The The

Released: June 27, 1989

Featuring: Sinéad O’Connor

Songwriter: Matt Johnson

Producer: Matt Johnson Warne Livesey

[Verse 1: Matt Johnson & Sinéad O’Connor]
Tell me what you're thinking baby
Your heart's beating faster than mine
And I know something's going on in your life
Your life... your life

You were the girl I wanted to cry with
You were the girl I wanted to die with

And you were the boy who turned into the man
Broke my heart and let go off my hand

[Chorus: Matt Johnson & Sinéad O’Connor]
Our bed is empty, the fire is out
And all the love we've got to give has all spurted out
There's no more blood and no more pain
In our kingdom of rain

[Verse 2: Sinéad O’Connor]
You think you know about life
You think you know about love
But when you put your hands inside me
It doesn't even feel like I'm being touched

You were the boy I wanted to cry with
You were the boy I wanted to die with
You've moved further from my side, year by year
While still making love dutifully sincere

[Bridge: Matt Johnson & Sinéad O’Connor]
But as silent as the car lights that move across this room
As cold as our bodies silhouetted by the moon
And I would lie awake and wonder
Is it just me or this the way love is supposed to be?

[Verse 3: Matt Johnson & Sinéad O’Connor]
Tell me what you told him baby
My heart's beating out of time with my mind
And I know something's going wrong in our lives

I just wanted somebody to caress, this damsel in distress
I just wanted somebody to undress, this damsel in distress
I just wanted somebody to bless, this damsel in distress
I just wanted somebody to possess, this young girl

[Outro: Matt Johnson & Sinéad O’Connor]
Our bed is empty, the fire is out
And all the love we've got to give has all spurted out
Our bed is empty, the fire is out
And all the love we've got to give has all spurted out
Our bed is empty, the fire is out
And all the love we've got to give has all spurted out
There's no more blood and no more pain
In our kingdom of rain

The The effectively serves as the pseudonym for British singer/songwriter Matt Johnson and his recordings with a revolving door of backing musicians and whatever collaborators he’s brought with him into the studio. These collaborators comprise a veritable who’s who of UK pop in the 80 among the many are Johnny Marr, Marc Almond, Sinead O'Connor, Peter Christopherson, David Johansen, Jools Holland, Neneh Cherry and J.G. Thirlwell.

Johnson first formed The The in 1979 with Keith Laws on synthesizer (Laws, interestingly, was the one who suggested the name “The The”). One year later, they added a rhythm section (Tom Johnston [bass] & Peter Ashworth [drums]) and signed to 4AD Records. A year after that, every member of the band left to pursue their day jobs (Johnston is now a cartoonist, Ashworth a photographer and Laws a professor of neuropsychology).

Johnson continued the band himself, playing almost every instrument on their first three albums (with the exception of the frequent guest and session musicians). The quote-unquote band’s official debut came with 1983’s Soul Mining, a synth-pop album which garnered Johnson great critical acclaim and some mild chart success (especially with singles “This is the Day” and “Uncertain Smile”). Johnston stayed away from live performance, instead deciding to release his sophomore record, 1986’s Infected alongside an album-length video.

From the albums

The The popular songs

Kingdom of RainThe The

The The