make that mistake again
Boy afraid
Prudence never pays
And everything she wants costs money
"But she doesn't even like me !
And I know because she said so
In the room downstairs
She sat and stared
In the room downstairs
She sat and stared
I'll never make that mistake again !"
The Smiths’s song “Girl Afraid” talks about the insecurities and anxieties of a girl who is interested in a guy who seems to be uninterested or indifferent towards her. She wonders about his intentions and whether he even has any at all. The girl gives him every possible opportunity to look at her or show some sign of interest, but he doesn’t seem to notice her at all. The girl then regrets the time she spent hoping for something that never happened and vows not to make that mistake again.
The lyrics of the song convey the complex feelings of unrequited love, self-doubt, and disappointment. The girl feels lonely and frustrated as she defines her self-worth based on the guy's acceptance or approval of her. In a way, the song is about how we often give other people the power to control our emotions and self-esteem.
Overall, “Girl Afraid” is a melancholic and relatable song that captures the pain and struggles of unrequited love and the fear of being vulnerable in front of someone we like.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl afraid
The girl in the song is feeling anxious and worried.
Where do his intentions lay ?
The girl doesn't know what the boy she likes wants from her.
Or does he even have any ?
The girl wonders if the boy even has any intentions towards her.
She says :
The girl talks about how she feels.
"He never really looks at me
The boy she likes never really pays attention to her.
I give him every opportunity
The girl makes an effort to try to get the boy's attention.
In the room downstairs
The girl and the boy are in the same building.
He sat and stared
The boy she likes just sits and stares without saying anything.
I'll never make that mistake again !"
The girl regrets trying to get the boy's attention and vows not to do it again.
I'll never make that mistake again
The girl repeats her vow not to try to get the boy's attention again.
Boy afraid
The boy in the song is also feeling anxious or fearful.
Prudence never pays
Being cautious or careful doesn't always lead to good results in relationships.
And everything she wants costs money
The girl the boy likes is materialistic and wants expensive things.
"But she doesn't even like me !
The boy feels rejected because the girl he likes told him she doesn't like him.
And I know because she said so
The boy is sure the girl doesn't like him because she told him directly.
She sat and stared
The girl he likes just sits and stares without saying anything.
I'll never make that mistake again !"
The boy regrets trying to pursue a relationship with the girl and vows not to do it again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sedefa3815
Girl afraid
Where do his intentions lay ?
Or does he even have any ?
She says :
"He never really looks at me
I give him every opportunity
In the room downstairs
He sat and stared
In the room downstairs
He sat and stared
I'll never make that mistake again !"
I'll never make that mistake again
I'll never make that mistake again
Boy afraid
Prudence never pays
And everything she wants costs money
"But she doesn't even like me !
And I know because she said so
In the room downstairs
She sat and stared
In the room downstairs
She sat and stared
I'll never make that mistake again !"
@jimmymac4559
Happy guitar. Depressed singer. Despair in the lyrics. Pure magic.
@lorenzoalvarez785
En guitarras la magia de Johnny Marr quien componía la música y ritmos.
@cognitivedissident4615
Smiths era Marr.....best guitar licks ever! Then when Morisey lays down the vocals it's like youre not sure how it works but it does so well.
@MD-ru5vs
you are absolutely right
@shadenine
This is the magic of the smiths: happy music and astonishingly depressed lyrics
@chrisolagrim3597
Music from the heart
@lacrim0sa320
The guitar, that riff, the drums, the bass, the lyrics, the feeling.. just perfect
@jasont.1792
This and well I wonder are one of their most underrated tracks !!
@markclement8563
@@jasont.1792 this was a b-side
@marcossousa2946
You've just seen the big picture, my friend!!! High-five to you!