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)
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
The Smiths Lyrics
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For the ghost and the storm outside
Will not invade this sacred shrine
Nor infiltrate your mind
My life down I shall lie
If the bogey-man should try
To play tricks on your sacred mind
To tease, torment, and tantalize
A piano plays in an empty room
There'll be blood on the cleaver tonight
And when darkness lifts and the room is bright
I'll still be by your side
For you are all that matters
And I'll love you to till the day I die
There never need be longing in your eyes
As long as the hand that rocks the cradle is mine
Ceiling shadows shimmy by
And when the wardrobe towers like a beast of prey
There's sadness in your beautiful eyes
Oh, your untouched, unsoiled, wondrous eyes
My life down I shall lie
Should restless spirits try
To play tricks on your sacred mind
I once had a child, and it saved my life
And I never even asked his name
I just looked into his wondrous eyes
And said : "never never never again"
And all too soon I did return
Just like a moth to a flame
So rattle my bones all over the stones
I'm only a beggar-man whom nobody owns
Oh, see how words as old as sin
Fit me like a glove
I'm here and here I'll stay
Together we lie, together we pray
There never need be longing in your eyes
As long as the hand that rocks the cradle is mine
As long as the hand that rocks the cradle is mine
Mine
Climb up on my knee, sonny boy
Although you're only three, sonny boy
You're - you're mine
And your mother she just never knew
Oh, your mother...
As long...as long...as long
I did my best for her
I did my best for her
As long...as long...as long as...as long
I did my best for her
I did my best for her
Oh...
"The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" by The Smiths is a song about the power and responsibility of parenthood. The lyrics contrast the innocence and vulnerability of a child with the dangers of the outside world, as well as the potential for negative influences to invade a child's psyche. The opening lines, "Please don't cry for the ghost and the storm outside, will not invade this sacred shrine, nor infiltrate your mind" express a desire to protect the child from the harsh realities of life, while later lines, such as "Wavering shadows loom, a piano plays in an empty room, there'll be blood on the cleaver tonight," suggest that darkness is not far away. Despite this, the songwriter promises to be there for the child, saying, "I'll still be by your side, for you are all that matters and I'll love you till the day I die."
The lyrics continue to explore the idea of protection and the sacrifices a parent may make for their child's well-being. The songwriter states, "My life down I shall lie should restless spirits try to play tricks on your sacred mind," suggesting they will do anything to keep their child safe. The songwriter also speaks of an unnamed child who "saved his life" and promises to protect him from harm. The song's conclusion sees the songwriter addressing their own child and promising to do their best for them, even if their mother never knew or appreciated it.
Line by Line Meaning
Please don't cry
Don't cry for the scary things outside, they won't affect this place, nor your thoughts
For the ghost and the storm outside
Referring to the scary things outside the house
Will not invade this sacred shrine
This place is safe and inviolable
Nor infiltrate your mind
Your thoughts won't be disturbed
My life down I shall lie
I'll die for you
If the bogey-man should try
If something scary tries to haunt you
To play tricks on your sacred mind
Trying to manipulate your thoughts
To tease, torment, and tantalize
Trick, scare, and provoke you
Wavering shadows loom
The shadows are wavering, scary and unpredictable
A piano plays in an empty room
A piano is playing, without someone touching it
There'll be blood on the cleaver tonight
Something violent will happen tonight
And when darkness lifts and the room is bright
When the night ends and daylight comes
I'll still be by your side
I'll always be with you
For you are all that matters
You are the most important thing to me
And I'll love you to till the day I die
I'll love you forever
There never need be longing in your eyes
You should never feel like something's missing
As long as the hand that rocks the cradle is mine
As long as I'll take care of you, you'll be safe
Ceiling shadows shimmy by
The shadows on the ceiling are moving
And when the wardrobe towers like a beast of prey
The wardrobe seems scary and threatening
There's sadness in your beautiful eyes
You look sad and I wish I could make you happy
Oh, your untouched, unsoiled, wondrous eyes
Your eyes are pure and bright
Should restless spirits try
If some scary things try to haunt you
I once had a child, and it saved my life
I had a child who gave me hope and strength
And I never even asked his name
I didn't know his name, but his presence was enough for me
I just looked into his wondrous eyes
I was fascinated by his pure and bright eyes
And said : "never never never again"
I promised myself to never lose hope again
And all too soon I did return
Unfortunately, I lost hope again
Just like a moth to a flame
Like a moth attracted by a source of light
So rattle my bones all over the stones
My life is unstable and hard
I'm only a beggar-man whom nobody owns
I'm poor and nobody cares about me
Oh, see how words as old as sin
The words I'm using are old and symbolic
Fit me like a glove
They reflect my situation perfectly
I'm here and here I'll stay
I'll always be here for you
Together we lie, together we pray
We'll be together, resting and praying
Climb up on my knee, sonny boy
Sit on my lap, son
Although you're only three, sonny boy
Even if you're very young
You're - you're mine
You belong to me and I'll protect you
And your mother she just never knew
Your mother didn't know how important you'd be to me
I did my best for her
I helped her as much as I could
Oh...
Emotional pause
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind