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)
I Can Have Both
The Smiths Lyrics
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Decides to try to catch up with your biology
Come round ...
'Cause I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over, all over my face
Catches up with your biology
I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over, all over my face
A double bed
And a stalwart lover for sure
These are the riches of the poor
A double bed
And a stalwart lover for sure
These are the riches of the poor
And I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over my face
A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails
Raised on Prisoner's Aid
He killed a policeman when he was
Thirteen
And somehow that really impressed
Me
And it's written all over my face
Oh, these are the riches of the poor
These are the riches of the poor
I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's written all over my face
On the day that your mentality
Catches up with your biology
And if you ever need self-validation
Just meet me in the alley by the
Railway station
It's all over my face
Oh...
The song "I Can Have Both" by The Smiths is about the struggle between the mind and the body. The singer is torn between what he wants and what he believes he should want. He is frustrated that his mental desires don't align with his physical needs. The lyrics suggest that the singer wants a passionate and intense love affair, but his rational self says he should settle down with a steady partner. The line "On the day that your mentality catches up with your biology" implies that the two will eventually align, but until then the singer is stuck in a state of longing.
The chorus reveals the real conflict of the song - the singer wants something he can't have. The repetition of "It's driving me mad, it's all over my face" highlights the intensity of his desires. The second verse introduces a new character - a tough kid who kills a policeman at the age of thirteen. The singer is impressed by the kid's bravery and rebellion, and perhaps sees himself in that life of danger and excitement. The final verse brings the song back to the central theme of the mind-body struggle. The singer offers himself as a source of validation for anyone feeling the same conflict.
Overall, "I Can Have Both" is a deeply introspective song that explores the internal struggle between desire and rationality.
Line by Line Meaning
On the day that your mentality Decides to try to catch up with your biology
When your mind decides to match your physical desires
Come round... 'Cause I want the one I can't have And it's driving me mad It's all over, all over, all over my face
Visit me because I desire the one that's unattainable, and it's consuming me
A double bed And a stalwart lover for sure These are the riches of the poor
A loving partner and a comfortable bed are all a poor person needs to be wealthy
And I want the one I can't have And it's driving me mad It's all over, all over my face
The desire for the unattainable consumes me fully
A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails Raised on Prisoner's Aid He killed a policeman when he was Thirteen And somehow that really impressed Me And it's written all over my face
A dangerous youth who I find intriguing and his actions are apparent on my face
Oh, these are the riches of the poor These are the riches of the poor
Love and comfort are invaluable to those who lack material wealth
And if you ever need self-validation Just meet me in the alley by the Railway station It's all over my face Oh...
If you ever need a confidence boost, meet me in the alley; my insecurity is evident on my face
On the day that your mentality Catches up with your biology
When your mind aligns with your physical desires
I want the one I can't have And it's driving me mad It's written all over my face
The unattainable is consuming me and my expression shows it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind