Smiths, The - Paint A Vulgar Picture Lyrics






At the record company meeting
On their hands - a dead star
And ooh, the plans they weave
And ooh, the sickening greed
At the record company party
On their hands - a dead star
The sycophantic slags all say:
"I knew him first, and I knew him well"
Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package!
Re-evaluate the songs
Double pack with a photograph
Extra Track (and a tacky badge)
A-list, playlist
"Please them, please them!"
"Please them, please them!"
(Sadly, THIS was your life)
But you could have said no
If you'd wanted to
You could have said no
If you'd wanted to
BPI, MTV, BBC
"Please them!, Please them!"
(Sadly, this was your life)
But you could have said no
If you'd wanted to
You could have walked away
... couldn't you?
I touched you at the soundcheck
You had no real way of knowing
In my heart I begged "take me with you...
I don't care where you're going..."
But to you I was faceless
I was fawning, I was boring
A child from those ugly new houses
Who could never begin to know
Who could never really know
Best of! Most of!
Satiate the need
Slip them into different sleeves!
Buy both, and feel deceived
Climber - new entry, re-entry
World tour! ("media whore")
"Please the Press in Belgium!"
(THIS was your life...)
And when it fails to recoup?
Well, maybe:
You just haven't earned it yet, baby
I walked a pace behind you at the soundcheck
You're just the same as I am
What makes most people feel happy
Leads us headlong into harm
So, in my bedroom in those ugly new houses
I dance my legs down to the knees
But me and my 'true love'
Will never meet again...
At the record company meeting
On their hands - at last! - a dead star!
But they can never taint you in my eyes
They can never touch you now
No, they cannot hurt you my darling
They cannot touch you now
But me and my 'true love'
Will never meet again





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Smiths, The Paint A Vulgar Picture Comments
  1. d.... b....

    More than any other Smith's song.
    This describes the life, thoughts and feelings of Steven Morrissey

  2. M.... K....

    Johnny Phucing Marr , man.....

  3. R.... ....

    I like the folk vibes this song catches

  4. P.... F....

    It depends what mood your in which denotes your favourite Smith's song 👍👍👍👍

  5. d.... ....

    What makes most people feel happy, leads us headlong into harm.

  6. s.... ....

    Masterpiece

  7. c.... g....

    The lyrics and music, life change changing for me.
    Thank you, minstrel.

  8. �.... S....

    "But me and my true love will never meet again." Benden bu kadar aga. Eyw...

  9. m.... 6....

    Dear Doctor John of Gaddesden and Doctor Faustus:
    If Greek culture caused the Renaissance before, surely it would cause a rebirth today or at least a new undercurrent of a new Neoplatonism. But why would we need extra advances in science, medicine, or technology, or expressions of individualism today? Information hangs around for centuries before it causes movements. Instead, I will devote myself to history, not of battles, but other specialties. Of course, this concerns music, especially Goth music. CSL, "Black Death freaks." It's not just Homer or Plato, there are countless greats! All the great historical figures had Greek connections. This is 2019 and they're still blind...math at its core is a Neoplatonist movement started by Pythagoras, not a rote Calculus out the window. Medicine was the core of Hippocrates and Galen. Physics and Rhetoric were of Archimedes, Aristotle, and Socrates. Alchemy and chemistry were from Trismegistus. Others would harbor the information to themselves and leave to rot like untended grapes. It was Pythagoras who defined the harmonics of music and Socrates, Dionysus Thrax, and others who defined the meter and techniques of poetry. All the informed people study the Greeks. Don't get left behind. Just look at what those Dungeons and Dragons kids did (Wozniak, Gates, Jobs, etc.) Sure, the Greeks stole from the Egyptians but they made it happen. It won't be immediately effective, no. Look out! These are historical facts about Renaissance and Greek culture. Don't be left out like a John of Gaddesden, who was a medieval physician known for being a physician sans Greek. Sure, Crowley was hip to Solomon but C'Mon...
    Sincerely,
    F. Nienow, 9/7/19

  10. L.... M....

    The sycophantic slags all say :
    "I knew him first, and I knew him well"
    Morrissey weaves this story and makes it legendary. Genius.

  11. S.... H....

    more musically sprawling than it's predecessors Strangeways' strongest attributes are also the same reasons it slightly misses the mark: more adventurous and textured than any other album it ultimately lacks the same uniform and focus of direction.
    But it still pissed on the rest of 1987 from a great height

  12. s.... c....

    and oh, wednesday weed
    and oh, the sickening weed

  13. L.... D....

    Guys. Im addicted to this drug called The Smiths?

  14. S.... A....

    Sycophantic Slags
    Great name for a band!

  15. s.... ....

    I will never get over how good a lyricist Morrissey is! Fantastic song!!

  16. T.... ....

    "(2011 Remaster)"

  17. R.... B....

    Anyone here after looking through the recent reuploads?

  18. B.... H....

    You just haven't earned it yet baby

  19. Z.... J....

    Well, at least the hot dog commercial is gone from this video, eh Morrissey? 😉

  20. S.... V....

    Diabolic lover where are you?

  21. L.... L....

    My favourite Smiths song

  22. 4.... ....

    Best Smiths song. Imagine if they could have kept it together and done just one more album and put out more songs like this. Shame. At least Morrissey kept this sound going with his solo career. Suedehead, Tomorrow, First of the Gang to Die, Ammunition, Youngest Was the Most Loved, Disappointed etc

    4.... ....

    The Smiths couldn't have done another album. Morrissey was unmanagable and had become unsufferable. I always thought this was a early Morrissey song more than a Smiths song. Meat is Murder was their highwater mark, it was all downhill from there.

  23. M.... A....

    Muerte a las discográficas!! 🤘

  24. r.... i....

    At the record company meeting
    On their hands - a dead star
    And oh, the plans they weave
    And oh, the sickening greed
    At the record company party
    On their hands - a dead star
    The sycophantic slags all say :
    "I knew him first, and I knew him well"
    Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package!
    Re-evaluate the songs
    Double-pack with a photograph
    Extra track (and a tacky badge)
    A-list, playlist
    "Please them , please them !"
    "Please them !"
    (sadly, this was your life)
    But you could have said no
    If you'd wanted to
    You could have said no
    If you'd wanted to
    BPI, MTV, BBC
    "Please them ! Please then!"
    (sadly this was your life)
    But you could have said no
    If you'd wanted to
    You could have walked away
    ...Couldn't you?
    I touched you at the soundcheck
    You had no real way of knowing
    In my heart I begged "Take me with you ...
    I don't care where you're going..."
    But to you I was faceless
    I was fawning, I was boring
    Just a child from those ugly new houses
    Who could never begin to know
    Who could never really know
    Oh...
    Best of! Most of!
    Satiate the need
    Slip them into different sleeves!
    Buy both, and feel deceived
    Climber - new entry, re-entry
    World tour! ("media whore")
    "Please the Press in Belgium!"
    (This was your life...)
    And when it fails to recoup ?
    Well, maybe :
    You just haven't earned it yet, baby
    I walked a pace behind you at the soundcheck
    You're just the same as I am
    What makes most people feel happy
    Leads us headlong into harm
    So, in my bedroom in those 'ugly new houses'
    I danced my legs down to the knees
    But me and my 'true love'
    Will never meet again...
    At the record company meeting
    On their hands - at last! - A dead star !
    But they can never taint you in my eyes
    No, they can never touch you now
    No, they cannot hurt you, my darling
    They cannot touch you now
    But me and my 'true love'
    Will never meet again

    r.... i....

    I love these lyrics.

    r.... i....

    amazing lyrics as always

  25. E.... R....

    of course, you know my favorite line, which will always be, for every song <3,

  26. a.... ....

    Nothing can taint you in my eyes..

  27. W.... ....

    michael jackson itunes review guy, thank you for this song recommendation & irony at 'remastered version'

    W.... ....

    Remastered and repackaged...

  28. d.... b....

    This captures what the 15 yr old me thought when Kurt Cobain died..."take me with you, I don't care where you're going..."

  29. S.... V....

    Does the profoundly sanguine and heart wrenching Johnny Marr solo make anybody else tear up? Just me??

    S.... V....

    Saucy Vinnie Not just you! Happens to me every single time I hear this song, since September 1987.

    S.... V....

    No tears, but a solemn enthusiasm for life.

    S.... V....

    His best

    S.... V....

    First song to make me cry

  30. 7.... ....

    So in my bedroom, in those ugly new houses: I dance my legs, down to the knees!

  31. K.... ....

    You had no real way of knowing, that in my heart, I begged "take me with you. I don't care where you're going"

    K.... ....

    Katie :) I love his vulnerability

  32. B.... ....

    It's hard to put a best/greatest label on Smiths songs. But every time I listen to this, I'm convinced that it's not only the best Smiths song, but the best song of all time.

  33. b.... ....

    proto "Morrissey" stuff right here

    b.... ....

    practically ever song off of strangeways is proto morrissey.

  34. H.... K....

    We lived in those ugly new houses for a while. American-style.

  35. J.... G....

    Something about this 😌😊

  36. M.... M....

    Amazing Song, perfect lyrics

  37. L.... R....

    MISTICA ESTA CANCION, LA MEJOR

  38. 3.... M....

    The only use of sycophantic in a song.

    3.... M....

    This song starts playing in my head every time I see/hear the word "sycophant"

  39. R.... L....

    Always my favorite from this release.

    Big Thanks!!!!

  40. r.... s....

    Can i come back every-year for TRICK OR TREAT???????????Please?

  41. 7.... ....

    Is this song about Morrisey's encounter Marc Bolan?

    7.... ....

    kinda-sort of....

  42. a.... ....

    The best Smiths song!

  43. k.... ....

    7 dead star dislikes

  44. s.... ....

    Arianna Grande and Katy Perry aka media whores...couldn't say it better.. I bought this album in 87 at 14 years old...now my 14 year old daughter loves the smiths....UNITE!

  45. T.... ....

    The Smiths left us with this great song.
    I did get to touch him (the great man)... maybe not at a sound check ... but still more than memorable.
    Cheers to all of us who are still fawning and boring.

    T.... ....

    THESM1THS
    Just dance your legs down to the knees...

    T.... ....

    🥂🥂

    T.... ....

    THESM1THS I did!

  46. s.... ....

    I'm constantly on edge on whether this or Still Ill is my favourite Smiths song. Gobsmacked that the view count isn't higher

    s.... ....

    Still I'll. I think there best song. Im having it played at my funeral. Will raise a smile hopefully.

    s.... ....

    Terribly under-appreciated song....My personal fav. is 'That joke' though.

    s.... ....

    Marr's greatest solo

    s.... ....

    Méchant Manu my favorite is the live footage of them performing still Ill in the national ballroom in London, October 23 1986.. so good!

    s.... ....

    Fuck the view count.

  47. J.... A....

    1:40 always gets me, so good

  48. Z.... N....

    Absolutely Lovely!!!!

  49. P.... ....

    Best Song?

    P.... ....

    Best album!

    P.... ....

    Phaedo13 this song and please..please...please.. Are the best

    P.... ....

    Perhaps

    P.... ....

    And best guitar solo