Morrissey Lyrics ALMA MATTERS So : the choice I have made May seem strange to you But who asked you, anyway ? It's my life to wreck My own way You see : to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ... Alma matters In mind, body and soul In part, and in whole Because to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ... Alma matters In mind, body and soul In part, and in whole So the life I have made May seem wrong to you But, I've never been surer It's my life to ruin My own way You see : to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ... Alma matters In mind, body and soul In part, and in whole Because to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ... Alma matters In mind, body and soul In part, and in whole To someone, somewhere, oh yeah ... Alma matters In mind, body and soul Part, and in whole So to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ... Alma matters In mind, body and soul Part, and in whole To someone, somewhere, oh yeah ... Oh yeah ... Oh yeah, oh yeah Oh yeah ... A fantastic grower of a song, the deliberately simplistic lyrics allow a strong melody, no doubt partly responsible for its respectable chart placing when released as a single. Morrissey's simplistic lyrics once again reveal a more complex side on closer inspection. The use of the pun "Alma Matters" implies three separate things; one, that an education in general counts (your "alma mater" is the university you went to), two, that kindness is important ("alma" means benevolent), but only to someone, somewhere, and three, that your upbringing will always, in one way define you. After all, what other education is there than that of your experiences ? Indeed, there is an implication that only education can make you "alma". All this from two words: not bad. AND it might be refer Alma, a character in Coronation Street. A distant cousin of Everyday Is Like Sunday, apparently. ALSATIAN COUSIN Were you and he Lovers ? And would you say so if you were ? On a forecourt On a Friday Passing my way Oh... Were you and he Lovers ? And if you were, then say that you were! On a groundsheet Under canvas With your tent-flap open wide A note upon his desk "P.S. Bring Me Home And Have Me!" Leather elbows on a tweed coat -Oh!- Is THAT the best you can do ? So came his reply : "But on the desk is where I want you!" So I ask (even though I know): Were you and he Lovers ? AMBITIOUS OUTSIDERS Bolt-lock your doors Alarm your cars And still we move in closer Every day Top of the list Is your smiling kids But we'll be smiling too So that's OK Oh, and by the way Thank you, because you're Giving, giving, giving And we're receiving - No, no, we're taking Keeping the population down Your taxes paid, but Police waylaid And we knows When the school bus Comes and goes We're on your street, but You don't see us Or, if you do You smile and say Hello BUT DON'T UNDERESTIMATE US When you are Giving, giving, giving And we're receiving - No, no, we're taking Just keeping The population down You're giving, giving, giving Well, it's your own fault For reproducing We're just keeping The population down A distant cousin of Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together, a rumbling percussive part is dramatically joined by deep strings. It really is clear, particularly on this song, quite how much Morrissey's voice has improved in the last few years. By far the best bit of this song is the power-surgeparound the line "BUT DON'T UNDERESTIMATE US". The ironic thankyou to the victims is offset by the absurd line "we knows when the school bus comes and goes". Yet another chance for Morrissey to laugh at himself, this ridiculously and purposefully clumsy rhyme couldn't be more out of context - and is therefore brilliant. Although the song itself isn't that good. AMMUNITION I know these roads Each ridge And narrow bridge Each cheveron Enticing me on Each warning sign I take in my stride I don't need more ammunition I've got more than I can spend I don't dwell on things I'm missing I'm just pleased With the things I've found I know these roads An old hand understands Above all, I know what's Expected of me now Veering cliffwards I don't need more ammunition I've got more than I can spend I don't dwell on things I'm missing I'm just pleased With the things I've found With the things I've found With the things I've found I've found I've been crying It comes back on these salient days And it stays And it says : "We've never really been away" I don't need more ammunition I've got more than I can spend I don't think of who I'm missing I've got no space and no time In my life, anymore No space or time In my life, anymore For Revenge The claim that he hasn't any time for Revenge anymore in this song is absurdly contradicted by the vicious Sorrow Will Come In The End. Still, a fine midway album track. I was under the impression they were called chevrons. Is this another "windowscreen" attempt to fit a motoring-related line in to a vocal ? Weird. Of course, we can only guess at what "things" he's found. Typically, he just can't leave a statement unqualified - here he insists that on clearer days, "it" comes back. His comic imagery of him going along a pit-filled road is really quite perfect, as his claim "I don't think of who I'm missing". See if you can spot the connection between the last section of this song and Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now. Not exactly subtle, is it ? Is this song about the end of The Smiths ? A distant cousin of Certain People I Know. ANGEL, ANGEL, DOWN WE GO TOGETHER Angel, Angel Don't take your life tonight I know they take And that they take in turn And they give you nothing real For yourself in return But when they've used you And they've broken you And they've wasted all your money And cast your shell aside And when they've bought you And they've sold you And they've billed you for the pleasure And they've made your parents cry I will be here OH, BELIEVE ME I will be here ...believe me Angel, don't take your life Some people have got no pride They do not understand The Urgency of life But I love you more than life I love you more than life I love you more than life I love you more than life ASIAN RUT Day oh so late Strangely the sun still shone Ooh Asian boy What are you on ? Day oh so late Strangely the sun still shone Oh Asian boy What are drugs are you on ? Oh... strange Tooled-up Asian boy Has come to take revenge For the cruel, cold killing Of his very best friend Tooled-up Asian boy Has come to avenge The cruel, cold killing Of his only friend Ha! La, la, la, oh ... There's peace through our school It's so quiet in the hall It's a strange sign for one Of what's to come Tough and cold and pale Oh, they may just impale you on railings Oh, English boys It must be wrong Three against one ? Oh ... Brakes slammed, and His gun jammed, and As far as I could tell Brave Asian boy Was dealt a blow and fell I'm just passing through here On my way to somewhere civilised And maybe I'll even arrive Maybe I'll even arrive BENGALI IN PLATFORMS Bengali, Bengali Bengali, Bengali No no no He does not want to depress you Oh no no no no no He only wants to impress you Oh.. Bengali in platforms He only wants to embrace your culture And to be your friend forever Forever Bengali, Bengali Bengali, Bengali Oh, shelve your Western plans And understand That life is hard enough when you belong here A silver-studded rim that glistens And an ankle-star that ... blinds me A lemon sole so very high Which only reminds me; to tell you Break the news gently Break the news to him gently "Shelve your plans; shelve your plans, shelve them" Bengali, Bengali It's the touchy march of time that binds you Don't blame me Don't hate me Just because I'm the one to tell you That life is hard enough when you belong here That life is hard enough when you belong here Oh... Shelve your Western plans Oh... Shelve your Western plans 'Cause life is hard enough when you belong Life is hard enough when you belong here Oh... Shelve your Western plans Oh... Shelve your best friends 'Cause life is hard when you belong here Oh... Life is hard enough when you belong BEST FRIEND ON THE PAYROLL I turn the music down; and I don't know why, this is my house I turn the music down; and I don't know why, this is my house The best friend on the payroll No, no, no, it's not gonna work out It's not gonna work out No, no, no, no The best friend on the payroll Oh, no, no, no, it's not gonna work out It's not gonna work out More breakfast in bed, and I'll bring the paper in later The best friend on the payroll Oh, no, no, no, it's not gonna work out It's not gonna work out No, no, no, no The best friend on the payroll Oh, no, no, no, it's not gonna work out It's not gonna work out More breakfast in bed, and I'll bring the paper in later The best friend on the payroll No, no, no, it's not gonna work out It's not gonna work out No, no, no, no The best friend on the payroll No, no, no, no, it's not gonna work out It's not gonna work out BILLY BUDD Say, Billy Budd So you think you should ? Oh, everyone's laughing Say, Billy Budd So you think that you should ? Everyone's laughing ! Since I took up with you Things have been bad Yeah, but now it's 12 years on Now it's 12 years on Yes, and I took up with you I took my job application Into town Did you hear ? They turned me down Yes, and it's all because of us Oh, and what was in our eyes Oh, what was in our eyes, yeah I said, Billy Budd I would happily lose Both of my legs I would lose both of my legs Oh, if it meant you could be free Oh, if it meant you could be free (Don't leave us in the dark!) The sample at the end is from the film "Oliver Twist" starring Alec Guinness. BOXERS Losing in front of your home crowd You wish the ground Would open and take you down And will time ever pass ? Will time never pass for us ? Your weary wife is walking away Your nephew, it's true Well, he thinks the world of you And I have to close my eyes Oh ... Losing in front of your home town The crowd call your name They love you all the same The sound, the smell, and the spray You will take them all away And they'll stay Till the grave Your weary wife is walking away Your nephew, it's true Well, he thinks the world of you And I have to close my eyes Oh ... Losing in your home town Hell is the bell That we'll not ring again You will return one day Because of all the things that you see When your eyes close Your weary wife - walking away Your nephew, it's true He still thinks the world of you And I have to dry my eyes Oh ... THE BOY RACER He's just too good-natured and He's got too much money and He's got too many girlfriends I'm jealous, that's all Have you seen him go, though, oh ? Have you seen him go, though, oh ? Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thinw( Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thing He's got many girlfriends He thinks he owns this city He overspeeds and he never gets pulled over Have you seen him go, though, oh ? Have you seen him go, though, oh ? Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thing Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thing He thinks he got the whole world in his hands Stood at the urinal He thinks he got the whole world in his hands And I'm gonna ... kill him ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh .... Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thing Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thing Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thing He's just too good-looking He's just too good-looking He's just too good-looking, and And, and ... Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thing Boy racer Boy racer, oh We're gonna kill this pretty thing BREAK UP THE FAMILY The strange logic in your clumsiest line (It stayed, it stayed) it stayed emblazoned on my mind You say, break up the family And let's begin to live our lives I want to see all my friends tonight It wasn't Youth, it wasn't Life Born Old, sadly wise Resigned (well, we were) To ending our lives I'm so glad to grow older To move away from those awful times I want to see all my friends tonight Yes, you found love, but you weren't At peace with your life Home late, full of hate Despise the ties that bind I'm so glad to grow older To move away from those younger years I'm in love for the first time And I don't feel bad Let me see all my old friends Let me put my arms around them Cause I really do love them Now does that sound mad ? Captain of games, solid framed I stood on the touchline Hailstones, driven home In a car - no brakes ? I don't mind I'm so glad to grow older To move away from those darker years Oh, I'm in love for the first time And I don't feel bad So wish me luck my friends Goodbye So wish me luck again Goodbye Wish me luck my friends Goodbye Mmm... wish me luck, my friends Goodbye Ahh... Ahh... CERTAIN PEOPLE I KNOW I take the cue from Certain people I know I use the cue And then I Hand it on to you And when I swing it So, it catches his eye ... (Weren't you there ? - You'd have died !) I trust the views of Certain people I know They look at Danger And they LAUGH THEIR HEADS OFF Their clothes are Imitation George the 23rd (Don't you find this absurd ?) I'd hate to be like Certain people I know They break their necks And can't afford to Get them fixed Ah, they'd sacrifice all Of their principles for anything cashable I do believe it's terrible Oh, wo, wo Ah, ah, ah, ah Oh, wo, wo Ah, ah, ah, ah Oh, wo, wo Ah, ah, ah, ah DAGENHAM DAVE Head in the clouds, and a mouthful of pie Head in a blouse, everybody loves him I see why Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Oh, Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Oh, Dagenham Dave "I love Karen, I love Sharon" on the windowscreen With never the need to fight or to question a single thing Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Oh, Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Oh, Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Oh, Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave He'd love to touch, he's afraid that he might self-combust I could say more, but you get the general idea Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Dagenham, Dagenham Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Dagenham, Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Oh, Dave, oh, Dagenham, dagenham Dagenham Dave Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave Oh, Dave, oh, Dave, oh, Dave Oh, Dave DIAL-A-CLICHÉ Further into the fog I fall Well, I was just Following you! When you said : "Do as I do and scrap your fey ways" (Dial-A-Cliché) "Grow up, be a man, and close your mealy-mouth!" (Dial-A-Cliché) Dial-A-Cliché Dial-A-Cliché But the person underneath Where does he go ? Does he slide by the wayside ? Or ... does he just die ? And you find that you've organised Your feelings, for people Who didn't like you then And do not like you now But still you say : "Do as I do and scrap your fey ways" (Dial-A-Cliché) "Grow up, be a man, and close your mealy-mouth!" (Dial-A-Cliché) "The Safe way is the only way ! There's always time to change, son !" I've changed But I'm in pain ! Dial-A-Cliché DISAPPOINTED Our unsleepable friend Gets the message on an ill wind "All your friends and your foes Would rather die than have to touch you" TO SAY THE LEAST: I'm truly disappointed Truly, truly, truly, oh... Drank too much And I said too much And there's nowhere to go - but Down Young boy - I wanna help you SEE THESE LINES ? : Truly disappointed Truly, truly, truly, oh... Don't talk to me, no About people who are "nice" 'Cause I have spent my WHOLE LIFE in RUINS Because of people who are "nice" Oh, this world may lack Style, I know Each bud must blossom and grow, oh... Young girl, one day you will be old But the thing is, I love you NOW Mmm ... This is the last song I will ever sing (Yeah!) No: I've changed my mind again (Aaw...) GOODNIGHT AND THANKYOU DO YOUR BEST AND DON'T WORRY Compare the best of their days With the worst of your days You won't win With your standards so high And your spirits so low At least remember ... This is you on a bad day, you on a pale day Just do your best and don't ... Don't worry, oh The way you hang yourself is oh, so unfair See the best of how they look Against the worst of how you are And again, you won't win With your standards so high And your spirits so low At least remember ... This is you on a drab day, you in a drab dress Just do your best and don't ... Don't worry, oh The way you hang yourself is oh, so unfair Just do your best and don't ... Don't worry, oh The way you watch yourself is oh, so unfair Just do your best and don't ... Don't worry, oh The way you hang yourself is oh, so unfair Just do your best and don't ... Don't worry, oh Do your best and don't ... DRIVING YOUR GIRLFRIEND HOME I'm driving Your girlfriend home And she's saying How she never chose you "Turn left", she says I turn left And she says "So how did I end up So deeply involved in The very existence I planned on avoiding ? " And I can't answer I'm driving Your girlfriend home And she's laughing To stop herself crying "Drive on", she says I drive on And she says "So how did I end up Attached to this person When his sense of humour Gets gradually worser ? " And I can't tell her I'm parking Outside her home And we're shaking hands Goodnight, so politely EVERYDAY IS LIKE SUNDAY Trudging slowly over wet sand Back to the bench where your clothes were stolen This is the coastal town That they forgot to close down Armageddon - come Armageddon! Come, Armageddon! Come! Everyday is like Sunday Everyday is silent and grey Hide on the promenade Etch a postcard : "How I Dearly Wish I Was Not Here" In the seaside town ...that they forgot to bomb Come, Come, Come - nuclear bomb Everyday is like Sunday Everyday is silent and grey Trudging back over pebbles and sand And a strange dust lands on your hands (And on your face...) (On your face ...) (On your face ...) (On your face ...) Everyday is like Sunday "Win Yourself A Cheap Tray" Share some greased tea with me Everyday is silent and grey FOUND FOUND FOUND Found found found Found found found Someone who's worth it In this murkiness Someone who's never Seeming scheming I've ... Found found found Found found found Someone who's worth it In this murkiness Someone who's never Seeming to be scheming (Oh, but if I'd never found) (Oh, but if I'd never found) Oh, but if I'd never found I do believe that The more you give your love And I do believe that The more you give your trust The more you give your trust And the more you give your love The more you're bound to lose The more you're bound to lose (Oh, but if I'd never found) (Oh, but if I'd never found) Somebody who wants to be Who wants to be with me ... ...All the time GLAMOROUS GLUE First day with the jar You find Everyone lies First day with the jar You find Everyone lies, nobody minds Everyone lies Where is the man you respect ? And where is the woman you love ? Where's the woman you love ? Third week with the jar You find Everything dies We won't vote Conservative Because we never have Everyone lies, everyone lies Where is the man you respect ? And where is the woman you love ? Where's the woman you love ? Everything of worth On Earth Is there To share I used to dream, and I used to vow I wouldn't dream of it now We look to Los Angeles For the language we use London is dead, London is dead London is dead, London is dead London is dead, London is dead Now I'm too much in love I'm too much in love I know I'll go Empty hand From the land HAIRDRESSER ON FIRE Here is London, giddy