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 Smiths-shakespeares sister
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"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
"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
The lyrics to The Smiths' song "Shakespeare's Sister" are a haunting portrayal of the struggle between a young person's desire for freedom and their family's attempts to stifle it. The opening lines, "Young bones groan, and the rocks below say 'Throw your skinny body down, son'" suggest a world that is actively trying to prevent the singer from achieving their dreams. However, the singer is determined to overcome these obstacles in order to meet "the one I love." The repetition of the phrase "No, mama, let me go" emphasizes the tension between familial responsibilities and personal desires.
The second verse adds a layer to the theme of the song, with the rocks now telling the singer to "Throw your white body down." This suggests that the societal forces trying to stop the singer aren't just familial, but also racial. Despite this, the singer remains determined to meet their love interest, culminating in the triumphant final lines: "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."
Overall, "Shakespeare's Sister" can be read as an exploration of the conflicts between individual desires and societal expectations, both within the family and beyond. The use of vivid imagery, repetition, and the slowly-building tension of the song's structure all work together to create a powerful portrayal of a young person's struggle for independence.
Line by Line Meaning
Young bones groan, and the rocks below say
"Throw your skinny body down, son"
The singer is struggling and hearing voices telling him to give up and die.
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
The singer is determined to continue pursuing love despite obstacles, and he pleads with his mother not to stand in his way.
Young bones groan and the rocks below say
"Throw your white body down"
The singer is facing racism and hearing voices telling him to die because of his skin color.
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
Despite the struggles he faces, the singer is overjoyed to finally meet the one he loves and begs for his mother to let him go.
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
The singer once believed that playing an acoustic guitar would make him a powerful voice for change, but he realizes now how difficult it truly was and begs for his mother to let him go.
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?