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 Know It's Over
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And as I climb into an empty bed
Oh well. Enough said.
I know it's over - still I cling
I don't know where else I can go
Oh...
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
The knife wants to slit me
Do you think you can help me?
Sad veiled bride, please be happy
Handsome groom, give her room
Loud, loutish lover, treat her kindly
(Though she needs you
More than she loves you)
And I know it's over - still I cling
I don't know where else I can go
Over and over and over and over
Over and over, la...
I know it's over
And it never really began
But in my heart it was so real
And you even spoke to me, and said :
"If you're so funny
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
And if you're so clever
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so very entertaining
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so very good-looking
Why do you sleep alone tonight ?
I know...
'Cause tonight is just like any other night
That's why you're on your own tonight
With your triumphs and your charms
While they're in each other's arms..."
It's so easy to laugh
It's so easy to hate
It takes strength to be gentle and kind
Over, over, over, over
It's so easy to laugh
It's so easy to hate
It takes guts to be gentle and kind
Over, over
Love is natural and real
But not for you, my love
Not tonight, my love
Love is natural and real
But not for such as you and I, my love
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my ...
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can even feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my...
The Smiths' song "I Know It's Over" is a melancholic and powerful ballad that portrays the angst of a young man who feels alone, neglected and overwhelmed by life's challenges. The song begins with a slow and haunting melody accompanied by Morrissey's powerful voice, singing: "Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head. And as I climb into an empty bed, oh well, enough said. I know it's over - still I cling. I don't know where else I can go". These lines can be interpreted as the singer's recognition of his mortality and the inevitability of death. The line "I don't know where else I can go" suggests that he feels trapped and helpless, unable to escape his fate.
In the second verse, the singer talks about his desire to end his suffering and questions his ability to endure it. He sings "See, the sea wants to take me. The knife wants to slit me. Do you think you can help me?" These lines suggest that the singer is suicidal and desperate for help from anyone who can offer it. However, the third verse sees Morrissey addressing a "sad veiled bride," a "handsome groom," and a "loud, loutish lover" as if offering them advice on how to treat their partner. He seeks kindness and understanding, noting that love is natural and real, but not for him tonight.
In conclusion, "I Know It's Over" is an intense and poetic song that explores themes of loss, loneliness, and despair. It reflects on the harsh realities of life and the fragility of human existence. The song's powerful and emotional lyrics are accompanied by a haunting melody that creates a somber and introspective mood, making it one of The Smiths' most memorable compositions.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
I am metaphorically being buried alive, with neither the sea nor the knife for mercy.
And as I climb into an empty bed
I am overcome with loneliness and heartbreak.
Oh well. Enough said.
I have resigned myself to my fate and have nothing further to say.
I know it's over - still I cling
Despite knowing that our relationship is finished, I am unable to let go.
I don't know where else I can go
I am lost and don't know how to move on.
Sad veiled bride, please be happy
I implore my former lover to find happiness despite the end of our relationship.
Handsome groom, give her room
I ask the new partner of my former lover to give them space.
Loud, loutish lover, treat her kindly
I ask my former lover's new partner, even if they don’t love her as much as I did, to treat her with kindness.
(Though she needs you
More than she loves you)
I acknowledge that my former lover needs her new partner more than she loves him.
And it never really began
But in my heart it was so real
And you even spoke to me, and said :
Our relationship never really got off the ground, but I believed in it so deeply. You even gave me some measure of hope.
"If you're so funny
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so clever
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so very entertaining
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so very good-looking
Why do you sleep alone tonight ?
You once challenged me, questioning if I'm so great, then why am I alone tonight.
'Cause tonight is just like any other night
That's why you're on your own tonight
With your triumphs and your charms
While they're in each other's arms..."
I lament that tonight is not special, the same as any other, and you are not with me, but with someone else.
It takes strength to be gentle and kind
Being gentle and kind in the face of heartbreak and loss requires great inner strength.
Love is natural and real
But not for you, my love
Not tonight, my love
Love is natural and real
But not for such as you and I, my love
I mourn the loss of what could have been natural and real love, but accept that it was never meant to be for us.
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can even feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my...
I repeat my sense of being buried alive, expressing my overwhelming grief and loss.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@FaithInTheFuture_23
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
And as I climb into an empty bed
Oh well. Enough said.
I know it's over - still I cling
I don't know where else I can go
Oh...
… Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
See, the sea wants to take me
The knife wants to slit me
Do you think you can help me?
… Sad veiled bride, please be happy
Handsome groom, give her room
Loud, loutish lover, treat her kindly
(Though she needs you
More than she loves you)
And I know it's over - still I cling
I don't know where else I can go
Over and over and over and over
Over and over, la...
… I know it's over
And it never really began
But in my heart it was so real
And you even spoke to me, and said :
"If you're so funny
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
And if you're so clever
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so very entertaining
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so very good-looking
Why do you sleep alone tonight ?
I know...
… 'Cause tonight is just like any other night
That's why you're on your own tonight
With your triumphs and your charms
While they're in each other's arms..."
It's so easy to laugh
It's so easy to hate
It takes strength to be gentle and kind
Over, over, over, over
… It's so easy to laugh
It's so easy to hate
It takes guts to be gentle and kind
Over, over
Love is natural and real
But not for you, my love
Not tonight, my love
Love is natural and real
But not for such as you and I, my love
… Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my ...
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can even feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my...
@mariwraith-mm6wr
Tremendous bass playing. Andy you will be sorely missed. Rest easy lad.
@simonjohnson6581
Absolutely love this song, even though it reminds me of an incredibly sad and emotional time in my life.....I am still in love with the person......life is so cruel sometimes......when someone falls out of love with you but you still love them so much that it hurts........I will always love this person....and she knows who she is.....if she should read this comment......I really didn't know what heartache was until this happened to me........I wish her all the love in the world......JH.....
@Disorder1889
Same as me mate 😢 I'm over it it was 1988 ...Still think about TANJA ZIEMANN
@criminycricket4607
I must have listened to this song ten thousand times and it still moves me as much as it did when it was new ❤
@Bibliomaniac69
The songs of this time period of my life tell such heartbreaking stories in such a short amount of time. Thank you to The Smiths, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Echo and the Bunnymen, Et Al.
@arnehessdoerfer8152
Yes❤great bands plus The Chameleons❤
@rael1999
Masterpiece....I've loved all sorts of music from the many genres in my lifetime but I always find myself coming back listening to The Smiths...The clean beats and rhythms linked to the perfect poetry from Morrissey.....songs that are relevant to each generation that comes along and will I'm sure evoke in many what they evoked in me as a young lad growing up in the 80's.
@uwenolle3530
I am 60 years Old and i still live this Song.
@PrincessOPD
Same
@damienwilder3738
Over