of London Is it home of the free - Or what ? Can you squeeze me Into an empty page of your diary And psychologically save me I've got faith in you I sense the power Within the fingers Within an hour the power Could totally destroy me (Or, it could save my life) Oh, here is London "Home of the brash, outrageous and free" You are repressed But you're remarkably dressed Is it Real ? And you're always busy Really busy Busy, busy Oh, hairdresser on fire All around Sloane Square And you're just so busy Busy, busy Busy scissors Oh, hairdresser on fire (Only the other day) Was a client, over-cautious He made you nervous And when he said "I'm gonna sue you" Oh, I really felt for you ...mmm... So can you squeeze me Into an empty page of your diary; And supernaturally change me ? Change me, change Oh, here in London "Home of the brash, outrageous and free" You are repressed But you're remarkably dressed Is it Real ? And you're always busy Really busy Busy clippers Oh, hairdresser on fire All around Sloane Square And you're just too busy To see me Busy clippers Oh, hairdresser on fire (Only the other day) THE HARSH TRUTH OF THE CAMERA EYE Churchillian legs Hair barely there Mmm, the harsh truth of the camera eye Your eyes signal pain Because of the strain of smiling The harsh truth of the camera eye Telling you all That you never wanted to know Showing you what You didn't want shown My so friendly lens It zooms into "The inner you" And it tells the harsh truth And nothing but Laugh with us all now, here If you can Then take the pictures home And scream Oh, ooh; telling you all That you never wanted to know Showing what You didn't want shown This photographer He must have really had it in for you "Ooh, I don't want To be judged anymore I don't want to be judged I would sooner be Loved I would sooner be Just blindly Loved ..." HAVE-A-GO MERCHANT Have a go When the pubs all close And have a go when they open Then have a go by the traffic lights Cut up or shut up, you're alright ! And as always I'm here right behind you And as always there's time, so have another go Oh ... A small baby girl cradled in your arms Your one big contribution We'll never know We'll never know We'll never know We'll never know Ah, yes Ah, yes Oh ... Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha Ah, ah, ha ha A small girl runs crying, through the park So freely her daddy berates her Right now, so for the rest of her life She is convinced that her daddy hates her Oh ... Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha Oh, oh, ha ha Oh ... Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha Oh, oh, ha ha Oh ... Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha Oh, oh, ha ha Oh ... Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha Oh, oh, ha ha Oh ... Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha Oh, oh, ha ha Oh ... Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha Oh, oh, ha ha HE CRIED I need you Simple words But words which had never been heard By the soul Stoned to death But still living And so he froze where he stood And he looked to the ground And he cried He cried Ride our minds If you must But there's always a line you don't cross Time is short Don't be cruel Oh you don't know the power In what you're saying Oh ... And so he froze where he stood And he looked to the ground And he cried He cried People where I come from They survive without feelings or blood I never could Was stoned to death But I'm still living So he froze where he stood And he looked to the ground And he cried He cried So he froze And he looked, and he looked To the ground And he cried He cried A middling song, really. Particularly uninteresting lyrics, with none of the drama or gravitas of Morrissey's more serious songs. Pleasant enough in context, however. Famously, a distant cousin of I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday. HE KNOWS I'D LOVE TO SEE HIM He Knows (he knows) Or, I think he does Cause when I lived In the Arse of the world He knows, he knows He knows I'd love To see him happy (Or as close as is allowed) Oh, cause when I lived In the Arse of the world ... He knows, he knows He knows I'd love To see him happy (Or as close as possible) As close as possible As close as possible As close as is allowed Oh, my name still conjours up deadly deeds And a bad taste in the mouth And the police - they actually know me They said : "You're just another person in the world You're just another fool with radical views You're just another who has maddening views You want to turn it on its head By staying in bed !" I said : "I know I do" He doesn't know ... HOLD ON TO YOUR FRIENDS A bond of trust Has been abused Something of value May be lost Give up your job Squander your cash - be rash Just hold on to your friends There are more than enough To fight and oppose Why waste good time Fighting the people you like Who will fall defending your name Oh, don't feel so ashamed To have friends But now you only call me When you're feeling depressed When you feel happy I'm So far from your mind My patience is stretched My loyalty vexed Oh, you're losing all of your friends Hold on to your friends Hold on to your friends Resist - or move on Be mad, be rash Smoke and explode Sell all of your clothes Just bear in mind : Oh, there just might come a time When you need some friends I AM HATED FOR LOVING I am hated for loving I am hated for loving Anonymous call, a poison pen A brick in the small of the back again I still don't belong To anyone - I am mine And I am hated for loving I am haunted for wanting Anonymous call, a poison pen A brick in the ... ah ... A brick in the small of the back again I still don't belong To anyone - I am mine I am falling With no-one to catch me I am falling And there's still No-one to catch me Ah .. Anonymous call, a poison pen A brick in the ... ah ... A brick in the small of the back again I just don't belong To anywhere I just don't belong Mmm ... Ah ... I DON'T MIND IF YOU FORGET ME I don't mind I don't mind if you forget me Having learned my lesson I never left an impression on anyone So now you send me your hardened 'regards' When once you'd send me 'Love' Sincerely I must tell you Your mild 'best wishes' They make me suspicious I don't mind I don't mind if you forget me Having learned my lesson I never left an impression on anyone The pressure to change, to move on Was strange And very strong So this is why I tell you I really do understand BYE BYE I don't mind if you forget me No no no no no no no You can only be strong for so long It might not eat you but it would be too ... So this is why I tell you I really don't understand This time REJECTION IS ONE THING BUT REJECTION FROM A FOOL IS CRUEL REJECTION IS ONE THING BUT REJECTION FROM A FOOL IS CRUEL And I don't mind if you forget me I don't mind if you forget me I KNOW IT'S GONNA HAPPEN SOMEDAY My love, wherever you are Whatever you are Don't lose faith I know it's gonna happen someday To you Please wait ... Please wait ... Oh ... Wait ... Don't lose faith You say that the day just never arrives And it's never seemed so far away Still, I know it's gonna happen someday To you Please wait ... Don't lose faith I'D LOVE TO Again I lay awake and I cried because of waste I'd love to (But only with you Only with you) Oh, time is gonna wipe us out There, I've said it loud and clear So that you will hear There's no one in view Just you Just you And time will never wipe you out Now I've had enough I've had more than could be My rightful share Of nights I can't bear How can it be fair ? Time must wipe them out So, again, I lay awake In a trance Oh, I just want my chance But only with you Only with you That's all That's all Aah ... (I'M) THE END OF THE FAMILY LINE With no complications Fifteen generations (of mine) All honouring Nature Until I arrive (With incredible style) I'm the end of the line The end of the family line The end of the line No baby pulled screaming Out into this seething whirl By chance or whim (Or even love ?) Our family tree hacked into decline And I'm spared the pain Of ever saying ("Goodbye") I'm the end of the line The end of the family line The end of the line The decision is mine The end of the family line The end of the line I'm the end of the line The end of the family line The end of the ... INTERESTING DRUG There are some bad people on the rise There are some bad people on the rise They're saving their own skins by Ruining other people's lives Bad, bad people on the rise Young married couple in debt - ever felt had ? Young married couple in debt - ever felt had ? On a government scheme Designed to kill your dream Oh mum, oh dad Once poor, always poor La la la la la Interesting drug The one that you took TELL THE TRUTH - IT REALLY HELPED YOU An interesting drug The one that you took God, it really really helped you You wonder why we're only half-ashamed ? "Because ENOUGH is TOO MUCH! ...and look around ... ...can you blame us ? CAN you blame us ? " On a government scheme Designed to kill your dream Oh mum, oh dad Once poor, always poor La la la la la Interesting drug The one that you took TELL THE TRUTH - IT REALLY HELPED YOU An interesting drug The one that you took God, it really really helped you You wonder why we're only half-ashamed ? "Because ENOUGH is TOO MUCH! ...and look around ... ...can you blame us ? CAN you blame us ? " JACK THE RIPPER Oh, you look so tired Mouth slack and wide Ill-housed and ill-advised Your face is as mean As your life has been Crash into my arms I WANT YOU You don't agree - But you don't refuse I know you And I know a place Where no one is likely to pass Oh, you don't care if it's late And you don't care if you're lost And oh, you look so tired (But tonight you presumed too much) Too much, too much And if it's the last Thing I ever do I'M GONNA GET YOU Crash