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)
Shakespeare
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the rocks below say :
"Throw your skinny body down, son!"
But I'm going to meet the one I love
So please don't stand in my way
Because I'm going to meet the one I love
No, Mamma, let me go!
Young bones groan
And the rocks below say :
"Throw your white body down!"
But I'm going to meet the one I love
At last! At last! At last!
I'm going to meet the one I love
La-de-da, la-de-da
No, Mamma, let me go!
No...
I thought that if you had
An acoustic guitar
Then it meant that you were
A Protest Singer
Oh, I can smile about it now
But at the time it was terrible
No, Mamma, let me go
No ...
The Smiths' "Shakespeare's Sister" is a song about a protagonist who is on a mission to meet the one they love, but has to deal with obstacles in the form of societal expectations and their mother. The song starts with a sense of foreboding as the young bones groan, and the rocks below suggest that the singer should throw their "skinny" body down. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for society's pressures on the singer to conform and give up on their love. However, they're determined to go ahead and meet the one they love, pleading with their mother to let them go.
The second verse takes a darker turn as the rocks ask the singer to throw their "white" body down, which can be interpreted as a more direct threat. However, the singer is finally able to meet the one they love, and the song takes on a more joyous, celebratory tone. The repetition of "at last, at last" shows the relief and happiness that the singer feels at finally being able to follow their heart. The final line "no, mamma, let me go" is repeated, signifying the singer's defiance of societal norms and their parents’ expectations.
The song can be seen as a commentary on societal pressures and how they can keep us from being true to who we are and want to be. It shows the courage required to defy expectations and follow our hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
Young bones groan
The pain of growing up is intense.
And the rocks below say :
"Throw your skinny body down, son!"
The world presents many challenges, and some obstacles may lead one to harm oneself.
But I'm going to meet the one I love
So please don't stand in my way
Because I'm going to meet the one I love
No, Mamma, let me go!
Despite the challenges one may face, the desire to be with the person one loves outweighs any fear or danger.
Young bones groan
And the rocks below say :
"Throw your white body down!"
The world continues to present obstacles that may lead to harm, regardless of race.
But I'm going to meet the one I love
At last! At last! At last!
I'm going to meet the one I love
La-de-da, la-de-da
No, Mamma, let me go!
No...
The joy of finally meeting the person one loves after overcoming obstacles is overwhelming.
I thought that if you had
An acoustic guitar
Then it meant that you were
A Protest Singer
Oh, I can smile about it now
But at the time it was terrible
No, Mamma, let me go
No ...
The struggle one faces to find one's voice and purpose can be painful and isolating, but looking back on it can bring a sense of growth and resolution.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@munira365
Young bones groan, and the rocks below say
"Throw your skinny body down, son"
But I'm going to meet the one I love
So please don't stand in my way
Because I'm going to meet the one I love
No, mama, let me go
Young bones groan and the rocks below say
"Throw your white body down"
But I'm going to meet the one I love
At last, at last, at last!
I'm going to meet the one I love
La-de-da, la-de-da
No, mama, let me go
No, no, no, no, no, no
I thought that if you had an acoustic guitar
Then it meant that you were
A protest singer
Oh, I can smile about it now
But at the time it was terrible
No, mama, let me go
No, no, no, no, no, no
@elenabreda9277
I miss the Smiths, best band ever❤🐝🇬🇧
@inikainika1523
Morrissey is still around and has put out music that is just as good as sometimes better than The Smiths.
Check out the song Life Is A Pigsty. He says it's his finest work to date.
@elenabreda9277
@Inika Inika yes I know well the work of Moz solo. Some years ago I saw him in a gig and "Life is a pigsty" is one of my fav😊
@Grriimace
It's good, but not as good as the Smiths music.
@stevefurness6303
I was lucky enough to see the Smiths live and there's also a really good tribute band the Smiths ltd
@stevefurness6303
@Elena Breda life is a pigsty is an incredible track , moving and haunting at the same time, I was lucky enough to see him play this track in Manchester twice at the Gmex
@franklinsampaiosampaio6805
A MELHOR BANDA DE TODOS OS TEMPOS!!!!
@dinobravo852
You should stop cocaine...
@saul6562
amo este sujeto
@franklinsampaiosampaio6805
@Saúl quem?