The song was very likely written in the first half of 1993. It was recorded with producer Steve Lillywhite during the "Vauxhall & I" sessions which stretched from June to August 1993 at Hook End Manor. Musicians on this recording were Boz Boorer (guitar), Alain Whyte (guitar), Jonny Bridgwood (bass) and Woodie Taylor (drums).

album version {2:09}

• "Vauxhall & I" album

• "The World Of Morrissey" album

• "Vauxhall & I" album, 20th anniversary edition [remastered 2014]

This song has never been performed specifically for radio, television or the web.

The song has been performed live 228 times by Morrissey, which places it in the top 12 of his 'live hall of fame'. It was slotted as the set opener on every one of the 18 dates of the 1995 Boxers Tour. Later that year, it was on the setlist on 11 of the 13 dates of the tour promoting the release of the "Southpaw Grammar" album. It remained a setlist fixture the next time Morrissey went on the road, in 1997 promoting the "Maladjusted" album (played 50 times over 54 dates). The following tour was the Oye Esteban one and the song was still heavily performed, on 63 nights out of 75. After a break of seven years, the song returned to the set on the 2007-2008 Greatest Hits tour when it was played 38 more times, on a majority of dates following its re-introduction in September 2007 until the end of that tour. Finally, the song was done a further 48 times on the Tour Of Refusal of 2009, out of 68 concerts.

live Sheffield 7 February 1995 {2:19}

• "Introducing Morrissey", a live concert on video

live London 26 February 1995 {2:18}

• UK cd-single #1 and EEC cd-single of "The Boy Racer"

• "Southpaw Grammar" album, redesigned edition [remastered 2009] (iTunes only)

• "Vauxhall & I" album, 20th anniversary 2-cd edition

studio outtake {2:13}

Leaked on the internet in 2007