into my arms I WANT YOU You don't agree - But you don't refuse I know you And no one knows a thing about my life I can come and go as I please And if I want to, I can stay Oh, or if I want to, I can leave Nobody knows me Nobody knows me Nobody knows me Nobody knows me Oh, oh Nobody knows me Oh, oh Nobody knows me Oh, oh Nobody knows me Oh KING LEER Your boyfriend, he Went down on one knee Well, could it be He's only got one knee ? I tried to surprise you With Vodka Or Tizer I can't quite quite remember But you didn't thank me You didn't even thank me Because you never do Your boyfriend, he Has the gift of the gab Or, could it be The gift of the grab ? I tried to surprise you I lay down beside you And ... nothing much happened And you didn't phone me You didn't even phone me Because it's not your style To dial Your boyfriend, he Has displayed to me More than just a Real hint of cruelty I tried to surprise you I crept up behind you With a homeless chihuahua You "coo"-ed for an hour You handed him back and said : "You'll never guess - I'm bored now" THE LAST OF THE FAMOUS INTERNATIONAL PLAYBOYS Dear hero imprisoned With all the new crimes that you are perfecting Oh, I can't help quoting you Because everything that you said rings true And now in my cell (Well, I followed you) And here's a list of who I slew Reggie Kray - do you know my name ? Oh, don't say you don't Please say you do, (oh) I am : The last of the famous International playboys The last of the famous International playboys And in my cell (Well, I loved you) And every man with a job to do Ronnie Kray - do you know my face ? Oh, don't say you don't Please say you do, (oh) I am : The last of the famous International playboys The last of the famous International playboys In our lifetime those who kill The newsworld hands them stardom And these are the ways On which I was raised These are the ways On which I was raised I never wanted to kill I AM NOT NATURALLY EVIL Such things I do Just to make myself More attractive to you HAVE I FAILED ? Oh... Oh, the last of the famous International playboys The last of the famous LATE NIGHT, MAUDLIN STREET Winter coming Winter for sure (For sure) Oh, winter for sure Winter - the snow Winter moves on The last night on Maudlin Street Goodbye house, goodbye stairs I was born here And I was raised here, and ...I took some stick here Love at first sight It may sound trite But it's true, you know I could list the detail Of everything you ever wore or said Or how you stood the day As we spent the last night On Maudlin Street "Goodbye house, forever!" I never stole a happy hour Around here Where the world's ugliest boy Became what you see Here I am - the ugliest man Oh, the last night on Maudlin Street Truly I do love you Oh, truly I do love you When I sleep With that picture of you framed beside my bed Oh, it's childish and it's silly But I think it's you in my room, by the bed (...yes, I told you it was silly...) And I know I took strange pills But I never meant to hurt you Oh, truly I love you Came home late one night Everyone had gone to bed But, you know No-one stays up for you I had sixteen stitches All around my head Oh, the last bus I missed to Maudlin Street So he drove me home in the Van Complaining, "Women only like me for my mind..." Don't leave your torch behind A powercut ahead; 1972, you know And so we crept through the park No, I cannot steal a pair of jeans off a clothesline For you But you ... without clothes Oh, I could not keep a straight face Me - without clothes ? Well, a nation turns its back and gags... I'm packed I am moving house A half-life disappears today With "every hand waves me on" (secretly wishing me gone) Well, I will be soon Ooh, I will be soon I will be soon I will be soon Will be soon, I will be soon Mmm ... I will be soon, I will be soon There were bad times on Maudlin Street They took you away in a police car Inspector - don't you know ? Don't you care ? Don't you know - about Love ? Your gran died And your mother died On Maudlin Street In pain, and ashamed With never time to say those special things ... oh I took the key from Maudlin Street Well, it's only bricks and mortar ! Oh, oh, truly I love you Oh, wherever you are Wherever you are Wherever you are I hope you're singing now Oh, I do hope I hope you're singing now Oh ... THE LAZY SUNBATHERS A world war Was announced Days ago But they didn't know The lazy sunbathers The lazy sunbathers The sun burns through To the planet's core And it isn't enough They want more Nothing Appears To be Between the ears of The lazy sunbathers Too jaded To question stagnation The sun burns through To the planet's core And it isn't enough They want more Religions fall Children shelled "...Children shelled ? That's all Very well, but would you Please keep the noise Down low ? Because you're waking The lazy sunbathers ..." Oh, the lazy sunbathers The lazy sunbathers LIFEGUARD SLEEPING, GIRL DROWNING Always looking for attention Always needs to be mentioned Who does she Think she should be ? The shrill cry through darkening air Doesn't she know he's Had such a busy day ? Tell her ... sshhh Somebody tell her ... sshhh Oh, no way, no way, there's no movement Oh, oh, hooray Slowest ... It was only a test But she swam too far Against the tide She deserves all she gets The sky became marked with stars As an out-stretched arm slowly Disappears Hooray Oh hooray No, oh, oh, woh, there's no movement No, oh, hooray Oh, hooray Please don't worry There'll be no fuss She was ... nobody's nothing (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) When he awoke The sea was calm And another day passes like a dream There's no ... no way (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) (What's your name ?) The sample in this song is from "In Which We Serve", a Noel Coward film. LITTLE MAN, WHAT NOW ? An afternoon nostalgia Television show You spoke in silhouette (but they couldn't name you) Though the panel were very polite to you Oh, but I remembered you Friday nights, 1969 ATV - you murdered every line Too old to be a child star Too young to take leads Four seasons passed And they AXED you Nervous juvenile (WON'T SMILE!) What became of you ? Did that swift eclipse Torture you ? A star at eighteen And then - suddenly gone Down to a few lines In the back page Of a faded annual Oh, but I remembered you I remembered you THE LOOP I just wanna say I haven't been away I'm still right here Where I always was So one day, if you're bored By all means call Because you can do (But only if you want to) I just wanna say I haven't been away I am still right here Where I always was So one day, when you're bored By all means call Because you can do But you might not get through LUCKY LISP When your gift unfurls When your Talent becomes apparent I will roar from the stalls I will gurgle from the circle The Saints smile shyly Down on you Oh, they couldn't get over Your nine-leaf clover Oh, lucky lisp was not wasted on you Lucky lisp wasn't wasted on you When your name's with the best Will my name be on your guest list ? And I will roar from the stalls Ooh, the balcony fool was me, you fool Jesus made this all for you, love (you, love) He couldn't get over Your Grandma's omen Oh, lucky lisp was not wasted on you Lucky lisp wasn't wasted on you Da-da-da... MALADJUSTED On this glorious occasion ... of the splendid defeat I wanna start from Before the beginning Loot wine, "Be mine, and Then let's stay out for the night" Ride via Parkside Semi-perilous lives Jeer the lights in the windows Of all safe and stable homes (But wondering then, well what Could peace of mind be like ?) Anyway do you want to hear Our story, or not ? As the Fulham Road lights Stretch and invite into the night From a Stevenage overspill We'd kill to live around SW6 - with someone like you Keep thieves' hours With someone like you ...As long as it slides You stalk the house In a low-cut blouse : "Oh Christ, another stifled Friday night !" And the Fulham Road lights Stretch and invite into the night Well, I was fifteen What could I know ? When the gulf between All the things I need And the things I receive Is an ancient ocean Wide, wild, lost, uncrossed Still I maintain there's nothing Wrong with you You do all that you do Because it's all you can do Well, I was fifteen Where could I go ? With a soul full of loathing For stinging bureaucracy Making it anything Other than easy For working girls like me With my hands on my head I flop on your bed With a head full of dread For all I've ever said Maladjusted, maladjusted Maladjusted maladjusted Never to be trusted Oh, never(to be trusted There's nothing wrong with you, oh There's nothing wrong with you, oh There's nothing wrong with you, oh There's nothing wrong with you There's nothing wrong with you A doom-laden start for a mostly-upbeat album, and a distant cousin of Speedway. Crashing guitars and a clanging drum part combine to make a strong opening track. Displaying Morrissey's love of parodoxical phrases, his opening statement "I want to start from before the beginning" is in tune with the rest of the lyrics. A seemingly random mish-mash of images, thoughts, and events, Maladjusted aims no lower than providing an overview of everything. A deeply referential and knowing song. In true style, the lyrics end with a falsetto banality - after his vivid descriptions of "semi-perilous" lives, all he gets in reply is "there's nothing wrong with you !" MARGARET ON THE GUILLOTINE The kind people Have a wonderful dream Margaret On The Guillotine Cause people like you Make me feel so tired When will you die ? When will you die ? When will you die ? When will you die ? When will you die ? And people like you Make me feel so old inside Please die And kind people Do not shelter this dream Make it real Make the dream real Make the dream