"The Edges Are No Longer Parallel"
(Morrissey/Alain Whyte)

 

This song has yet to appear on an album (the lyrics supplied by the Japanese label in the "Rare Tracks" compilation of 1997 b-sides are incorrect). The song's lyrics are transcribed here without permission, as they are heard.

The edges are no, no longer parallel
The edges are no, no longer parallel
And there is no law of averages here
If you feel down
Then you're bound to stay down
All of the things you said
So meaningful
They are all so suddenly
Meaningless
And the looks you gave
So meaningful
They are all so suddenly
Meaningless

And there is no law of averages here
If you feel down
Then you're bound to stay down 1

My only mistake is I'm hoping 2
I'm hoping
I'm hoping
My only mistake is I'm hoping
I'm hoping
I'm hoping
My only mistake is I'm hoping
I'm hoping
I'm hoping
My one mistake is I'm hoping
I'm hoping
I'm hoping
My only mistake is...
My only mistake is I keep hoping
My only mistake is I keep hoping
My only mistake is I'm hoping
I'm hoping
I'm hoping
I'm hoping
I'm hoping
I'm hoping
My only mistake is I'm hoping
I'm hoping
I'm hoping

 

1 On both occasions when this song was performed live at the very beginning of the 1999 Oye Esteban tour Morrissey sang these lines as "then you'll always feel down".

2 On both occasions when this song was performed live at the very beginning of the 1999 Oye Esteban tour Morrissey improvised to "my only mistake is I've never been hopefull", "my one mistake is I'm realist", "my one mistake is I'm intelligent", "my only mistake is that I keep hoping for nothing" or "...for something" or "my only mistake is I'm English".

 

Quotes

In the 2009 expanded and redesigned edition of the "Maladjusted" album, Morrissey said that this song "...is the sea drawing back; hope, that saves us, can turn on you, having walked too many tightropes and foolishly believed (...) I am amused when people talk of the law of averages, or says 'what goes around comes around' - both redundantly untrue."