"At Last I Am Born"
(Morrissey/Michael Farrell)

 

These words are transcribed without permission the way they appear in the "Ringleader Of The Tormentors" album. There are no variations between the printed lyrics and what Morrissey actually sings in the studio version.

At last I am born
historians note 1
I am finally born
I once used to chase
affection withdrawn
but now I just sit back and yawn
because I am born, born, born
"Look at me now
 from difficult child 2
 to spectral hand
 to Claude Brasseur
 blah, blah, blah, blah..."
At last I am born
vulgarians know 3
I am finally born
I once thought that time
accentuates despair
but now I don't actually care
because I am born, born, born
"Look at me now
 from difficult child 4
 to spectral hand
 to Claude Brasseur
 blah, blah, blah, blah..."
At last I am born
at last I am born
living the one, true, free life
born
I once thought that I
had numerous reasons to cry
and I did - but I don't anymore
because I am born, born, born
At last I am born
at last I am born
it took me a long, long time 5
but now I am born
I once was a mess
of guilt because of the flesh
it's remarkable what you can learn
once you are born, born, born
born, born, born
born, born, born.

 

1 On the Tour Of The Tormentors MMVI and in 2007, Morrissey sometimes replaced "historians note" by "historians write this down", or even for a short period in 2006 to "vulgarians note".

2 On select dates of the 2006 tour Morrissey changed this first occurrence of "difficult child" to "miserable child".

3 On the Tour Of The Tormentors MMVI, Morrissey changed this line to "vegetarians know" on most dates. On the 2007 Greatest Hits tour he did it now and then but not all the time.

4 On select dates of the 2006 tour Morrissey changed this second occurrence of "difficult child" to "miserable child". For some time he also sang "fat little child". The latter change was almost standard on the 2007 Greatest Hits tour.

5 In most live performances of this song, Morrissey added emphasis to this line by singing "at last I am born, yes!, it took me a long long time..."