This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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
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
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Paint a Vulgar Picture Lyrics as written by Johnny Marr Steven Morrissey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song gives me the chills, given Moz's current situation-- reissue, repackage, repackage!" Until he releases new stuff, the record co's that own the older will doubtlessly give us "Best ofs Morrissey"-- and there's not a damn thin ghe can do about it. The irony is that this song was directed at the larger labels (I believe the SMiths were on Rough Trade, a smaller label when this was written) and now Moz refuses to sign with a smaller label, though he has a full CD recorded. AAARGH!!