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)
What Difference Does It Make?
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So let it be known
We have been through hell and high tide
I think I can rely on you
And yet you start to recoil
Heavy words are so lightly thrown
But still, I'd leap in front of a flying bullet for you
So, what difference does it make?
It makes none, but
Now you have gone
And you must be looking very old tonight
The devil will find work for idle hands to do
I stole and I lied, and why?
Because you asked me to
But now you make me feel so ashamed
Because I've only got two hands
Well, I'm still fond of you, oh-ho-oh
So, what difference does it make?
Oh, what difference does it make?
Oh, it makes none
But now you have gone
And your prejudice won't keep you warm tonight
Oh, the devil will find work for idle hands to do
I stole, and then I lied
Just because you asked me to
But now you know the truth about me
You won't see me anymore
Well, I'm still fond of you, oh-ho-oh
But no more apologies
No more, no more apologies
Oh, I'm too tired
I'm so very tired
And I'm feeling very sick and ill today
But I'm still fond of you, oh-ho-oh
Oh, my sacred one
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
In The Smiths' song "What Difference Does It Make," lead singer Morrissey reveals his innermost secrets and fears to someone he trusts. He admits to them that he has made mistakes in his life, perhaps even engaging in criminal activities such as theft and lying, but all in response to the desires of this person. Despite these misdeeds, Morrissey declares his loyalty to them and is willing to sacrifice himself for their sake. However, the other person seems to reject him, causing Morrissey to question whether their relationship was ever genuine or just a fleeting, meaningless encounter. In the end, Morrissey's guilt and shame lead him to renounce his apologies and resign himself to his fate.
The lyrics of "What Difference Does It Make" can be interpreted in different ways depending on the listener's perspective. On one hand, Morrissey's admission of wrongdoing and his willingness to self-sacrifice could be seen as an act of love and devotion. On the other hand, the fact that he feels ashamed and unworthy of the other person's affection could suggest a lack of self-esteem and an unhealthy attachment to their approval. In any case, the song captures the complex and often contradictory emotions that can arise in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
All men have secrets and here is mine
I have a secret that I'm about to share
So let it be known
I'm ready to reveal my secret
We have been through hell and high tide
We've gone through tough times together
I think I can rely on you
I trust you
And yet you start to recoil
You're reacting negatively
Heavy words are so lightly thrown
People aren't careful with what they say
But still, I'd leap in front of a flying bullet for you
I'm willing to risk my life for you
So, what difference does it make?
Why does it matter?
It makes none, but
It doesn't really matter, but
Now you have gone
You've left
And you must be looking very old tonight
You must have aged a lot since I last saw you
The devil will find work for idle hands to do
Idle people tend to get into trouble
I stole and I lied, and why?
I did bad things, and you're the reason why
Because you asked me to
You influenced me to do those bad things
But now you make me feel so ashamed
But now I regret what I did
Because I've only got two hands
I'm limited in what I can do
Well, I'm still fond of you, oh-ho-oh
But I still care for you
Oh, what difference does it make?
Why does it matter?
Oh, it makes none
It doesn't matter
And your prejudice won't keep you warm tonight
Your negative attitude won't comfort you
But now you know the truth about me
You know my true character now
You won't see me anymore
You won't want to be around me anymore
But no more apologies
I won't apologize anymore
No more, no more apologies
I won't apologize anymore
Oh, I'm too tired
I'm exhausted
I'm so very tired
I'm really exhausted
And I'm feeling very sick and ill today
I'm not feeling well today
But I'm still fond of you, oh-ho-oh
But I still care for you
Oh, my sacred one
You're very important to me
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Lyrics 漏 Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James Smith
Accept Yourself is a hell of a track!
James Smith
Best version is the Cuckoo Tapes version if you search for it on here you'll find it. The Cuckoo Tapes is a bootleg which was from a cassette they apparently recorded in a dressing room somewhere and was for years unearthed until someone suddenly announced they had it and it was subsequently issued as a bootleg.
Stripey Rambles
Indeed it is James
Markee Ledge
Happens to be one of the best albums ever made.
vinyl city
Beautiful LP! Never heard the Smith's before! Maybe I should take a listen on YouTube! But what I've heard on this video, their excellent!
Stripey Rambles
awesome
vinyl city
The lyrics is fantastic! Not depressing at all to me!
vinyl city
Stripey Rambles I just finished "hand in glove" a couple minutes ago! Yes, I'm getting the LP!
Stripey Rambles
George White let me know what you think George
Panda Gaming
I got mine a few years ago from hmv, it's one of my favourite records now, amazing album