real Make it real Make the dream real Make it real MOONRIVER Moonriver Wider than a mile I'll be crossing you in style Someday Oh, Dreammaker You heartbreaker Wherever you're going I'm going your way Two drifters Off to see the world I'm not so sure the world Deserves us We're after The same rainbow's end How come it's just around the bend ? It's always just around the bend ? Moonriver Wider than a mile I'll be crossing you in style Someday Oh, Dreammaker You heartbreaker Wherever you're going I'm going your way Two drifters Off to see the world I'm not so sure the world Deserves us We're after The same rainbow's end It's just around the bend It's just around the bend It's just around the bend It's just around the bend Oh ! THE MORE YOU IGNORE ME, THE CLOSER I GET The more you ignore me The closer I get You're wasting your time The more you ignore me The closer I get You're wasting your time I will be In the bar With my head On the bar I am now A central part Of your mind's landscape Whether you care Or do not Yeah, I've made up your mind The more you ignore me The closer I get You're wasting your time The more you ignore me The closer I get You're wasting your time Beware ! I bear more grudges Than lonely high court judges When you sleep I will creep Into your thoughts Like a bad debt That you can't pay Take the easy way And give in Yeah, and let me in Oh, let me in Oh let me ... Oh, let me in IT'S WAR IT'S WAR IT'S WAR IT'S WAR IT'S WAR WAR WAR WAR WAR Oh, let me in Ah, the closer I get Ah, you're asking for it Ah, the closer I get Ooh, the closer I ... MUTE WITNESS Your poor witness Crying so loudly on the floor Oh, well, she's only trying to tell you What it was that she saw She is only trying to tell you What it was that she saw Now see her standing on the table With her small arms flailing And you feel such compassion In your soul for Your mute witness Still testing the strength Of our patience Oh, well she's only trying to tell you What it was that she saw She is only trying to tell you What it was that she saw Now see her pointing to the frisbee With a memory so fuzzy And her silent words Describing the sight of last night 4 A.M. Northside, Clapham Common Oh, god, what was she doing there ? Will she sketch the answer later ? Well, I will ask her "Now dry your tears, my dear" Now see her mime in time so nicely It would have all been so clear If only she had never volunteered "Your taxi is here, my dear" La, la, la-la... MY LOVE LIFE Aah ... Come on to my house Come on and do something new I know you love one person so Why can't you love two ? Aah ... Give a little something Give a little something To My Love Life To My Love Life My Love Life Oh ... Aah ... I know you love one person so Why don't you love two, love? Oh, love to ... Give a little something Give a little something To My Love Life To My Love Life My Love Life Oh ... I know you love one person so Why don't you love two, love ? Love to ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Oh, give a ... Love Love Aah ... Love Love Aah ... I know you love I know you love I know you love I know you love Oh, I know you love I know you love I know you love Aah ... Love Love Oh, love Love Aah ... Oh, I know you love Oh, I know you love Oh, I know you love I know you love I know you love Aah ... Oh, I know you love I know you love I know you love Aah ... I know you love Come on to my house Aah ... THE NATIONAL FRONT DISCO David, the wind blows The wind blows ... Bits of your life away Your friends all say ... "Where is our boy ? Oh, we've lost our boy" But they should know Where you've gone Because again and again you've explained that You're going to ... Oh, you're going to ... Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah England for the English ! England for the English ! David, the winds blow The winds blow ... All of my dreams away And I still say : "Where is our boy ? Ah, we've lost our boy" But I should know Why you've gone Because again and again you've explained You've gone to the ... National, ah ... To the National .. There's a country; you don't live there But one day you would like to And if you show them what you're made of Oh, then you might do ... But David, we wonder We wonder if the thunder Is ever really gonna begin Begin, begin Your mom says : "I've lost my boy" But she should know Why you've gone Because again and again you've explained You've gone to the : National To the National To the National Front Disco Because you want the day to come sooner You want the day to come sooner You want the day to come sooner When you've settled the score Oh, the National Oh, the National Oh, the National Oh, the National Oh, the National NOVEMBER SPAWNED A MONSTER Sleep on and dream of Love Because it's the closest you will Get to love Poor twisted child So ugly, so ugly Poor twisted child Oh hug me, oh hug me One November Spawned a monster In the shape of this child Who later cried : "But Jesus made me, so Jesus save me from pity, sympathy And people discussing me" A frame of useless limbs What can make GOOD All the BAD that's been done ? And if the lights were out Could you even bear To kiss her full onpthe mouth (Or anywhere?) Oh, poor twisted child So ugly, so ugly Poor twisted child Oh hug me, oh hug me One November Spawned a monster In the shape of this child Who must remain A hostage to kindness And the wheels underneath her A hostage to kindness And the wheels underneath her A symbol of where mad, mad lovers Must PAUSE and draw the line. So sleep and dream of love Because it's the closest You will get to love That November Is a time Which I must Put OUT of my mind Oh, one fine day Let it be soon She won't be rich or beautiful But she'll be walking your streets In the clothes that she went out And chose for herself. NOW MY HEART IS FULL There's gonna be some trouble A whole house will need re-building And everyone I love in the house Will recline on an analyst's couch quite Soon Your Father cracks a joke And in the usual way Empties the room Tell all of my friends (I don't have too many Just some rain-coated lovers' puny brothers) Dallow, Spicer, Pinkie, Cubitt Rush to danger Wind up nowhere Patric Doonan - raised to wait I'm tired again, I've tried again, and Now my heart is full Now my heart is full And I just can't explain So I won't even try to Dallow, Spicer, Pinkie, Cubitt Every jammy Stressford poet Loafing oafs in all-night chemists Loafing oafs in all-night chemists Underact - express depression Ah, but Bunnie I loved you I was tired again I've tried again, and Now my heart is full Now my heart is full And I just can't explain So I won't even try to Could you pass by ? Could you pass by ? Could you pass by ? Could you pass by ? Could you pass by ? Oh ... Now my heart is full Now my heart is full And I just can't explain So ... slow ... Slow ... slow ... slow ... slow ... slow ... OH WELL, I'LL NEVER LEARN Looking up at the sign It said: "PLEASE KEEP AWAY" And so in I ran You see ... I'll never learn Oh, I'll never learn I'll never learn Chapter one again Here I go again I found a fountain of youth And I fell in How could I ever win ? I'll never learn I'll never learn I'll never learn Why should I mind ? Why should I care ? I'll never learn I'll never learn THE OPERATION You fight with your right hand And caress with your left hand Everyone I know is sick to death of you With a tear that's a mile wide In the kite that you're flying Everyone I know is sick to death of you Ever since You don't look the same You're just not the same, no way You say clever things and You never used to You don't catch what I'm saying When you're deafened to advice Everyone here is sick to the Back teeth of you With a tear that's a mile wide In the kite that you're flying Everyone here is sick to the Tattoo of you Ever since You don't look the same You're just not the same, no way You say pleasant things and There(is no need to Still, you fight with your right hand And caress with your left hand Ooh, ooh ... Sad to say ... How once I was in love with you Sad to say ... You don't catch what I'm saying When you're deafened to advice Ooh, ooh ... Ever since You don't look the same You're just not the same, no way What the hell have They stuck into you ? THE ORDINARY BOYS Ordinary boys, happy knowing nothing Happy being no-one but themselves Ordinary girls, supermarket clothes Who think it's very clever to be cruel to you For you were so different You stood all alone And you knew That it had to be so Avoiding ordinary boys Happy going nowhere, just around here In their rattling cars Ordinary girls Never seeing further Than the cold, small streets That trap them But you were so different You had to say no When those empty fools Tried to change you, and claim you For the lair of their ordinary world Where they feel so lucky So lucky, so lucky With their lives laid out before them They are lucky So lucky, so lucky So lucky, so ... OUIJA BOARD, OUIJA BOARD Ouija board Would you work for me ? I have got to say Hello To an old friend Ouija board, ouija board, ouija board Would you work for me ? I have got to get through To a good friend Well, she has now gone From this Unhappy Planet With all the carnivores And the destructors of it Ouija board, ouija board, ouija board Would you help me ? Because I still do feel So horribly lonely Would you, ouija board Would you, ouija board Would you help me ? And I just can't find My place in this world She has now gone From this Unhappy Planet With all the carnivores And the destructors of it Oh hear my voice ("hear my voice") Oh hear my voice ("hear my voice") Hear my voice ("hear my voice") Hear my voice ("hear my voice") The table is rumbling ... The table is rumbling The glass is moving "No, I was NOT pushing that time" It spells : S.T.E.V.E.N. The table is rumbling The glass is moving "No, I was NOT pushing that time" : P.U.S.H.O. double F. Well, she has now gone From this Unhappy Planet With all the carnivores And the destructors of it OUR FRANK Our frank and open Deep conversations They get me nowhere They bring me down, so Give it a rest, won't you ? Give me a cigarette God give me patience Just no more conversation Oh, give us a drink And make it quick Or else I'm gonna be sick Sick all over Your frankly vulgar Red pullover Now see how the colours blend Our frank and open Deep conversations They get me nowhere They just bring me down, so Give it a rest, won't you ? Now will you just give over ? The world may be ending But look, I'm only human So, give us a drink And make it quick Or else I'm gonna be sick All over Your frankly vulgar Red pullover Now see how the two colours blend, my friend Won't somebody help ? Won't somebody stop me From thinking From thinking all the time About everything Oh, somebody From thinking all the time So deeply, so bleakly ? So bleakly all the time About everything ? (Who I am, how I ever got here) Somebody stop me From thinking From thinkin all the time So bleakly, so bleakly So bleakly all the time PAPA JACK Papa Jack Wants to turn Back the clock And reach out To the kids He once had Who have flown Papa Jack In decline Feels inclined To reach out To the kids He once had Who have flown But there was a time When the kids reached up And Papa Jack just Pushed them away Looking deep In his heart Papa Jack Doesn't like What he sees Or the time On his hands The dying day The chilly sun Papa Jack All alone Sings slow Grieving and low But there was a time When the kids reached up Now you can't always Have it your way Papa Jack Ah ... Undoubtably the weak link in the Maladjusted chain, there's only one word that can be attached to this song - cheesy. Really hammy music, and dull tiresome lyrics. Oh, it's a distant cousin of The Lazy Sunbathers, though. PICCADILLY PALARE Off the rails I was and Off the rails I was happy to stay GET OUT OF MY WAY On the rack I was Easy meat, and a reasonably good buy A reasonably good buy The Piccadilly palare Was just silly slang Between me and the boys in my gang "So Bona to Vada. OH YOU Your lovely eek and Your lovely riah" We plied an ancient trade Where we threw all life's Instructions away Exchanging lies and digs (my way) Cause in a belted coat Oh, I secretly knew That I hadn't a clue (No, no. No, no, no. You can't get there that way. Follow me...) The Piccadilly palare Was just silly slang Between me and the boys in my gang Exchanging palare You wouldn't understand Good sons like you NEVER DO. So why do you smile When you think about Earl's Court ? But you cry when you think of all The battles you've fought (and lost) ? It may all end tomorrow Or it could go on forever In which case I'm doomed It could go on forever In which case I'm doomed Bona Drag ... The "Piccadilly Palare" was slang used in the gay London of the 60s. Several words are used in this song : bonm - good drag - clothes vada - see, look at eek - face riah - hair The source that Morrissey used was a radio show from the 1960s called "Round The Home". It starred Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick, who played two homosexuals. Each show was on a different topic and was named things like "Bona Law" (hence Bona Drag). This show used the words above, plus several others. PLEASE HELP THE CAUSE AGAINST LONELINESS Please help the cause against loneliness Would you like to note my home address ? Please help the cause against loneliness Would you kindly note my inside leg ? Oh, I don't mind what time you come round If it's the daytime then I might be in bed - oh I'm so very young I am so really, really young ... oh, oh Please help the cause against loneliness Would you like a list of my dislikes ? There are people with problems I know this ... I've know this for years There are paupers and peers Who have problems, oh I don't mind what time you come round If it's the weekend then I have to be dead, oh I'm so very young I'm so really, really young ... oh, oh I'm so young - really, really (yeah yeah yeah) I am so young I am so young I am so really, really young I am so young So young This is song with music by Street, and lyrics by Morrissey, given to Sandie Shaw for inclusion on one of her albums. It truly is an awful song, with a ridiculouslu upbeat brass section and the dire inflections of Shaw's puerile voice. READER MEET AUTHOR You don't know a thing about their lives They live where you wouldn't dare to drive You shake as you think of how they sleep But you write as if you all lie side-by-side Reader, meet Author With the hope of hearing sense But you may be feeling let down By the words of defence He says : "No-one ever sees me when I cry" You don't know a thing about their lives Books don't save them, books aren't Stanley knives And if a fight broke out here tonight You'd be the first away, because you're that type And the Year 2000 won't change anyone here As each fabled promise flies so fast You'll swear it was never there Oh, have you ever escaped from a shipwrecked life ? So safely with your software; all miles from the front line You hear the way their sad voices, and you start to imagine things Oh, any excuse to write more lies ROY'S KEEN (GO ON !) He's romancing you And chancing his arm He'll be here Smiling on time He's romancing you And chancing his arm He'll be here Smiling on time Roy's keen oh Roy's keen Roy's keen oh Roy's keen We've never seen a Keener window-cleaner Back up the ladder Into each corner Dunking the chamois Just think of the goodwill The ladder's a planet Roy is a star, and I am a satellite (But that's alright) He can hold a smile for as long As you require (even longer) He can hold a smile for as long As you require (even longer) Roy's keen oh Roy's keen Roy's keen oh Roy's keen We've never seen a Keener window-cleaner Back up the ladder Into each corner Dunking the chamois Just think of the goodwill The ladder's a planet Roy is a star, and I am a satellite I will be set alight Don't say you'll hold it steady Then you let it go Don't say you'll hold it steady Then you let it go Oh ... You're up the ladder Into each corner Foot in a bucket We trust you to wreck it ,Even when it's under your nose Well, you just can't See it, can you ? Well, it's here Right under your nose And you just can't See it, can you? La la la la ... Roy's keen, Roy's keen La la la la ... Roy's keen, Roy's keen La la la la ... Roy's keen, Roy's keen La la la la ... Roy's keen, Roy's keen We've never seen a Keener window-cleaner Oh ... La la la la ... Really quite unfeasibly catchy, this happily hilarious and uproarious song of a character is surely not unrelated to that finest of all songs, Benny Hill's "Ernie: Fastest Milkman In The West". The sleeve notes for this single bizarrely inform us "Cathode Trish Scorgie". Thanks for clearing that one up. And, of course, a distant cousin of You're The One For Me, Fatty. SATAN REJECTED MY SOUL Satan rejected my soul He knows my kind He won't be dragged down He's seen my face around He knows Heaven doesn't seem To be my home So I must find Somewhere else to go So I must find Somewhere else to go So, take it - please It's free You'll never see You'll never see All the fun in life it's cost me Satan rejected my soul As low as he goes He never quite goes this low He's seen my face around He knows Heaven doesn't seem To be my home So I must find Somewhere else to go So I must find Somewhere else to go So, take it please It's really sly Come on, come on, ah Come on, come on, come on Take it please It's really sly Come on, come on, ah Come on, come on, come on Call me in Pull me in, call me in Come on, come on, oh Come on, come on, come on Pull me in, pull me in Call me in, haul me in, pull me in Come on, come on, ah Come on, come on La la la la la Oh ... A brilliantly catchy song, and the only one on the album to actually be a distant cousin of anything (We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful, of course). This song was actually written after an interview in 1996 in which he joked he had written a song called "Satan Spurned My Soul"; the interviewer took him seriously, so he decided to write this. I love these lyrics - Morrissey carting his soul around on a wheelbarrow in a vain attempt to get someone to take it. The ultimate snub - he won't even be given an afterlife. This is why I still rate Morrissey so highly - how many 38-year-olds do you know that would laugh at their own expense on this scale ? SEASICK, YET STILL DOCKED I am a poor freezingly cold soul So far from where I intended to go Scavenging through life's very constant lulls So far from where I'm determined to go Wish I knew the way to reach the one I love There is no way ... Wish I had the charm to attract the one I love But you see, I've got no charm Mmm... Tonight I've consumed much more than I can hold Oh, this is very clear to you And you can tell I have never really loved You can tell, by the way, I sleep all day And all of my life no-one gave me anything No-one has ever given me anything My love is as sharp as a needle in your eye You must be such a fool To pass me by SING YOUR LIFE Sing your life Any fool can think of words that rhyme Many others do Why don't you ? Do you want to ? Oh... Sing your life Walk right up to the microphone And name All the things you love All the things that you loathe Oh, sing your life The things that you love And the things you loathe Oh, sing your life Oh, sing your life La, la-la, la-la, sing your life La, la-la, la-la, sing your life Others sang your life But now is a chance to shine And have the pleasure of Saying what you mean Have the pleasure of Meaning what you sing Oh, make no mistake my friend All of this will end So sing it