The lyrics of this song were never printed in any official release by the Smiths. They are transcribed here as they are heard, without permission.

Jeane
The low-life has lost its appeal
And I'm tired of walking these streets
To a room with its cupboard bare ¹
Jeane
I'm not sure what happiness means
But I look in your eyes
And I know
That it isn't there
We tried, we failed ²
We tried and we failed
We tried and we failed
We tried and we failed
We tried
Jeane
There's ice on the sink where we bathe
So how can you call this home
When you know it's a grave
But you still hold the reedy grace ³
As you tidy the place
But it will never be clean
Jeane
We tried and we failed
We tried and we failed
We tried and we failed
We tried and we failed
We tried
Cash on the nail
It's just a fairy tale
And I don't believe in magic anymore
Jeane
But I think you know
I really think you know
I think you know the truth ⁴
Jeane
No heavenly choirs
Not for me and not for you
Because I think that you know ⁵
I really think you know
I think you know the truth
Jeane
That we tried and we failed ²
That we tried and we failed ²
We tried and we failed
We tried and we failed
Oh Jeane ⁶

 

² Sandie Shaw version: "We tried and we failed"

³ Sandie Shaw version: "Yet you still have that greedy grace"

⁴ Sandie Shaw version: "Oh yes I think you know the truth"

⁵ Sandie Shaw version: "Because I think you know"

⁶ Sandie Shaw version: "We tried". In live performances of that song in 1985, Morrissey simply yelped instead of doing this line.