The Smiths

FRANKLY, MR. SHANKLY Lyrics


Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this position I've held
It pays my way, and it corrodes my soul
I want to leave, you will not miss me
I want to go down in musical history

Frankly, Mr. Shankly, I'm a sickening wreck
I've got the 21st century breathing down my neck
I must move fast, you understand me
I want to go down in celluloid history, Mr. Shankly


Fame, Fame, fatal Fame
It can play hideous tricks on the brain
But still I'd rather be Famous
Than righteous or holy, any day
Any day, any day


But sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled
Making Christmas cards with the mentally ill
I want to live and I want to Love
I want to catch something that I might be ashamed of


Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this position I've held
It pays my way and it corrodes my soul
Oh, I didn't realise that you wrote poetry
I didn't realise you wrote such bloody awful poetry, Mr. Shankly


Frankly, Mr. Shankly, since you ask
You are a flatulent pain in the arse
I do not mean to be so rude
Still, I must speak frankly, Mr. Shankly

Oh, give us your money !

GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA Lyrics


Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's serious
Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's really serious

There were times when I could
Have "murdered" her
(But you know, I would hate
Anything to happen to her)


NO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE HER


Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Pull through ...


Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's serious
My, my, my, my, my, my baby, goodbye


There were times when I could
Have "strangled" her
(But you know, I would hate
Anything to happen to her)
WOULD YOU PLEASE
LET ME SEE HER !


Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Pull Through ...
As I whisper my last goodbyes


I know - IT'S SERIOUS

Hand in glove
The sun shines out of our behinds
No, it's not like any other love
This one is different - because it's us

Hand in glove
We can go wherever we please
And everything depends upon
How near you stand to me


And if the people stare
Then the people stare
Oh, I really don't know and I really don't care


Kiss My Shades

Hand in glove
The Good People laugh
Yes, we may be hidden by rags
But we've something they'll never have


Hand in glove
The sun shines out of our behinds
Yes, we may be hidden by rags
But we've something they'll never have


And if the people stare
Then the people stare
Oh, I really don't know and I really don't care


Kiss My Shades ... oh ...

So, hand in glove I stake my claim
I'll fight to the last breath


If they dare touch a hair on your head
I'll fight to the last breath


For the Good Life is out there somewhere
So stay on my arm, you little charmer


But I know my luck too well
Yes, I know my luck too well
And I'll probably never see you again
I'll probably never see you again
I'll probably never see you again
Oh ...

HEAVEN KNOW I'M MISERABLE NOW

I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour
But heaven knows I'm miserable now

I was looking for a job, and then I found a job
And heaven knows I'm miserable now


In my life
Why do I give valuable time
To people who don't care if I live or die ?


Two lovers entwined pass me by
And heaven knows I'm miserable now


I was looking for a job, and then I found a job
And heaven knows I'm miserable now


In my life
Oh, why do I give valuable time
To people who don't care if I live or die ?


What she asked of me at the end of the day
Caligula would have blushed


"You've been in the house too long" she said
And I (naturally) fled


In my life
Why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye ?


I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour
But heaven knows I'm miserable now


"You've been in the house too long" she said
And I (naturally) fled


In my life
Why do I give valuable time
To people who don't care if I live or die ?

HOW SOON IS NOW ? Lyrics


I am the son
and the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way
I am Human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

I am the son
and the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and the heir
Of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way
I am Human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

There's a club, if you'd like to go
You could meet somebody who really loves you
So you go, and you stand on your own
And you leave on your own
And you go home
And you cry
And you want to die

When you say it's gonna happen now,
Well, when exactly do you mean?
See I've already waited too long
And all my hope is gone

I am Human And I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

I'm So Sorry Lyrics


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

I DON'T OWE YOU ANYTHING Lyrics


Bought on stolen wine
A nod was the first step
You knew very well
What was coming next

Bought on stolen wine
A nod was the first step
You knew very well
What was coming next


Did I really walk all this way
Just to hear you say :
"Oh, I don't want to go out tonight" ?
"Oh, I don't want to go out tonight"

Oh, but you will
For you must


I don't owe you anything, no
But you owe me something
Repay me now


You should never go to them
Let them come to you
Just like I do
Just like I do


You should not go to them
Let them come to you
Just like I do
Just like I do


Did I really walk all this way
Just to hear you say :
"Oh, I don't want to go out tonight" ?
"Oh, I don't want to go out tonight"

But you will
For you must


I don't owe you anything, no
But you owe me something
Repay me now


Too freely on your lips
Words prematurely sad
Oh, but I know what will make you smile tonight


Life is never kind
Life is never kind
Oh, but I know what will make you smile tonight

I KNOW IT'S OVER Lyrics


Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
And as I climb into an empty bed
Oh well. Enough said.
I know it's over - still I cling
I don't know where else I can go
Oh ...
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
See, the sea wants to take me
The knife wants to slit me
Do you think you can help me ?
Sad veiled bride, please be happy
Handsome groom, give her room
Loud, loutish lover, treat her kindly
(Though she needs you
More than she loves you)
And I know it's over - still I cling
I don't know where else I can go
Over and over and over and over
Over and over, la ...
I know it's over
And it never really began
But in my heart it was so real
And you even spoke to me, and said :
"If you're so funny
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
And if you're so clever
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so very entertaining
Then why are you on your own tonight ?
If you're so very good-looking
Why do you sleep alone tonight ?
I know ...
'Cause tonight is just like any other night
That's why you're on your own tonight
With your triumphs and your charms
While they're in each other's arms..."
It's so easy to laugh
It's so easy to hate
It takes strength to be gentle and kind
Over, over, over, over
It's so easy to laugh
It's so easy to hate
It takes guts to be gentle and kind
Over, over
Love is Natural and Real
But not for you, my love
Not tonight, my love
Love is Natural and Real
But not for such as you and I, my love
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my ...
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can even feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my ...

I WANT A BOY FOR MY BIRTHDAY Lyrics
l

Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la sha la la
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la sha la la

I want a boy for my birthday
That's what I've been dreaming of
I won't have a happy birthday
Without a boy to love


Don't want a bracelet with golden charms
Cuz that won't fill my empty arms
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
I want a boy to love


Sha la la la la la la la
(oh oh oh)
Sha la la sha la la


I want a boy for my birthday
That's the present that I need the most
Just a boy for my birthday
One who'll love to hold me close
Doesn't matter if he's short or tall
Just as long as he gives his all
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
I want a boy to love


I want a boy who's gonna treat me right
(yeah yeah yeah)
Hug me, kiss me, squeeze me day and night


I want a boy for my birthday
He doesn't have to be too smart
Just as long as he loves me
And keeps me in his heart
I want a boy to comfort me
And treat me tenderly
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
I want a boy to love

Sha la la la la la la la
(I want a boy to love)
Sha la la sha la la
(I want a boy for my birthday)

I WANT THE ONE I CAN'T HAVE Lyrics


On the day that your mentality
Decides to try to catch up with your biology

Come round ...
'Cause I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over, all over my face


On the day that your mentality
Catches up with your biology


I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over, all over my face


A double bed
And a stalwart lover for sure
These are the riches of the poor


A double bed
And a stalwart lover for sure
These are the riches of the poor


And I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over my face


A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails
Raised on Prisoner's Aid
He killed a policeman when he was
Thirteen
And somehow that really impressed
Me
And it's written all over my face


Oh, these are the riches of the poor
These are the riches of the poor


I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's written all over my face


On the day that your mentality
Catches up with your biology


And if you ever need self-validation
Just meet me in the alley by the
Railway station
It's all over my face
Oh ...

MEAT IS MURDER Lyrics


Heifer whines could be human cries
Closer comes the screaming knife
This beautiful creature must die
This beautiful creature must die
A death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER

And the flesh you so fancifully fry
Is not succulent, tasty or kind
It's death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER


And the calf that you carve with a smile
It is MURDER
And the turkey you festively slice
It is MURDER
Do you know how animals die?


Kitchen aromas aren't very homely
It's not "comforting", cheery or kind
It's sizzling blood and the unholy stench
Of MURDER


It's not "natural", "normal" or kind
The flesh you so fancifully fry
The meat in your mouth
As you savour the flavour
Of MURDER


NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
Oh ... and who cares about and animals life?

MISERABLE LIE Lyrics


So, goodbye
Please stay with your own kind
And I'll stay with mine

There's something against us
It's not time
It's not time
So, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye


I know I need hardly say
How much I love your casual way
Oh, but please put your tongue away
A little higher and we're well away
The dark nights are drawing in
And your humour is as black as them
I look at yours, you laugh at mine
And "love" is just a miserable lie
You have destroyed my flower-like life
Not once - twice
You have corrupt my innocent mind
Not once - twice
I know the wind-swept mystical air
It means : I'd like to see your underwear
I recognise that mystical air
It means : I'd like to seize your underwear
What do we get for our trouble and pain ?
Just a rented room in Whalley Range
What do we get for our trouble and pain ?
...Whalley Range !
Into the depths of the criminal world
I followed her ...


I need advice, I need advice
I need advice, I need advice
Nobody ever looks at me twice
Nobody ever looks at me twice


I'm just a country-mile behind
The world


I'm just a country-mile behind
The whole world
Oh oh, oh ...


I'm just a country-mile behind
The world


I'm just a country-mile behind
The whole world
Oh oh, oh ...


Take me when you go
Oh oh, oh...


Take me when you go
Oh oh, oh ...


I need advice, I need advice

A Rush And a Push And The Land Is Ours
The Smiths

Hello
I am the ghost of troubled Joe
Hung by his pretty white neck
Some eighteen months ago
I travelled to a mystical time zone
But I missed my bed
So I soon came home

They said:
"There's too much caffeine
In your blood stream
And a lack of real spice
In your life"
I said:
"Leave me alone because I'm alright, dad
Just surprised to still be on my own"...

Oh, but don't mention love
I'd hate the strain of the pain again

A rush and a push and the land that
We stand on is ours
It has been before
So it shall be again
And people who are uglier than you and I
They take what they need, and leave

Oh, but don't mention love
I'd hate the pain of the strain all over again

A rush and a push and the land that
We stand on is ours
It has been before
So why can't it be now?
And people who are weaker than you and I
They take what they want from life

Oh, but don't mention love
No - just don't mention love!

A rush and a push and the land
That we stand on is ours
Your youth may be gone
But you're still a yound man
So phone me, phone me, phone me
So phone me, phone me, phone me
Ooh, I think I'm in love
Ooh, I think I'm in love
Ooh, I think I'm in love

Accept Yourself
The Smiths

Every day you must say
So, how do I feel about my life?
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself?

I am sick and I am dull
And I am plain
How dearly I'd love to get carried away
Oh, but dreams have a knack
Of just not coming true
And time is against me now...oh

Oh, who and what to blame?
Oh, anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself
For heaven's sake?
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes

Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about the past?
Others conquered love - but I ran
I sat in my room and I drew up a plan
Oh, but plans can fall through
(as so often they do)
And time is against me now

And there's no-one left to blame
Oh, tell me when will you
When will you accept your life?
(The one that you hate)
For anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes

Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about my shoes?
They make me awkward and plain
How dearly I would love to kick with the fray
But I once had a dream
(and it never came true)
And time is against me now
Time is against me now

And there's no one but yourself to blame
Oh, anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Anything is hard to find
(for heaven's sake)
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself?
When?
When?
When?
When?

Ask
The Smiths

Shyness is nice, and
Shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life
You'd like to

Shyness is nice, and
Shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life
You'd like to

So, if there's something
You'd like to try
If there's something
You'd like to try
Ask me - I won't say "no"
- how could I?

