Paint A Vulgar Picture: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:20, 1 February 2023

Cover art

THE SMITHS song
Name	Paint A Vulgar Picture
Album/single	Strangeways, Here We Come
Length	5:35 5:40 (Monitor Mix) 5:38 (Studio Outtake)
Writer/composer	Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Producer	Stephen Street Assisted by Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Release	September 1987
Recorded	Spring 1987

Information

An alternate take of this song appears on The Smiths – Unreleased Demos & Instrumentals bootleg LP.

Morrissey stated in the February 13-20, 1988 issue of NME that the song wasn't about Geoff Travis:

"No, it wasn't about Rough Trade at all. So I was a bit confused when Geoff Travis, the Rough Trade big boy, despised it and stamped on it. It was about the music industry in general, about practically anybody who's died and left behind that frenetic fanatical legacy which sends people scrambling. Billy Fury, Marc Bolan..."

Lyrics

At the record company meeting
On their hands - a dead star
and ooh, the plans that 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 "please, 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
Best of! Most of!
Satiate the need
slip them into different sleeves!
Buy both, and be 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'
we will never meet again...
At the record company meeting
on their hands-at last!-a dead star!
but they cannot taint you in my eyes
no, they cannot 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

Live History

Play count (The Smiths concert): 0

Play count (Morrissey concert): 46

Morrissey live history:

... further results

Appears On

Appears On Covers Compilation

Godfathers Of Change Vol. 1: A Tribute To The Smiths

Cover Versions

True Tone

Related Forum Threads

The Smiths A-Z: "Paint a Vulgar Picture" - Morrissey-solo (May 17, 2022)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:Strangewaysherewecome.jpg | thumb | right | Cover art]]
-{| id="songbox" class="infbox wikitable" cellspacing="2"
+{{Songbox
-! colspan="2" | THE SMITHS Song
+| Name = Paint A Vulgar Picture
-|-
+| Album = [[Strangeways, Here We Come]]
-| Name
+| Length = 5:35<br>5:40 (Monitor Mix)<br>5:38 (Studio Outtake)
-| {{{Name |<span class="unknown">Paint A Vulgar Picture</span>}}}
+| Writer = [[Writer::Morrissey]] / [[Writer::Johnny Marr]]
-|-
+| Producer = [[Producer::Stephen Street]]<br>Assisted by [[Producer::Morrissey]] / [[Producer::Johnny Marr]]
-| Album/Single
+| Recorded = Spring 1987
-| {{{Album |<span class="unknown">[[Strangeways, Here We Come]]</span>}}}{{
+| Release = September 1987
-#if:{{{Track |}}}
+| ArtistType = The Smiths
-	| <span class="small">&#32;({{{Track}}})</span>
 }}
-|-
+[[Category:The Smiths Lyrics]]
-| Length
-| {{{Length |<span class="unknown">5:35</span>}}}
-|-
-| Recorded
-| {{{Recorded |<span class="unknown">Spring 1987</span>}}}
-|-
-| Writer
-| {{{Writer |<span class="unknown">Morrissey/Marr</span>}}}
-|-
-| Producer
-| {{{Producer |<span class="unknown">[[Johnny Marr]]<br>[[Morrissey]]<br>[[Stephen Street]]</span>}}}
-|}
-[[Category:The Smiths Lyrics]]
 ==Information==
 * An alternate take of this song appears on [[The Smiths – Unreleased Demos & Instrumentals (LP bootleg)|The Smiths – Unreleased Demos & Instrumentals]] bootleg LP.
+* Morrissey stated in the [https://illnessasart.com/2020/05/22/nme-13-20-february-1988/ February 13-20, 1988 issue of NME] that the song wasn't about [[Mention::Geoff Travis]]:
+<blockquote>
+"No, it wasn't about Rough Trade at all. So I was a bit confused when Geoff Travis, the Rough Trade big boy, despised it and stamped on it. It was about the music industry in general, about practically anybody who's died and left behind that frenetic fanatical legacy which sends people scrambling. [[Mention::Billy Fury]], [[Mention::Marc Bolan]]..."
+</blockquote>
 == Lyrics ==
-{{lyrics
+<poem>
-|
+At the record company meeting
-At the record company meeting
+On their hands - a dead star
-On their hands - a dead star
+and ooh, the plans that they weave
-And oh, the plans they weave
+and ooh, the sickening greed
-And oh, the sickening greed
+At the record company party
+on their hands - a dead star
-At the record company party
+the sycophantic slags all say:
-On their hands - a dead star
+"I knew him first, and I knew him well"
-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
+double-pack with a photograph
-Extra track (and a tacky badge)
+Extra Track (and a tacky badge)
 A-list, playlist
-"Please them , please them !"
+"Please them, please them!"
-"Please them !"
+"Please them! please them!"
-(sadly, this was your life)
+(sadly, THIS was your life)
+but you could have said no
-But you could have said no
+if you'd wanted to
-If you'd wanted to
+you could have said no
-You could have said no
+if you'd wanted to
-If you'd wanted to
+BPI, MTV, BBC
+"Please them! Please them!"
-BPI, MTV, BBC
+(sadly, this was your life)
-"Please them ! Please then!"
+but you could have said no
-(sadly this was your life)
+if you'd wanted to
+you could have walked away
-But you could have said no
+...couldn't you?
-If you'd wanted to
+I touched you at the soundcheck
-You could have walked away
+you had no real way of knowing
-...Couldn't you?
+in my heart I begged "please, take me
+with 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
+just a child from those ugly new houses
-Who could never begin to know
+who could never begin to know
+who could never really know
-Who could never really know
+Best of! Most of!
-Oh...
-Best of! Most of!
 Satiate the need
-Slip them into different sleeves!
+slip them into different sleeves!
-Buy both, and feel deceived
+Buy both, and be deceived
+climber-new entry, re-entry
-Climber - new entry, re-entry
 World tour! ("media whore")
 "Please the Press in Belgium!"
-(This was your life...)
+(THIS was your life...)
+and when it fails to recoup?
-And when it fails to recoup ?
+Well, maybe:
-Well, maybe :
+You just haven't earned it yet, baby
-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
+you're just the same as I am
-What makes most people feel happy
+what makes most people feel happy
-Leads us headlong into harm
+leads us headlong into harm
+so, in my bedroom in those 'ugly new houses'
-So, in my bedroom in those 'ugly new houses'
+I dance my legs down to the knees
-I danced my legs down to the knees
+but me and my 'true love'
-But me and my 'true love'
+we will never meet again...
-Will never meet again...
 At the record company meeting
-On their hands - at last! - A dead star !
+on their hands-at last!-a dead star!
-But they can never taint you in my eyes
+but they cannot taint you in my eyes
-No, they can never touch you now
+no, they cannot 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
+</poem>
-No, they cannot hurt you, my darling
+{{CommonSongSections | Artist = The Smiths | Song = {{#replace:{{#replace:{{PAGENAME}}| (single)|}}| (song)|}}}}
-They cannot touch you now
+{{Page
-But me and my 'true love'
+|RelatedForumThreads=149439
-Will never meet again
 }}
+{{PageDate}}
-{{CommonSongSections | Artist = The Smiths | Song = {{#replace:{{#replace:{{PAGENAME}}| (single)|}}| (song)|}}}}