"You Say You Don't Love Me"
(Pete Shelley)

 

This cover of a Buzzcocks song was only done live at this point in time. Until an official recording is released (if such a thing ever happens), the lyrics given here are the ones Morrissey usually sings live. The original Buzzcocks lyrics are also given below, because Morrissey changed quite a few lines from it.

Morrissey's lyrics:

You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cos I'm in love with you
(And) I wouldn't want you to do things
That you don't want to do
You know I always wanted you
To be in love with me
But I think I realize at last
The way things have to be 1
I wanted to live in a dream that couldn't be real
And I think you understand the way (that) I feel 2
You say you don't
You say you don't

You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cos I have got the time
To hang around and hope that maybe
You'll change your mind
I'm determined not to make the same mistake
This time around
Because I've had my share of heartache 3
I've been thinking and I've found
I don't want to live in a dream I want something real
And I think you understand this feeling I feel 4
You say you don't
You say you don't
You say...

You say you don't
You say you don't
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me I'm not in love with you 5
(But) I just want us to do the things
That we both want to do
Yes I have this special feeling 6
I was wrong to call it love
Because the word entails a few things
I would be wary of
I have no need to live in a dream it's finally real 7
And I think I understand this feeling I feel 8
You say you don't
You say you don't
You say you don't love me
You say you don't love me
You say you don't love me
Mmm

 

These are the original Buzzcocks lyrics. Major differences between Morrissey's changes and the original Buzzcocks version are in italic.

You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cos I'm in love with you
And I wouldn't want you doing things
You don't want to do
Oh you know I've always wanted you
To be in love with me
And it took so long to realize
The way things have to be
I wanted to live in a dream that couldn't be real
And I'm starting to understand now the way that you feel
You say you don't
You say you don't

You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cos I have got the time
To wait in case someday you
Maybe change your mind
I've decided not to make the same mistakes
This time around
As I'm tired of having heartaches
I've been thinking and I've found
I don't want to live in a dream I want something real
And I think I understand now the way that you feel
You say you don't
You say you don't
You say you don't

You say you don't
You say you don't
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me I'm not in love with you
I just want us to do the things
We both want to do
Though I've got this special feelin'
I'd be wrong to call it love
For the word entails a few things
That I would be well rid of
I've no need to live in a dream it's finally real
And I hope you now understand this feeling I feel
You say you don't
You say you don't
You say you don't love me
You say you don't love me
You say you don't love me
Mmm

 

1 Morrissey sometimes sang "But I think I realize at last the way it has to be".

2 Morrissey sometimes sang "And I think you understand this feeling I feel".

3 Morrissey once sang "Because I'm tired of being kicked in the face I've been thinking and I've found". He also mistakenly sang the corresponding lines from the third verse more than once.

4 Morrissey sometimes sang "And I'm glad you understand..." or "And I hope you understand..." or "I think you understand the way I feel".

5 Morrissey sometimes sang "Well that's alright with me I'm no longer in love with you".

6 Morrissey sometimes sang "I know I have this special feeling".

7 Morrissey sometimes sang "I have no need to live in a dream I found real".

8 Morrissey sometimes sang "And I'm glad you understand this feeling I feel".