Primary
members: Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce
Band
Biography
Albums of focus: The Smiths (1983), Hatful of Hollow
(1984), Meat Is Murder (1984), Louder Than Bombs (1987); Morrissey's Viva
Hate* (1987) and Your Arsenal** (1992)
Songs for study:
From Meat Is Murder (1984): |
Additional songs:
"Still
Ill"
- from The Smiths (1983)
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I
decree today that life Does
the body rule the mind Under
the iron bridge we kissed |
Does
the body rule the mind Ask
me why, and I'll die |
"Suffer
Little Children"
- from The Smiths (1983)
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Over
the moor, take me to the moor Over
the moor, take me to the moor Lesley-Anne,
with your pretty white beads Edward,
see those alluring lights ? A
woman said: "I know my son is dead Hindley
wakes and Hindley says: But
fresh lilaced moorland fields Hindley
wakes and says: |
But
this is no easy ride "Oh,
find me ... find me, nothing more Oh
Manchester, so much to answer for Oh,
find me, find me! |
"Heavens
Knows I'm Miserable Now"
- from Hatful of Hollow (1984)
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I
was happy in the haze of a drunken hour I
was looking for a job, and then I found a job In
my life Two
lovers entwined pass me by I
was looking for a job, and then I found a job In
my life |
What
she asked of me at the end of the day "You've
been in the house too long," she said In
my life I
was happy in the haze of a drunken hour "You've
been in the house too long," she said In
my life |
"Accept
Yourself"
- from Hatful of Hollow (1984)
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Every
day you must say I
am sick and I am dull Oh,
who and what to blame? Others
conquered love - but I ran |
And
there's no one left to blame They
make me awkward and plain And
there's no one but yourself to blame |
"Panic"
- from Louder Than Bombs (1987)
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Panic
on the streets of London Burn
down the disco |
On
the Leeds side-streets that you slip down Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ |
"Stretch
Out and Wait"
- from Louder Than Bombs (1987)
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On the high-rise estates Two
icy-cold hands conducting the way Stretch
out and wait
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As
we lie, you say : So
... stretch out and wait |
"Sheila
Take a Bow"
- from Louder Than Bombs (1987)
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Is it wrong to want to live on your own? Sheila
take a, Sheila take a bow Is
it wrong not to always be glad? Sheila
take a, Sheila take a bow |
Take
my hand and off we stride Sheila
take a, Sheila take a bow |
"Ask"
- from Louder Than Bombs (1987)
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Shyness is nice, and Shyness
is nice, and So,
if there's something you'd like to try Coyness
is nice, and So,
if there's something you'd like to try Spending
warm, Summer days indoors |
Because
if it's not Love Nature
is a language - can't you read ? So, ask me, ask me, ask me! Because
if it's not Love If
it's not Love So, ask me, ask me, ask me! |
"Work
Is a Four-Letter Word"
- from Louder Than Bombs (1987)
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Loving you is driving me crazy So
change your life Wide-awake If
you stay I
don't need |
So
change your life Wide-awake If
you stay I
don't need So
change your life Wide-awake |
"Headmaster Ritual" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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Belligerent ghouls Sir leads the troops I wanna go home |
Belligerent ghouls Sir leads the troops I wanna go home |
"Rusholme Ruffians" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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The last night of the fair and though I walk home alone the last night of the fair and though I walk home alone then someone falls in love |
and though I walk home alone this is the last night of the fair this is the last night of the fair so scratch my name on your arm with a fountain pen and though I walk home alone |
"I Want the One I Can't Have" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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On the day that your mentality Cause I want the one I can't have On the day that your mentality I want the one I can't have A double-bed A double-bed And I want the one I can't have |
A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails these are the riches of the poor I want the one I can't have On the day that your mentality And if you ever need self-validation |
"What She Said" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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What she said: What she said was sad What she said was not for the job or |
What she read What she read What she said: |
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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Park the car at the side of the road when you laugh about people who feel so but that joke isn't funny anymore kick them when they fall down |
Why must you It was dark as I drove the point home I've seen this happen in other people's lives |
"Nowhere Fast" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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I'd like to drop my trousers to the world and if the day came when I felt a I'd like to drop my trousers to the Queen |
and if the day came when I felt a And when I'm lying in my bed and if the day came when I felt a |
"Well I Wonder" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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Well I wonder Well I wonder Please keep me in mind Gaspingbut somehow still alive
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Gaspingdyingbut somehow still alive Please keep me in mind Well I wonder |
"Barbarism Begins at Home" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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Unruly boys (repeat above 2 verses, then 2nd only) A crack on the head |
A crack on the head Unruly boys |
"Meat Is Murder" - from Meat Is Murder (1984) |
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Heifer whines could be human cries this beautiful creature must die and the calf that you carve with a smile do you know how animals die? |
kitchen aromas aren't very homely it's not "comforting," "cheery," or "kind" NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER and who hears when animals cry? |
"Margaret
on the Guillotine"
- from Viva Hate (1987)
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The kind people |
And
people like you And
kind people |
"The
National Front Disco"
- from Your Arsenal (1992)
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David, the wind blows Oh,
you're going to ... David,
the winds blow National,
ah ... |
But
David, we wonder National Oh,
the National |