The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They com… Read Full Bio ↴The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They comprised the singer Morrissey, the guitarist Johnny Marr, the bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce. They are regarded as one of the most important acts to emerge from the 1980s British independent music scene.

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)

Golden Lights
The Smiths Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Golden lights displaying your name
Golden lights it's a terrible shame
But oh my darling
Why did you change?

Boy in a million, idol, a big star
I didn't tell you how great you were
I didn't grovel and scream

And rip your brand new jacket at the seams

You made a record, they liked your singing
All of a sudden the phone stops ringing
Ah ... I never thought that you would let
The glory make you forget

Golden lights displaying your name
Golden lights it's a terrible shame
But oh my darling
Why did you change?

Top ten idol, king of your age
Who do you turn to when you're backstage?
Don't you remember you once knew a girl
You loved her more than the world

Is life always like this, brother?
Good for one side but bad for another
I must put you behind me tonight
'Cause you belong to the lights

Those golden lights displaying your name
Golden lights it's a terrible shame
But oh my darling
Why did you change?

Oh, oh my darling
Why?
Why did you change?

Oh...

Overall Meaning

The Smiths' song "Golden Lights" tells the story of a young man who becomes a famous pop star overnight but changes as a result. He is initially described as "a boy in a million, idol, a big star" who the singer didn't tell "how great you were". It's clear that fame has taken its toll on the singer when he is later described as having "made a record" and "all of a sudden the phone stops ringing". The golden lights displaying his name serve as a metaphor for his fame and success, but also his downfall.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Golden lights displaying your name, Golden lights it's a terrible shame, But oh my darling, Why did you change?", indicating the regret and sadness felt by the singer at the loss of the person he once knew. He wonders if life is always like this, where success is good for one side but bad for another. The singer muses about the past and how the singer used to love a girl more than the world, but now he belongs to the lights.

The melancholic tone of the song is typical of The Smiths' work, with Morrissey's lyrics touching upon themes of nostalgia and regret. The song reflects on the fleeting nature of fame and how it can change a person - a subject that has been explored in countless other pop and rock songs.

Line by Line Meaning

Golden lights displaying your name
The lights on the marquee are displaying your name, showing that you're now famous.

Golden lights it's a terrible shame
It's terrible that you've changed since becoming famous, forgetting your past and the people who cared about you.

But oh my darling Why did you change?
The singer is asking why their loved one changed after becoming famous, and wondering if the price of fame was worth it.

Boy in a million, idol, a big star
Before becoming famous, the singer's loved one was a rare and amazing person, and now they're a huge star.

I didn't tell you how great you were
The singer didn't inflate their loved one's ego before they became famous, possibly contributing to their change in attitude.

I didn't grovel and scream And rip your brand new jacket at the seams
The singer didn't fawn over their loved one or act crazy, unlike some fans might.

You made a record, they liked your singing
The loved one had a hit song and became popular because people enjoyed their singing.

All of a sudden the phone stops ringing
The loved one's fame has faded, and now they're not getting as many phone calls from fans, labels, or other opportunities.

Ah ... I never thought that you would let The glory make you forget
The singer is disappointed that their loved one has forgotten their roots and changed because of their success.

Top ten idol, king of your age
The loved one has reached the highest levels of fame, becoming a top-selling artist in their genre, and is seen as royalty among their peers.

Who do you turn to when you're backstage?
The singer wonders who the loved one relies on for support and guidance when they're not on stage, since they've seemingly lost touch with their old friends and family.

Don't you remember you once knew a girl You loved her more than the world
The singer is reminding the loved one that they used to be in love with someone who no longer recognizes them, and that their fame has come at a cost.

Is life always like this, brother?
The singer is questioning if this is the way life always is, with one person succeeding while other people suffer the consequences.

Good for one side but bad for another
Fame and success can be great for the person experiencing them but can negatively impact those close to them, as the singer has witnessed with their loved one.

I must put you behind me tonight 'Cause you belong to the lights
The singer is saying goodbye to their loved one because they've changed so much that they're no longer the person the singer knew and loved, and they now belong to the stage and the fans.

Those golden lights displaying your name
The lights on the marquee are displaying the loved one's name, showing that they're now famous - but this fame has come at a cost.

Oh, oh my darling Why? Why did you change?
The singer is repeating their question of why their loved one changed after becoming famous, hoping to understand what happened and why the person they knew is gone.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TWINKLE, LYNN RIPLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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