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)
Unloveable
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know I'm unloveable
You don't have to tell me
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
Oh...
I know I'm unloveable
You don't have to tell me
Oh, message received
Loud and clear
Loud and clear
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
I know I'm unloveable
You don't have to tell me
For message received
Loud and clear
Loud and clear
Message received
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
I wear black on the outside
'Cause black is how I feel on the inside
I wear black on the outside
'Cause black is how I feel on the inside
And if I seem a little strange
Well, that's because I am
If I seem a little strange
That's because I am
But I know that you would like me
If only you could see me
If only you could meet me
Oh...
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
Mmm...
Oh...
The lyrics to The Smiths' song Unloveable convey a sense of deep insecurity and lack of self-worth. The singer acknowledges their perceived unlovability and even seems to accept it, offering up what little they have to someone else. The repetition of the line "You don't have to tell me" emphasizes the singer's self-awareness, as if they've heard these criticisms before and are resigned to them. The line "I wear black on the outside 'cause black is how I feel on the inside" further emphasizes the singer's inner turmoil and their sense of being an outsider.
Despite all this, the singer holds out hope that they could be liked if only someone took the time to get to know them. The line "If only you could meet me" suggests that the singer feels unseen or misunderstood, and that there's more to them than meets the eye.
Overall, Unloveable is a hauntingly beautiful song that captures the pain of feeling unlovable and the longing for acceptance and understanding. It speaks to the deep human need for connection, even in the face of our own perceived flaws and shortcomings.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh...
The start of the song
I know I'm unloveable
The singer is aware that they are difficult to love
You don't have to tell me
The singer does not need to be reminded of their unloveability
I don't have much in my life
The artist lacks material possessions
But take it - it's yours
The little the artist has is offered to someone else
Oh...
Repeating the opening line
Message received
The singer acknowledges being told that they are unloveable
Loud and clear
The message was received clearly
I wear black on the outside
The artist's clothing reflects their inner emotional state
'Cause black is how I feel on the inside
The artist's emotional state is represented by the color black
And if I seem a little strange
The singer acknowledges that they may appear odd or different
Well, that's because I am
The artist confirms that they are indeed different or unusual
But I know that you would like me
Despite feeling unloveable and strange, the singer believes they could be liked
If only you could see me
The singer thinks that if the other person got to know them better, they would like them
If only you could meet me
Meeting in person would give the other person a chance to know the singer better
Mmm...
A pause before the final line
Oh...
Repeating the opening line to close the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind