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)
Miserable Lie
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please stay with your own kind
And I'll stay with mine
There's something against us
It's not time
It's not time
So, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
I know I need hardly say
How much I love your casual way
Oh, but please put your tongue away
A little higher and we're well away
The dark nights are drawing in
And your humor is as black as them
I look at yours, you laugh at mine
And "love" is just a miserable lie
You have destroyed my flower-like life
Not once - twice
You have corrupt my innocent mind
Not once - twice
I know the wind-swept mystical air
It means : I'd like to see your underwear
I recognize that mystical air
It means : I'd like to seize your underwear
What do we get for our trouble and pain ?
Just a rented room in Whalley Range
What do we get for our trouble and pain ?
...Whalley Range !
Into the depths of the criminal world
I followed her ...
I need advice, I need advice
I need advice, I need advice
Nobody ever looks at me twice
Nobody ever looks at me twice
I'm just a country-mile behind
The world
I'm just a country-mile behind
The whole world
Oh oh, oh ...
I'm just a country-mile behind
The world
I'm just a country-mile behind
The whole world
Oh oh, oh ...
Take me when you go
Oh oh, oh...
Take me when you go
Oh oh, oh ...
I need advice, I need advice
The Smiths' "Miserable Lie" is a song that tells a story of unrequited love and social divisions. Throughout the song, the singer expresses his longing for someone who belongs to a different social class. He acknowledges that there is something against them, and no matter how much he loves the other person, they cannot be together. He wants to stay with his own kind, and so he bids farewell.
The lyrics then take a turn towards bitterness and sarcasm as the singer talks about the deceptive nature of love. He describes how the other person's humor is as black as the dark nights and how they have destroyed his flower-like life and corrupted his innocent mind. The singer recognizes the signs of attraction, but he feels like he is always a step behind in a world where nobody ever looks at him twice.
The final verse discusses the singer's fascination with the criminal world, which he follows the person he loves into. He is lost and needs advice as he thinks about what he will get in return for his trouble and pain. The song ends with plea to be taken along wherever the other person may go.
Overall, the song explores themes of class divisions, unrequited love, and the deceptive nature of relationships. It portrays the sense of isolation and loss felt by those who are left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
So, goodbye
We should part ways and say goodbye.
Please stay with your own kind
It is better if we stay with people similar to us.
And I'll stay with mine
I will keep to my own group of people.
There's something against us
There's an obstacle preventing us from being together.
It's not time
It's not the right time for us to be together.
So, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Let's say goodbye multiple times and part ways.
I know I need hardly say
I don't need to say it, but...
How much I love your casual way
I love how you act so casually around me.
Oh, but please put your tongue away
Please don't be vulgar and inappropriate with me.
A little higher and we're well away
If you stop your vulgar behavior, we can be together.
The dark nights are drawing in
The nights are getting darker and more depressing.
And your humor is as black as them
Your humor is as dark and depressing as the nights.
I look at yours, you laugh at mine
We both have different senses of humor and find each other's humor funny.
And "love" is just a miserable lie
Love is a deceitful and unhappy concept.
You have destroyed my flower-like life
You ruined my once innocent and joyful life.
Not once - twice
You've done it multiple times.
You have corrupt my innocent mind
You have tainted my once pure and naive mind.
I know the wind-swept mystical air
I'm familiar with the mysterious and romantic atmosphere.
It means : I'd like to see your underwear
But really, it's just an excuse to be sexual and see your undergarments.
I recognize that mystical air
I know that romantic atmosphere.
It means : I'd like to seize your underwear
It really means I just want to touch and have sex with you.
What do we get for our trouble and pain ?
What do we gain from all the hardship and heartache?
Just a rented room in Whalley Range
We only have a temporary place to stay in a neighborhood called Whalley Range.
...Whalley Range !
Continuation of the previous line and emphasis on our temporary home location.
Into the depths of the criminal world
I followed her into the dangerous and dark underworld.
I need advice, I need advice
I'm lost and need guidance from someone on my predicament.
Nobody ever looks at me twice
No one finds me unique or special.
I'm just a country-mile behind
I'm lagging behind everyone else and not as experienced or knowledgeable.
The world
The whole world and all its experiences.
Oh oh, oh ...
Continuation of the previous line and the song's refrain.
Take me when you go
Take me with you when you leave.
Oh oh, oh...
Continuation of the previous line and the song's refrain.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind