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)
Still Ill
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
England is mine, it owes me a living
But ask me why, and I'll spit in your eye
Oh, ask me why, and I'll spit in your eye
But we cannot cling to the old dreams anymore
No, we cannot cling to those dreams
Does the body rule the mind
I dunno
Under the iron bridge we kissed
And although I ended up with sore lips
It just wasn't like the old days anymore
No, it wasn't like those days, am I still ill?
Oh
Am I still ill?
Oh
Does the body rule the mind
Or does the mind rule the body?
I dunno
Ask me why, and I'll die
Oh, ask me why, and I'll die
And if you must, go to work, tomorrow
Well, if I were you I wouldn't bother
For there are brighter sides to life
And I should know, because I've seen them, but not very often
Under the iron bridge we kissed
And although I ended up with sore lips
It just wasn't like the old days anymore
No, it wasn't like those days, am I still ill?
Oh
Am I still ill?
Oh
The opening lines of this song, "I decree today that life is simply taking and not giving, England is mine, it owes me a living", reflect the disillusionment and frustration felt by the working classes in England in the 1980s. The lyrics suggest that life is unfair and that people are cheated out of what they deserve despite working hard. The idea that England owes something to its people is rooted in the belief that it is the government's responsibility to create a fair society for all its citizens.
The chorus of the song, "But we cannot cling to the old dreams anymore, no we cannot cling to those dreams", refers to the idea that people cannot hold onto the past and expect things to remain the same. The iron bridge mentioned in the song could be a metaphor for a point of transition or change. The line "does the body rule the mind, or does the mind rule the body?" hints at the inner turmoil the singer is experiencing. They don't seem to know the answer, perhaps suggesting a sense of confusion or uncertainty in their life.
The repeated chorus, "Am I still ill?", can be interpreted in different ways. It could be asking if the singer is physically ill or if there is something mentally or emotionally wrong with them. It could also point towards the frustration of feeling stuck in a rut and not being able to move forward with their life. Overall, the song portrays a sense of hopelessness and disillusionment with life, particularly for those who are struggling to make ends meet.
Line by Line Meaning
I decree today that life is simply taking and not giving
Life is unfair and it only takes from us without giving anything in return
England is mine, it owes me a living
The singer feels that he is entitled to a better life and that England should provide it for him
But ask me why, and I'll spit in your eye
The singer is frustrated and angry with his situation, and he doesn't want to explain it to anyone
But we cannot cling to the old dreams anymore
The singer recognizes that he needs to let go of his old dreams and move on to something new
Does the body rule the mind
The singer is questioning whether our physical body controls our thoughts and feelings
Or does the mind rule the body?
The singer is questioning whether our thoughts and feelings are what control our physical body
Under the iron bridge we kissed
The singer is reminiscing about a past romantic encounter
And although I ended up with sore lips
The singer is recalling a physical discomfort that occurred during the romantic encounter
It just wasn't like the old days anymore
The singer recognizes that things have changed and that the past cannot be recreated
Am I still ill?
The singer is questioning whether he is still suffering and struggling with his situation
Ask me why, and I'll die
The singer is expressing his pain and frustration with his situation, to the point that he feels like dying if anyone asks him about it
And if you must, go to work, tomorrow
The singer is advising others to go to work if they have to, but implies that it may not be worth it
For there are brighter sides to life
The singer recognizes that there are positive aspects of life worth focusing on
And I should know, because I've seen them, but not very often
The singer acknowledges that he has experienced positive aspects of life, but they are rare and not a common occurrence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind