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)
Paint A Vulgar Picture
The Smiths Lyrics
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On their hands - a dead star
And oh, the plans they weave
And oh, the sickening greed
At the record company party
On their hands - a dead star
The sycophantic slags all say :
Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package!
Re-evaluate the songs
Double-pack with a photograph
Extra track (and a tacky badge)
A-list, playlist
"Please them , please them !"
"Please them !"
(sadly, this was your life)
But you could have said no
If you'd wanted to
You could have said no
If you'd wanted to
BPI, MTV, BBC
"Please them ! Please then!"
(sadly this was your life)
But you could have said no
If you'd wanted to
You could have walked away
...Couldn't you?
I touched you at the soundcheck
You had no real way of knowing
In my heart I begged "Take me with you ...
I don't care where you're going..."
But to you I was faceless
I was fawning, I was boring
Just a child from those ugly new houses
Who could never begin to know
Who could never really know
Oh...
Best of! Most of!
Satiate the need
Slip them into different sleeves!
Buy both, and feel deceived
Climber - new entry, re-entry
World tour! ("media whore")
"Please the Press in Belgium!"
(This was your life...)
And when it fails to recoup ?
Well, maybe :
You just haven't earned it yet, baby
I walked a pace behind you at the soundcheck
You're just the same as I am
What makes most people feel happy
Leads us headlong into harm
So, in my bedroom in those 'ugly new houses'
I danced my legs down to the knees
But me and my 'true love'
Will never meet again...
At the record company meeting
On their hands - at last! - A dead star !
But they can never taint you in my eyes
No, they can never touch you now
No, they cannot hurt you, my darling
They cannot touch you now
But me and my 'true love'
Will never meet again
The song "Paint a Vulgar Picture" by The Smiths is a scathing commentary on the music industry's exploitation and commodification of deceased artists. The lyrics describe a record company meeting where executives discuss plans to profit off a dead star's catalogue by reissuing, repackaging, and adding new content. The sycophantic attendees of the record company party boast about their prior relationship with the star, trying to claim ownership over their legacy. The chorus highlights the idea that the industry exists to please fans, regardless of the cost to the artist's artistry or legacy. The final stanza reveals the singer's personal connection to the star, expressing a longing for a genuine connection with someone who could never truly know them.
Throughout the song, frontman Morrissey's voice drips with a mixture of contempt and regret, highlighting the irony of celebrating an artist's work after they're gone. The music itself is a minimalist yet upbeat, with a driving guitar riff and drumbeat that contrasts with the song's pessimistic message.
Overall, "Paint a Vulgar Picture" is a harsh critique of how the music industry can dehumanize and exploit its artists for profit, reducing them to commodities and destroying their legacies in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
At the record company meeting
At the party hosted by the record company
On their hands - a dead star
A celebrity who is not alive anymore whom they have in their possession
And oh, the plans they weave
They discuss their strategies and plans
And oh, the sickening greed
Their insatiable greed for money is disgusting
The sycophantic slags all say : "I knew him first, and I knew him well"
The people who flatter the record company boast about knowing the dead celebrity better
Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package!
Re-launch the album again
Re-evaluate the songs
Analyze if the songs can be marketed again
Double-pack with a photograph
Sell two copies together along with a picture
Extra track (and a tacky badge)
Include an additional song (and a worthless emblem)
"Please them , please them !"
Satisfy the audience, satisfy them!
"Please them !" (sadly, this was your life)
Appeasing the crowd was the only purpose of the musician’s life
But you could have said no
You had the option to refuse
If you'd wanted to
If you desired
BPI, MTV, BBC
Various music-related TV channels
"Please them ! Please then!" (sadly this was your life)
This confirms that pleasing the audience is the artist's sole objective in life.
You could have walked away
You had the option to quit
...Couldn't you?
... Right?
I touched you at the soundcheck
I touched you during the soundcheck session
You had no real way of knowing
You had no idea it was me
In my heart I begged "Take me with you ...I don't care where you're going..."
I wanted to go with you and be a part of your success
But to you I was faceless
To you, I was unknown
I was fawning, I was boring
I flattered you, and I was uninteresting
Just a child from those ugly new houses
I grew up in the unattractive locality of the town
Who could never begin to know
Who had no idea
Who could never really know
Who could never have precise knowledge
Oh...
Best of! Most of!
Compilations of an artist's work
Satiate the need
Satisfy the fans' hunger for the music
Slip them into different sleeves!
Different packaging can help sell more copies
Buy both, and feel deceived
Fans regret buying the same albums multiple times
Climber - new entry, re-entry
The singles climbing the music charts
World tour! ("media whore")
The musician is extensively promoting their music and themselves
"Please the Press in Belgium!"(This was your life...)
This fully emphasizes the primary focus of an artist’s career is to cater to the press and the audience. Nothing else.
And when it fails to recoup ?
What becomes of the album when it fails to make a profit?
Well, maybe : You just haven't earned it yet, baby
Perhaps you have not yet made enough money. So keep trying.
I walked a pace behind you at the soundcheck
I followed along behind you at the soundcheck
You're just the same as I am
You're no different from me
What makes most people feel happy
Things that please most people
Leads us headlong into harm
Cause damage to us
So, in my bedroom in those 'ugly new houses'
Back in my childhood bedroom in a dingy neighborhood
I danced my legs down to the knees
I danced a lot, until my legs couldn’t take it anymore
But me and my 'true love' will never meet again...
I and the music that I loved and connected to so genuinely can never meet again
But they can never taint you in my eyes
My adoration for you is beyond their ability to influence negatively
On their hands - at last! - A dead star!
The record company now has another dead celebrity on their hands.
No, they can never touch you now
The record company’s influence over the deceased celebrity's music career is over.
No, they cannot hurt you, my darling
Lyrically telling the dead artist that they do not need to worry about the record company or their demands
But me and my 'true love' will never meet again
The singer's love for their one true passion will never return, no matter how hard they try.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind