"A Swallow On My Neck"
(Morrissey/Alain Whyte)

 

These words are transcribed without permission the way they appear in the "My Early Burglary Years" album. Additions to the printed lyrics are in darker text while omissions are striken out.

I have been smashed again
with the men from the old
Valhalla road crematorium
boring them
with the same old patter 1
I am a simple man
not much to gain or lose
and I don't know why I still
hold held out so long for me and you
Until he drew a swallow on my neck 2
and more I will not say 3
He drew a swallow deep and blue 4
and soon, everyone knew 5
Then I was wrecked again
with the men full of bluff
and ardour from a well-known
funeral parlour
I am a simple man
not much to gain or lose
older, wiser
never applies to me
And so he drew a swallow on my neck 2
and more I will not say 3
He drew a swallow deep and blue 4
and soon, everyone knew 5
You have been telling me that I
have been acting childish
foolish, ghoulish and ...childish
oh I know, I know, I know...
I know, I know
...but I don't mind
I don't mind
I don't mind
I don't mind.

 

1 On the 2000 North American leg of the Oye Esteban tour Morrissey sometimes changed this line to "same old chatter".

2 When this song was done live on the Oye Esteban tour Morrissey usually changed this line to "But then you drew a swallow on my neck".

3 When this song was done live on the Oye Esteban tour Morrissey always changed this line to "there was no more to say".

4 When this song was done live on the Oye Esteban tour Morrissey sometimes changed this line to "you drew a swallow on my neck".

5 When this song was done live on the Oye Esteban tour Morrissey always changed this line to "and from then on I knew".