Beautiful South to split.

[aqua]

I loved them, and the fact some of them are from Hull made it better

the last glasto, sunday night, acoustic tent, was perhaps one of my all time great highlights

sad to see them split, but then I said that about the Housemartins too

come on Heaton

 

[cesare]

Probably my favourite, the plaintive piano there and Heaton speakingish not singingish

Blackbird On The Wire

Eyes to take you dancing
mouth to leave your wife
Legs to run away with
and you wonder why?

Heart that makes you bypass
every other girl
Smile that keeps you grinning
at the madness of this world

But like the blackbird on the wire
I will not take the prey on you
You wouldn't want me to
For I am too soft for such a thing
And like the blackbird on the wire
I just watch you by
The tears I knew I'd cry
Fall unnoticed down below

Front to make you happy
back to make you weep
Lips to keep you kissing
whilst everyone's asleep

Tears to break a backbone
laughs to win a war
And people come and ask me
what I love you for

But like the blackbird on the wire
I will not take the prey on you
You wouldn't want me to
For I am too soft for such a thing
And like the blackbird on the wire
I just watch you by
The tears I knew I'd cry
Fall unnoticed down below

And with a tongue built from quicksilver
and a character of steel
They actually come and ask me
How I feel

But like the blackbird on the wire
I will not take the prey on you
You wouldn't want me to
For I am too soft for such a thing
And like the blackbird on the wire
I just watch you by
The tears I knew I'd cry
Fall unnoticed down below

C'mon Heaton

 

[lontok2005]

Line four, in a park
And the things, the things that people do in the dark
I could hear the faintest beat of your heart
Then we did

Now I'm older and I look at your face
Every wrinkle is so easy to place
And I only write them down just in case
You should die

**Prettiest Eyes**

 

[cesare]

And with a tongue built from quicksilver
and a character of steel
They actually come and ask me
How I feel

Cool that

 

[nonamenopackdrill]

Dubversion likes the beautiful south but hates the beatles.
And he thinks he has taste.

 

[lontok2005]

Very cool

 

[cesare]

A feminine receptacle, thats just what I am
Those things are above us whores
Just the best target practice, for a misguided man
Those things are above us whores

 

[cesare]

Very cool

night longtok

 

[fractionMan]

Can't say I'm sorry. One of them had a 'rock star' tantrum in a pub I worked in and punched a hole in a window. The twat.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I have always liked this one:

Think of you with pipe and slippers
Think of her in bed
Laying there just watching telly
Then think of me instead

Ill never grow so old and flabby
That could never be
Dont marry her, fuck me

And your love light shines like cardboard
But your work shoes are glistening
Shes a phd in I told you so
Youve a knighthood in Im not listening

Shell grab your sweaty bollocks
Then slowly raise her knee
Dont marry her, fuck me

And the sunday sun shines down on san francisco bay
And you realise you cant make it anyway
You have to wash the car
Take the kiddies to the park
Dont marry her, fuck me

Those lovely sunday mornings
With breakfast brought in bed
Those blackbirds look like knitting needles
Trying to peck your head

Those birds will peck your soul out
And throw away the key
Dont marry her, fuck me

And the kitchens always tidy
And the bathrooms always clean
Shes a diploma in just hiding things
Youve a first in low esteem

When your socks smell of angels
But your life smells of brie
Dont marry her, fuck me

And the sunday sun shines down on san francisco bay
And you realise you cant make it anyway
You have to wash the car
Take the kiddies to the park
Dont marry her, fuck me

And the sunday sun shines down on san francisco bay
And you realise you cant make it anyway
You have to wash the car
Take the kiddies to the park
Dont marry her, fuck me

 

[Guineveretoo]

I went to see Beautiful South in concert last summer in the grounds of that stately home up north where Pride and Prejudice or some other costume drama was filmed. (ETA Castle Howard, google tells me)

Of course, I can't remember the name of the venue, but I remember that I had a fantastic time, and they were giving away free samples of that drink which is made from fruit and all the sugar turns to alcohol (gosh, I can't remember the name of that, either!).