Coyness is nice, and
Coyness can stop you
From saying all the things in life
You'd like to

So, if there's something
You'd like to try
If there's something
You'd like to try
Ask me - I won't say "no"
- how could I?

Spending warm
Summer days indoors
Writing frightening verses
To a buck-toothed girl in Luxembourg

Ask me, ask me, ask me
Ask me, ask me, ask me

Because if it's not Love
Then it's the bomb, the bomb, the bomb
The bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the bomb
That will bring us together

Nature is a language - can't you read?
Nature is a language - can't you read?

So ask me, ask me, ask me
Ask me, ask me, ask me

Asleep
The Smiths

Sing me to sleep
Sing me to sleep
I'm tired and I
I want to go to bed
Sing me to sleep
Sing me to sleep
And then leave me alone
Don't try to wake me in the morning
'Cause I will be gone
Don't feel bad for me
I want you to know
Deep in the cell of my heart
I will feel so glad to go

Sing me to sleep
Sing me to sleep
I don't want to wake up
On my own anymore
Sing to me
Sing to me
I don't want to wake up
On my own anymore
Don't feel bad for me
I want you to know
Deep in the cell of my heart
I really want to go

There is another world
There is a better world
Well, there must be
Well, there must be
Bye bye.

Back To The Old House
The Smiths

I would rather not go
Back to the old house
I would rather not go
Back to the old house
There's too many
Bad memories
Too many memories
There

When you cycled by
Here began all my dreams
The saddest thing I've ever seen
And you never knew
How much I really liked you
Because I never even told you
Oh, and I meant to
Are you still there?
Or have you moved away?
Or have you moved away?
Oh...

I would love to go
Back to the old house
But I never will
I never will
I never will
I never will

Barbarism Begins At Home
The Smiths

Unruly boys
Who will not grow up
Must be taken in hand
Unruly girls
Who will not settle down
They must be taken in hand

A crack on the head
Is what you get for not asking
And a crack on the head
Is what you get for asking

Unruly boys
Who will not grow up
Must be taken in hand
Unruly girls
Who will not settle down
They must be taken in hand

A crack on the head
Is what you get for not asking
And a crack on the head
Is what you get for asking

A crack on the head
Is what you get for not asking
And a crack on the head
Is what you get for asking

A crack on the head
Is just what you get
Why because of who you are

And a crack on the head
Is just what you get
Why because of what you are

A crack on the head
Because of
The things you said, or didn't say
The things you did

Unruly boys
Who will not grow up
Must be taken in hand
Unruly girls
Who will not grow up
They must be taken in hand

Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Smiths

Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to
Smash every tooth in your head

Oh sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking
When I said by rights you
Should be bludgeoned in your bed

And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt

Bigmouth, bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the Human race

Bigmouth, bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the Human race

And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her hearing aid started to melt

Bigmouth, bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the Human race

Cemetry Gates
The Smiths

A dreaded sunny day
So I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
A dreaded sunny day
So I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
While Wilde is on mine

So we go inside and
We gravely read the stones
All those people, all those lives
Where are they now ?
With loves, and hates
And passions just like mine
They were born
And then they lived
And then they died
It seems so unfair
I want to cry

You say : "'Ere thrice the sun done
Salutation to the dawn"
And you claim these words as your own
But I've read well, and I've heard them said
A hundred times (maybe less, maybe more)
If you must write prose/poems
The words you use should be your own
Don't plagiarise or take "on loan"
'Cause there's always someone, somewhere
With a big nose, who knows
And who trips you up and laughs
When you fall
Who'll trip you up and laugh
When you fall

You say : "'Ere long done do does did"
Words which could only be your own
And then produce the text
From whence was ripped
(Some dizzy whore, 1804)

A dreaded sunny day
So let's go where we're happy
And I meet you at the cemetry gates
Oh, Keats and Yeats are on your side
A dreaded sunny day
So let's go where we're wanted
And I meet you at the cemetry gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
But you lose
'Cause Wilde is on mine
(Sure!)