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The end of the Smiths in England sparked a true media frenzy in search of Morrissey and Marr's successors. Thus, the title of "new Smiths" was soon attributed to various bands on the British scene: the House Of Love, James, Moz's protégés, the Trash Can Sinatras, the La's, and the Sundays.
The latter were certainly the most hyped by the press; led by one of Johnny Marr's most credible disciples, David Gavurin, and produced by the same label as the Manchester group (Rough Trade), the Sundays shook the English music scene just before the Madchester phenomenon, enough to make a rash but esteemed journalist exclaim, "this is the greatest band in the world," and to appear on the cover of various magazines even before releasing their debut. When it was released in late 1989, it did not disappoint expectations.
The delicate guitar phrases of Gavurin are supported by a simple yet effective rhythm section and the enchanting voice of Harriet Wheeler, a less theatrical Liz Fraser (Cocteau Twins). The album is a succession of expansive atmospheres, with some faster and more rhythmic tracks providing a counterbalance. The perfect meeting of the two models produces the delightful single "Here’s Where The Story Ends." The influence of the Smiths is strong, but the Sundays seem to have learned only one lesson from the group: that of the pop ballad; in short, the intent is to resemble "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" more than "The Queen Is Dead." And the result is more than good, and thanks to the dream-pop echoes of bands like the Cocteau Twins and Lush (obvious in tracks like "Joy" and "Skin And Bones"), and to sparse and essential arrangements, the band manages to find its own original path and imprint it on every track of the album. "My Finest Hour" and "You’re Not The Only One I Know" show an enviable compositional freshness, and are, along with the aforementioned "Here’s Where The Story Ends," the peaks of an extremely pleasant and sweet album, which has the only limitation of being slightly repetitive, due to a pattern repeated too many times and a guitar that struggles to evolve.
Elements that will become increasingly visible in the subsequent albums, "Blind" and "Static & Silence," catchy but not on par with a debut that influenced bands like the Cranberries and Sixpence None The Richer.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Skin & Bones (04:17)
You know, and I've been wondering
You know, all the way home
Whether the world will see
I'm a better man than others by far
And you know, I've had it so good
Yeah but how loathsome
It's not quite my style
Work and vanity
Wasted my time inside
Oh, you see me in a cardigan
In a dress, dress, dress that I've been sitting on
Oh how are you?
Can't say I really care at the end of it all
Actually, oh, well there's something I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
Well, now, just one thing I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
And you know, and I've been wondering
You know, all the way home
Whether the world will see
I'm a better man than others by far
Ooh how are you?
I shan't say I really care at the end of it all
Actually, oh, there is something I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
Well, now, there's one thing I've found
It's that we're just skin and bones
Actually, oh, there's something I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
And we're nothing much more
There's something, just something I've found
It's that we're just flesh and blood
And we're nothing much more
Oh no, what did I do wrong?
Oh no, what did I do wrong?
Individual doubts
Just one thing I've found
We are just flesh and blood
Nothing much more
Something, just something I've found
That we're skin and bones
Yeah...
02 Here's Where the Story Ends (03:55)
People I know, places I go
Make me feel tongue tied
I can see how, people look down
They're on the inside
Here's where the story ends
People I see, weary of me
Showing my good side
I can see how, people look down
I'm on the outside
Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends
It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year
Which makes my eyes feel sore
Oh I never should have said, the books that you read
Were all I loved you for
It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year
Which makes me wonder why
And it's the memories of the shed, that make me turn red
Surprise, surprise, surprise
Crazy I know, places I go
Make me feel so tired
I can see how people look down
I'm on the outside
Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends
It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year
Which makes my eyes feel sore
And who ever would've thought, the books that you brought
Were all I loved you for
Oh the devil in me said, go down to the shed
I know where I belong
But the only thing I ever really wanted to say
Was wrong, was wrong, was wrong
It's that little souvenir, of a colorful year
Which makes me smile inside
So I cynically, cynically say, the world is that way
Surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise
Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends
03 Can't Be Sure (03:25)
give me a story and give me a bed
give me possessions
oh love luck and money they go to my head like wildfire
it's good to have something to live for you'll find
live for tomorrow
live for a job and a perfect behind, high time
England my country the home of the free, such miserable weather
but England's as happy as England can be
why cry
and did you know desire's a terrible thing
the worst that I could find
and did you know desire's a terrible thing
but I rely on mine, a-ah
England my country the home of the free, such miserable weather
but England's as happy as England can be
why cry
and did you know desire's a terrible thing
the worst that I could find
and did you know desire's a terrible thing
but I rely on mine
did you know desire's a terrible thing
it makes the world go blind
but if desire, desire's a terrible thing
you know that I really don't mind
and it's my life
and though I can't be sure what I want any more
it will come to me later
well it's my life.... and it's my life
and though I can't be sure if I want any more
it will come to me later... ah, yeah
04 I Won (04:22)
Ooh, let me take a candle to a cellar tonight
I'd like to take some matches there and set it alight
I can, cos I've seen those kind of places before
Ooh, I'd like to have a party in a cellar tonight
And I'd love to have a party but it wouldn't be right
I shan't, cos I've seen those kind of people before
I won the war in the sitting room
I won the war but it cost me
I won the war and I feel proud
But I don't know why it's hard to get to sleep in my house
Ooh, I have to pull the blankets up to cover my head
And I have to pull the blankets right up
But I don’t know why it's hard to get to sleep in my house
Well you keep following the feel of the fire
It's not difficult to see that you're
Young and selfish, and liberty and money
Don't go
Let me take a candle to a cellar tonight
And you should see the parties we've had before
Give me the time, give me the time
Give me your watchword, give me whatever you like
I won the war in the sitting room
I won the war but it cost me
I won the war and I feel proud
But God only knows why it's hard to get to sleep in my house
Oh your supercilious smile
Oh your supercilious smile
Well you keep following the feel of fire
It's not difficult to see that you're
Beautiful and young, and critical of nothing
And you keep following the feel of fire
It's not difficult to see that you're
Beautiful and young, but liberty and money
Don't go
05 Hideous Towns (03:48)
Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I joined the army, The Salvation Army
But it didn't help
Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I joined the army, but it drove me barmy
And it didn't help
Hideous towns make me throw up
Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I went into service with The Civil Service
But it didn't help
Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I went into service, but it made me nervous
And it didn't help
Ooh, hideous towns made me throw up
And sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will just finish me off
Yeah, near enough
Oh oh, my hopeless youth it's so uncouth
And oh, I'd like to be in history
I said, oh in my hopeless youth just so uncouth
So there you go and now you know
But just please don't
Don't ask me why, don't ask me why
I went to the circus, Piccadilly Circus
It was very strange
Don't ask me why, cos I don't know why
Never one to roam, I took the first bus home
And I haven't changed
Ooh, hideous towns made me throw up
And I know sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will just finish me off
Yeah, near enough
Yes they do
Said, oh my hopeless youth it's so uncouth
Said, oh and I'd like to be in history
Said, oh in my hopeless youth it's just so uncouth
So there you go, and now you know
But just please don't...
Please, please, please
Said oh, yeah my hopeless youth just so damn, oh oh
Yeah, my hopeless youth is really very young
Just really very young
07 A Certain Someone (04:25)
Live your life, have your say
Read your stars, day by day
If I could have anything in the world for free
I wouldn't share it with anyone else but me
Oh, live your life, go your way
And I said oh no
Live your life, stake your claim
Wash your clothes, change your name
Ooh, and I said oh, no, no
If I could have anything in the world for free
I wouldn't share it with anyone else but me
You're too twisted by half...
But that's far enough
So live your life, build a home
And fill it full of flowers and a bottle of old cologne
Yeah, if I could have anything in the world for free
I wouldn't share it with anyone else but me
Except perhaps a certain someone
Except perhaps a certain someone
Except perhaps a certain someone
Just to be shown another way out
You're too twisted by half...
But that's far enough
Oh, I'd be careful living in a block of flats
And I never take the lift to the top
No, I never take the lift to the top
Ah, you're too twisted by half...
Ah, but that's far enough
Take a swim round, take a look down
I'll never believe what we've found
We figured it out, we figured it out
We lived in a house, in a cold room
08 I Kicked a Boy (02:18)
When the weather's fine, when it's sunny outside
Think about the time I kicked a boy 'til he cried
Oh, I could've been wrong, but I don't think I was
He's such a child
When I am alone, I remember so well
How merrily I tripped a boy so he fell
Oh I could've been wrong, but I don't think I was
He's totally wild
And I've been wondering lately just who's gonna save me
Now I have a cold, and no story to tell
I'd marry you but I'm so unwell
And I could've been wrong
Well I don't think I was
He's totally wild
And I've been wondering lately
Just who's gonna save me
Yes, you should've been wise
Oh, hysterical child
Where'd you learn to do that
09 My Finest Hour (03:59)
And the world it shows me up
My clothes they show me up
I never knew this before
My finest hour that I've ever known
Was finding a pound on the underground
And my words came stumbling out
Then I went tumbling out
I've never been hit before
And the finest hour that I've ever known
Was finding a pound on the underground
And I'll keep hoping you are the same as me
And I'll send you letters and come to your house for tea
We are who we are, what do the others know?
But poetry is not for me
So show me the way to go home
And the words came stumbling out of my mouth
And then I went tumbling out...
But I'll keep hoping you are the same as me
And I'll send you letters and come to your house for tea
We are who we are what do the others know?
But poetry is not for me so show me the way to go
Oh, I'm going home
But I'll keep hoping you are the only one
Yes and I'll send you letters, wouldn't it be such fun?
We are who we are whatever the others say
But poetry is not for me
And much as I'd like to stay
Oh, I just want to go home
You're, you're, you're too young
Should've been you, you're, you're too young
It should've been you too, you're too, you're too young
It should've been you you you're too young
You should've been safer, saner
Bribed the judge and then sat down
Ooh you're, you're, you're too young
10 Joy (04:10)
The Lone Ranger sold his wardrobe
The Lone Ranger sold his bad dog
Well you saw him
And you can't hardly know
'Cause times change
I know
On some days he's more than humble
On some days he's cold and mad, mad as hell
Well you saw him
And you can't hardly know
It's so strange
Well I... I know
Those lakes of golden water
Those lakes of gold are all running out
Well you saw him
And you can't hardly know
It's so strange
Well I... I know
Joy, joy, joy
Work, work, work harder
Sure as the hours
Joy, joy, joy
Work, work, work harder
You say
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