now (sing your life) All the things you love (sing your life) All the things you loathe Oh, sing your life The things that you love And the things you loathe (sing your life) Oh, sing oh... Oh, sing oh... La, la-la, la-la, sing your life La, la-la, la-la, sing your life Don't leave it all unsaid Somewhere in the wasteland of your head, oh Head, oh, head, oh, head, oh And make no mistake, my friend Your pointless life will end But before you go Can you look at the truth ? You have a lovely singing voice A lovely singing voice And all of those Who sing on-key They stole the notion From you and me So, sing your life (sing your life) Sing your life (sing your life) Oh, sing your oh... Oh, sing your Sing your life Sing your life Sing your life Oh, sing your oh... (Sing your life) (Sing your life) Sing your life (Sing your life) SISTER I'M A POET All over this town Yes, a low wind may blow And I can see through everybody's clothes With no reason To hide these words I feel And no reason To talk about the books I read But still I do That's 'cause I'm a ... Sister I'm a ... All over this town Along this way Outside the prison gates I love the romance of crime And I wonder Does anybody feel the same way I do ? And is evil just something you are Or something you do ? Sister I'm a ... Sister I'm a ... All over this town All over this town They pull over In their Citroen vans Not to shake your hands With meths on their breaths And you with youth on your side All alone ... lone ... alone, waiting at the lights But not this time Sister I'm a ... Sister I'm a ... All over this town ... All .. oh Oh All over this town SORROW WILL COME IN THE END Legalized theft Leaves me bereft I get it straight in the neck (Somehow expecting no less) A court of justice With no use for Truth Lawyer ...liar Lawyer ...liar You pleaded and squealed And you think you've won But Sorrow will come To you in the end And as sure as my words are pure I praise the day that brings you pain Q.C.'s obsessed with sleaze Frantic for Fame They're all on the game They just use a different name You lied And you were believed By a J.P. senile and vile You pleaded and squealed And you think you've won But Sorrow will come To you in the end And as sure as my words are pure I praise the day that brings you pain So don't close your eyes Don't close your eyes A man who slits throats Has time on his hands And I'm gonna get you So don't close your eyes Don't ever close your eyes You think you've won OH NO Probably the least Moz-like song he's ever done, featuring the sturdy crack of a judge's gavel. Talking rather than singing over a melodramatic string-laden backing, this song is really quite weird, and certainly intriguing. Of course, it's about the Mike Joyce court case. In context, it's a bit distasteful, and amusingly out-of-sync with the lyrics to Ammunition. Echoing many Smiths lyrics, he takes threatening lyrics to a new level of libelity. SOUTHPAW You were a boy before you became a man I don't see the joy And you ran with your pals in the sun You turned around and they were gone Again ... A sick boy should be treated So easily defeated Oh, I just don't understand So you ran with your pals in the sun You turned around You were alone Again ... And you ran back to Ma Which set the pace for the rest of your days Oh, you ran back to Ma Which set the pace for the rest of your days Oh, you ran back to Ma Which set the pace for the rest of your days And now, there is something that you should know There is something that you should know The girl of your dreams is Here all alone Girl of your dreams is Here all alone The girl of your dreams is Sad and all alone The girl of your dreams is Here all alone There is something that you should know There is something that you should know Girl of your dreams is Here all alone The girl of your dreams is Sad and is all alone The girl of your dreams is Sad and is feeling all alone Oh, there is something that you should know Help me, help me, help me ... SPEEDWAY And when you slam Down the hammer Can you see it in your heart ? All of the rumours Keeping me grounded I never said, I never said that they were Completely unfounded So when you slam Down the hammer Can you see it in your heart ? Can you delve so low ? And when you're standing On my fingers Can you see it in your heart ? ... ah ... And when you try To break my spirit It won't work Because there's nothing left to break Anymore All of the rumours Keeping me grounded I never said, I never said that they were Completely unfounded You won't sleep Until the earth that wants me Finally has me Oh you've done it now You won't rest Until the hearse that becomes me Finally takes me Oh you've done it now And you won't smile Until my loving mouth Is shut good and proper FOREVER All of the rumours Keeping me grounded I never said, I never said that they were Completely unfounded And all those lies Written lies, twisted lies Well, they weren't lies They weren't lies They weren't lies I never said I never said I could have mentioned your name I could have dragged you in Guilt by implication By association I've always been true to you In my own strange way I've always been true to you In my own sick way I'll always stay true to you SPRING-HEELED JIM Spring-heeled Jim winks an eye He'll "do", he'll never be "done to" He takes on whoever flew through "Well, it's the normal thing to do" ... ah ... Spring-heeled Jim lives to love Now kissing with his mouth full And his eyes on some other fool So many women His head should be spinning Ah, but no ! Ah, but no ! But no ! Ah, no ! Spring-heeled Jim slurs the words : "There's no need to be so knowing Take life at five times the Average speed, like I do" Until Jim feels the chill "Oh, where did all the time go ?" Once always in for the kill Now it's too cold And he feels too old Too old Mmm, old... La, la, la, la-la, la ... The samples used in this song come from "We are The Lambeth Boys", a 1959 documentary about the last man to be hanged in Britain. SUCH A LITTLE THING MAKES SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE Such a little thing Such a little thing But the difference it made was grave There you go Wielding a bicycle chain Oh, why won't you change ? Change and be nicer ? Such a little thing A gentle tone of kindness Or written words on paper - can you write ? How I love all of The very simple things of life (God's good air) How I love all of The very simple things of life Such a little thing A fumbling politeness The difference saved me Wielding a bicycle chain Why won't you change ? "I WILL NOT CHANGE AND I WILL NOT BE NICE" Most peole keep their brains Between their legs (Don't you find ?) Leave me alone - I was only singing Leave me alone because I was only singing Leave me alone - I was only singing Leave me alone You have just proved (again) MOST PEOPLE KEEP THEIR BRAINS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS SUEDEHEAD Why do you come here ? And why do you hang around ? I'm so sorry I'm so sorry Why do you come here When you know it makes things hard for me ? When you know, oh Why do you come ? Why do you telephone ? (Hmm...) And why send me silly notes ? I'm so sorry I'm so sorry Why do you come here When you know it makes things hard for me ? When you know, oh Why do you come ? You had to sneak into my room 'just' to read my diary "It was just to see, just to see" (All the things you knew I'd written about you...) Oh, so many illustrations Oh, but I'm so very sickened Oh, I am so sickened now Oh, it was a good lay, good lay It was a good lay, good lay It was a good lay, good lay Oh It was a good lay, good lay It was a good lay, good lay Oh, it was a good lay, good lay Oh Oh, it was a good lay It was a good lay Oh, a good lay Oh, it was a good lay Good lay, good lay Oh It was a good lay It was a good lay THERE'S A PLACE IN HELL FOR ME AND MY FRIENDS There is a place Reserved For me and my friends And when we go We all will go So you see I'm never alone There is a place With a bit more time And a few more Gentler words And looking back We will forgive (We had no choice We always did) All that we hope Is when we go Our skin And our blood And our bones Don't get in your way Making you ill The way they did When we lived Oh, there is a place A place in hell Reserved For me and my friends And if ever I Just wanted to cry Then I will Because I can TOMORROW Tomorrow Will it really come ? And if it does come Will I still be Human ? All I ask of you is one thing that you never do Would you put your arms around me ? (I won't tell anyone) Tomorrow Does it have to come ? All I ask of you is one thing that you'll never do Would you put your arms around me ? (I won't tell anybody) Tomorrow And what must come before ... Oh, the pain in my arms Oh, the pain in my legs Ooh, my shiftless body Tomorrow It's surely nearer now ? You don't think I'll make it I never said I wanted to ! Well did I ? Oh, the pain in my arms Oh, the pain in my legs Oh, yeah; oh, yeah No, yeah; no, yeah Through my shiftless body Tomorrow Tomorrow All I ask of you ... oh ... Is : would you tell me that you love me Tell me, tell me that you love me Tell me, tell me that you love me Tell me that you love me ! Ah, I know you don't mean it Ah, I know you don't mean it Tell me, tell me that you love me Tell me, tell me that you love me Tell me, oh, tell me, oh Tell me, oh, tell me, oh, tell me, oh Tell me, oh, tell me, oh This song was remixed by Steve Peck for the US single release; the same vocal is used, therefore the lyrics are identical. TROUBLE LOVES ME Trouble loves me Trouble needs me Two things More than you do Or would attempt to So, console me Otherwise, hold me Just when it seems like Everything's evened out And the balance Seems serene Trouble loves me Walks beside me To chide me Not to guide me It's still