These words are transcribed without permission the way they appear in Morrissey's "Vauxhall & I" album. Additions to the printed lyrics are in darker text while omissions are striken out.

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 would will fall defending your name
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
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:
there just might come a time
when you need some friends

Quotes

In a 1994 interview to Details magazine, Morrissey said of this song "It was written about somebody I know in relation to their treatment toward me. (...) It is a lack of trust. I'm simply waiting for people to do something damaging. And they inevitably do."