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)
Sheila Take A Bow
The Smiths Lyrics
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No, it's not wrong, but I must know
How can someone so young
Sing words so sad?
Sheila take a, Sheila take a bow
Boot the grime of this world in the crotch, dear
And don't go home tonight
The one that you love and who loves you
Oh
Is it wrong not to always be glad
No, it's not wrong, but I must add
How can someone so young
Sing words so sad
Sheila take a, Sheila take a bow
Boot the grime of this world in the crotch, dear
And don't go home tonight
Come out and find the one that you love and who loves you
The one that you love and who loves you
Take my hand and off we stride
Oh, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
You're a girl and I'm a boy
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
la, la, la, la, la
Take my hand and off we stride
Oh, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
I'm a girl and you're a boy
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
Sheila take a, Sheila take a bow
La, la, la, la, la, la
Throw your homework onto the fire
Come out and find the one that you love
Come out and find the one you love
The Smiths’ song “Sheila Take a Bow” tells the story of a young girl, perhaps a teenage or young adult, who is feeling down and upset. The song starts with the question “Is it wrong to want to live on your own?” indicating that the girl is perhaps feeling trapped and wants to leave her current situation. The next lines are “No, it’s not wrong, but I must know, how can someone so young sing words so sad?” suggesting that the girl is young and should not be feeling so unhappy. The chorus of the song, “Sheila take a, Sheila take a bow, boot the grime of this world in the crotch, dear and don’t go home tonight, come out and find the one that you love and who loves you,” encourages Sheila to take control of her life, leave her problems behind, and find the person she loves.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more upbeat and hopeful. The lines “Take my hand and off we stride, you're a girl and I'm a boy” suggest a romantic interest and that things might be looking up for Sheila. The idea of throwing homework onto the fire in the last verse also implies that Sheila is breaking free from societal expectations and pressures.
Overall, “Sheila Take a Bow” is a song that encourages listeners to take control of their lives and not let their problems define them. The singer, Sheila, stands in for anyone who might be feeling stuck or unhappy, and the song encourages them to take action and find the person they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it wrong to want to live on your own?
Asking if it's bad to desire solace.
No, it's not wrong, but I must know
Answering the previous question, but needing more context behind the query.
How can someone so young
A rhetorical request questioning how a youth can convey such sorrowful lyrics.
Sing words so sad?
Asking how they can vocalize such melancholy thoughts and feelings.
Sheila take a, Sheila take a bow
Exclaiming the titular name of the song, commanding someone to take a graceful and grateful bow.
Boot the grime of this world in the crotch, dear
Spur someone to kick filth and grime away from the nastiness of this world.
And don't go home tonight
Asking someone to step out and venture to other places for the night.
Come out and find the one that you love and who loves you
Urge the listener to explore other venues and search for someone who reciprocates the same adoration.
Oh
Sigh of exasperation or to add more emotion to the previous line.
Is it wrong not to always be glad
Asking if it's wrong to feel sad or unhappy at certain times.
No, it's not wrong, but I must add
Answering and further presenting the necessity of how to give value to those emotions.
Take my hand and off we stride
Invitation to join them on their journey.
Oh, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Syllables that add a singalong aspect to the song.
You're a girl and I'm a boy
Pointing out the difference in gender between the singers or characters.
Throw your homework onto the fire
Encouraging them to let go of academical worries or stress.
Come out and find the one that you love
Reiterating advice from previous parts of the song.
Come out and find the one you love
Repeating a line from earlier in the song to emphasize its importance.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind