The Beautiful South Lyrics

    ------ About the song Blackbird On The Wire performed by The Beautiful South

The writer uses the third person to relate how others perceive and behave towards the girl that the writer loves (eyes to take YOU dancing, mouth to leave YOUR wife etc)and uses the first person to say how the writer feels (people come and ask ME what I love you for). The writer conveys that their love is unconsummated, explictly stating that the writer would regard this as predatory, and the girl knows that this would betray the writer's values (You wouldn't want me to, for I am too soft for such a thing). The writer uses skilful similes to indicate that this girl is provocative (mouth to leave your wife, legs to run away with, lips to keep you kissing while everyone's asleep)but she is also controversial and may cause heartache(tears to break a backbone, laughs to win a war).

In some recordings, the verse about a tongue built of quicksilver and character of steel is omitted. Does that refer to the girl or to the people who come to ask how the writer feels? In context of the previous verse, the people ask what the writer loves the girl for, so this vital verse may be the reply that the girl is poetical and strong in character.

A sadder interpretation is that it is the people who have tongues of quicksilver and insensitive steely characters and although they use the girl like "prey" they know the writer loves her and yet the have the gall to ask how the writer feels about that.

A third interpretation is that the qualities are those of the writer; a strong character to hold to principles and withstand the temptation to use the girl like prey, but a tongue like quicksilver to provide the rationalisation (rational lies) for why the writer does not commit to loving the girl despite the controversy and her unspoken vulnerability that is implicit in regarding her as prey, even though the girl knows about this love and why the writer does not pursue it.

The song to me is about knowing that just because we fall in love with someone it does not mean that it feels right and they might or might not love us in return, but even if they do it may not be right to engage in that relationship.

To me, there is something important that is hidden about the nature of this love, not explained but hinted at.

Whatever the interpretation, and though one may not like the self pity implicit in the chorus,which perhaps converts the anger at others who are not encumbered by the writer's dilemma, it has a visceral appeal at many levels and touches that sore spot about loves that never worked out, impossible dilemmas and contradictions that are insoluble and leave regrets that last a lifetime

    ------ About the song Don't Marry Her performed by The Beautiful South

I partly agree with Emma and James that the "clean" version of this song makes it a little more romantic, but the original version which is deemed to be "less clean" just shows the possible depths in the song. It is renouncing more what marriage will do to this guy, while keeping the song's persona independent and "liberated". She is not asking him for a marriage commitment because maybe she sees in him a potential to renounce self in marriage. She does like him though and seeks for mutual independence in a sexual relationship with him; a relationship which she sees, would not suck the soul out of him. I think that both versions work but the cleverness of the song lies in the total transformation of meaning, by the change in one word.

    ------ About the song Don't Marry Her performed by The Beautiful South

I feel the clean version carries more emotion wit it. It invokes the idea of someone in love wanting to catch there dream person and saving them from disaster. Whereas the crude version is just that, don't marry her, just sleep with me hardly a winning arguement.....

    ------ About the song Don't Marry Her performed by The Beautiful South

I think a lil bit of my childhood died when i heard the original lyrics to the song i used to sing along to on the radio. I like the song either way, but i prefer the clean version. The meaning of the song changes a little but i think the clean version is nicer. *shrug*

    ------ About the song Don't Marry Her performed by The Beautiful South

This is the original version, from "Blue Is The Colour", which was lunched in 1996. The cleaned up version was done later on, and is used on the "Best Of" album, which was launched six years later. The clean version was done simply to keep the music chanels and shops happy.

    ------ About the song Don't Marry Her performed by The Beautiful South

This is the original version, from Blue Is The Colour. The cleaned up version is from "The Best Of" hich was launched a good six years later. SO, everyone that thinks this is wrong, you're actually wrong :)

    ------ About the song Les Yeux Ouverts performed by The Beautiful South

Love the French version of "Dream a Little Dream" (aka "Les Yeux Ouverts"). I love French songs, and the movie this song came from (French Kiss) was funny and very touching at times!

    ------ About the song Don't Marry Her performed by The Beautiful South

The chorus is wrong too.
This is the rude version, not the original.
It's sung,

Don't Marry Her, Have Me.
There should be another one for the Fuck version. =/

    ------ About the song Blitzkreig Bop performed by The Beautiful South

It's BlitzkrrIEg. In the text body the word was spelled correctly, so this must be a typo.

Thanks for the wonderful collection.

    ------ About the song Don't Marry Her performed by The Beautiful South

She's a diploma in "just hiding things"<<< there is a mistake ... but i dont know the correct sentences