 

[lontok2005]

Festy freebies! If that's not a reason to love them, nothing is

**Bell-Bottomed Tear**

This is the perfume I wore
This is the hotel we stayed
This is the way that I lay
And this is the woman you laid
This is the woman you laid

We promise ourselves this is no one-night stand
Let us draw all the curtains and strike up the band
And I'm thrilled by gentlest touch of your hand

We pretend

There's a tear, there's a tear
Not through confusion through fear, through fear

And knowing at least that love came so near
Just adds to the weight of this bell-bottomed tear

 

[Roadkill]

I liked the Beautiful South a lot. IMO Paul Heaton is one of the great, underrated songwriters of his generation, and although the Beautiful South never had The Housemartins' edge, they did some wonderful songs. Good musicians, too.

The chapter on family values in one of Peter Hitchens's books starts with some highly disapproving comments on 'Don't Marry Her,' describing it as a cynical, left-wing rant against the married state. Any band who can annoy Peter Hitchens like that must be doing something right.

Now I wish I'd gone to the big gig they did in Hull last year. They were said to be a great live band. Now I'll never get the chance to find out.

They were playing Carry on up the Charts in my local last night. My ex and I raised a glass to the band. They'll be missed - even by people who claim to hate them.

 

[Lisarocket]

To be honest i thought they'd split up years ago

 

[badseed]

IMO past their best, but I still listen to each new cd and there is always some really sharp lyrics. What will he do now?

 

[ICB]

Always loathed them, not quite sure why, something in the sensibility of the lyrics (from sentimental pap to horrible sentiments) and middle-of-the-roadness of the music.

Quite amazed at how many pros vs cons on here.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

I absolutely despised them, one of the worst bands other than Simply Red IMO, I think it's a travesty that a band like U2, who despite their frontman being a total wanker, have made some good music, can be voted worst band ever, while Beautiful South, who are the musical equivalent of someone scraping their fingernail down a blackboard, escape scotfree.

That fucking "You Keep It All In" is easily in the top 5 worst songs ever recorded. Fact. Argh.

And I couldn't give a shit about their politics> Simply Red were also quite lefty, didn't stop Fucknall being a wanker.

 

[editor]

I photographed them once, and they were a lovely bunch of people.

(*I really should scan in a better version!)

http://www.urban75.com/rock/rock2.html

 

[Roadkill]

Judging from what I've heard of the Beautiful South's drinking habits, you were lucky they were in a fit state to be photographed after a session in the pub.

Even now they've a reputation in the pubs down Beverley Road in Hull, and I believe Paul Heaton is still banned from Spiders - and getting banned from that place takes some doing...!

 

[Idaho]

Oh.. just posted on the Housemartins' thread without realising what had prompted it.

I think they were great. The lyrics sort of halfway between Morrissey and Ray Davis and the music easy listening

My favourite:

I was handed down the looks of a man with a broken nose
That's the way our family was I suppose
But at least you gave me deeply profound
As we lay and chatted late upon the cricket ground

You didn't have to love me
Where others got rid
You didn't have to treat me like a very good friend
But I'm glad that you did

One thing I never said to you
And one thing I never can
Amongst the false applause and the deafening cheers
I'm your No. 1 fan
I'm your No. 1 fan

I'm the richly blessed daughter of a mother with tattooed arms
That's the way my family life, life was charmed
But at least it gave me mental grace
And a thought at the pit of my mind and a smile on my face

 

[sleaterkinney]

Good news, shame they didn't split up sooner.

 

[pogofish]

Even now they've a reputation in the pubs down Beverley Road in Hull, and I believe Paul Heaton is still banned from Spiders - and getting banned from that place takes some doing...!

Heaton has a mate up here, not far from where I live & has been a fairly regular visitor since the days of the Housemartins. AFAIK, he is still welcome in most places here. Even the Grampian Bar in Torry!

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

tbh i thought they'd split up/become defunct a looong time ago