much more Than you'll do So, console me Otherwise, hold me Just when it seems like Everything's evened out And the balance seems serene See the fool I'll be Still running 'round On the flesh rampage Still running 'round Ready with ready-wit Still running 'round On the flesh rampage - At your age ! Go to Soho, oh Go to waste in The wrong arms Still running 'round Trouble loves me Seeks and finds me To charlatanize me Which is only As it should be Oh, please fulfill me Otherwise, kill me Show me a barrel and watch me scrape it Faced with the music, as always I'll face it In the half-light So English, frowning Then at midnight I Can't get you out of my head A disenchanted taste Still running 'round A disenchanted taste Still running 'round A distant cousin of Now My Heart Is Full, this an absolutely excellent song worthy of Vauxhall And I. An extremely strong melody is coupled with a great lyric. This song features an example of Morrissey's aural punning - in the line "Just when it seems like everything's evened out" the 'e' of "evened" is stretched out; in anticipation you expect "easy" of course, and are surprised when it isn't. And of course the purposefully lame ending of the line "Faced with the music, as always I'll face it" is in a similar vein, especially after the excellent line preceding it. USED TO BE A SWEET BOY Used to be a sweet boy Holding so tightly To Daddy's hand But that was all In some distant land Blazer and tie And a big bright healthy smile Used to make all Of our trials worthwhile Used to be a sweet boy And I'm not to blame But something went wrong Something went wrong And I know I'm not to blame Something went wrong Can't be to blame Ah ... WE HATE IT WHEN OUR FRIENDS BECOME SUCCESSFUL We hate it when our friends become successful We hate it when our friends become successful Oh, look at those clothes Now look at that face, it's so old And such a video ! Well, it's really laughable Ha, ha, ha ... We hate it when our friends become successful And if they're Northern, that makes it even worse And if we can destroy them You bet your life we will Destroy them If we can hurt them Well, we may as well ... It's really laughable Ha, ha, ha ... You see, it should've been me It could've been me Everybody knows Everybody says so They say : "Ah, you have loads of songs So many songs Oh, songs - they stand Verse Chorus Middle eight Break, fade Just listen ..." La, la-la, la-la WE'LL LET YOU KNOW How sad are we ? And how sad have we been ? We'll let you know We'll let you know Oh, but only if - you're really interested You wonder how We've stayed alive 'till now We'll let you know We'll let you know But only if - you're really interested We're all smiles Then, honest, I swear, it's the turnstiles That make us hostile Oh ... We will descend On anyone unable to defend Themselves Oh ... And the songs we sing They're not supposed to mean a thing La, la, la, la ... Oh ... You're lonely Oh ... you're lonely Oh ... GET OFF THE ROOF ! Oh ... Your Arsenal ! We may seem cold, or We may even be The most depressing people you've ever known At heart, what's left, we sadly know That we are the last truly British people you'll ever know We are the last truly British people you will ever know You'll never never want to know WHATEVER HAPPENS, I LOVE YOU Names, secret names But never in my favour But when all is said and done It's you I love Cold loving prose We stole each other's clothes But when all is said and done It's you I love Yes, yes, yes, oh, yes Oh no, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes Oh ... Yes, yes ... Fights for rights Everyone's oh so quick with advice And when they've all said their piece It's still you I love Now just like then Then, then, then Then, then, yes, yes No, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes Yes, yes, oh ... Mmm ... WHY DON'T YOU FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF The sanest days are mad Why don't you find out for yourself ? Then you'll see the price Very closely Some men here They have a special interest In your career They wanna help you to grow And then syphon all your dough Why don't you find out for yourself ? Then you'll see the glass Hidden in the grass You'll never believe me, so Why don't you find out for yourself ? Sick down to my heart That's just the way it goes Some men here They know the full extent of Your distress They kneel and pray And they say : "Long may it last" Why don't you find out for yourself ? Then you'll see the glass Hidden in the grass Bad scenes come and go For which you must allow Sick down to my heart That's just the way it goes Don't rake up my mistakes I know exactly what they are And ... what do YOU do ? Well ... you just SIT THERE I've been stabbed in the back So many many times I don't have any skin But that's just the way it goes WIDE TO RECEIVE Download something Useful, or useless Because I'm lying here Wide to receive Almost anything You'd care to give And I don't Get along with myself And I'm not too keen On anyone else Turn on, plug in Then just walk qway Unlock, process And then just go And I've never felt quite so alone As I do right now I'm lying here Wide to receive Almost anything You'd care to leave Wide, wide, wide Wide, wide, wide Wide, wide Wide, wide Wide, wide, wide, wide Wide, wide, wide, wide Wide, wide, wide, wide A song about internerds that I'm bound not to like because it's getting at me. This song is definitely growing on me actually; I already like it a lot more than I did at first. A distant cousin of, erm, I Am Hated For Loving. WILL NEVER MARRY I'm writing this to say In a gentle way Thank You - but no I will live my life as I Will undoubtedly die - alone I'm writing this to say In a gentle way Thank You ... I will live my life as I ... oh For whether you stay Or stray An inbuilt guilt catches up with you And as it comes around to your place At 5 A.M.; wakes you up And it laughs in your face Don't Speak ! Sing ... YES, I AM BLIND Yes, I am blind No, I can't see The good things Just the bad things, oh... Yes, I am blind No, I can't see There must be something Horribly wrong with me ? God, come down If you're really there Well, you're the one who claims to care Love's young dream I'm the one who shopped you I'm the one who stopped you Cause in my sorry way I love you Love's young dream Are you sorry For what you've done ? Well, you're not the only one And in my sorry way I love you Yes, I am blind But I do see Evil people prosper Over the likes of you and me ALWAYS God, come down If you're really there Well, you're the one who claims to care Little lamb On a hill Run fast if you can Good Christians, they want to kill you And your life has not even begun ! You're just like me, you're just like me Oh, your life has not even begun ! You're just like me, you're just like me And your life has not even begun ! You're just like me, just like me And your life has not even begun ! You're just like me, you're just like, just like me And your life has not even begun ! YOU MUST PLEASE REMEMBER A small boy, big ideas You must please remember A long road, with no turn-off Oh, you must remember Caught in your headlights Like a frightened animal You must remember Someone cries twice nightly Of course, I do remember Someone cries and you think quite rightly so But you refuse to remember Caught in your headlights Like a frightened animal Oh, you must remember Oh ... Remember, remember Oh ... Remember, remember Low-lights and long nights I try hard to not remember And you - too beautiful I can't look I've done so very many stupid things It's too late (remember) Oh ... Oh ... Remember, remember Oh ... Remember, remember Oh ... Oh, remember Oh ... Remember, oh ... Oh ... Oh, remember Oh ... Remember, oh Oh ... Oh, remember, oh Oh ... Remember, oh Oh ... Oh, remember, oh Oh ... Remember, oh YOU'RE GONNA NEED SOMEONE ON YOUR SIDE With the world's fate Resting on your shoulder You're gonna need Someone on your side You can't do it by yourself Any longer You're gonna need Someone on your side Someone kindly told me That you'd wasted Eight of nine lives Oh, give yourself a break Before you break down You're gonna need someone on your side And here I am And here I am Well, you don't need To look so pleased ! Day or night, There is no difference You're gonna need someone on your side Day or night, There is no difference You're gonna need someone soon And here I am And here I am Well, you don't need To look so pleased YOU'RE THE ONE FOR ME, FATTY You're the One for me, fatty You're the One I really, really love And I will stay Promise you'll say If I'm in your way You're the One for me, fatty You're the One I really, really love And I will stay Promise you'll say If I'm ever in your way A-hey All over Battersea Some hope; and some despair All over Battersea Some hope; and some despair Oh ... You're the One for me, fatty You're the One I really, really love And I will stay Promise you'll say If I'm in your way You're the One for me, fatty You're the One I really, really love And I will stay Promise you'll say If I'm ever in your way A-hey All over Battersea Some hope; and some despair All over Battersea Some hope; and some despair Oh, oh ... You're the One for me, fatty You're the One I really, really love And I will stay Promise you'll say If I'm ever in your way A-hey You're the One for me, fatty You're the One for me, a-hey-hey A-hey A-hey A-hey A-he-he-he-hey YOU'VE HAD HER Things you have cherished Now making you squirm Ya ... YOU'VE HAD HER And it's all over now Why you were pining You haven't a clue Ya ... YOU'VE HAD HER And it's all over now It's all over now - for you It's all only started - for her Ah ... And the one thing on your mind Is : where is the next in line ? As the words to all the love songs Start making sense To the girl So Far Away 1