This song was very likely written shortly before or during the recording sessions for the "Ringleader Of The Tormentors" album, which took place at Forum Music Village in Rome between September and November 2005, with producer Tony Visconti. Musicians on this recording were Boz Boorer (guitar), Alain Whyte (guitar), Jesse Tobias (guitar), Gary Day (bass), Matt Chamberlain (drums) and Michael Farrell (keyboards).

album / single version {2:58}

• "Ringleader Of The Tormentors" album

• "I Just Want To See The Boy Happy" single, all formats

• "Greatest Hits" album [remastered 2008]

4Music Presents 6 April 2006 [tv]

This 4-song performance (also including "You Have Killed Me", "The Youngest Was The Most Loved" and "Still Ill") as well as the Morrissey interview, are circulated on bootleg video compilations of Morrissey television appearances. The audio can be found in digital format on the internet.

Album Chart Show 28 April 2006 [tv]

This song as well as the other three Morrissey did on this programme at the time (but on different nights - "You Have Killed Me", "I Will See You In Far-Off Places" and "The Youngest Was The Most Loved") are circulated on bootleg video compilations of Morrissey television appearances. The audio can be found in digital format on the internet.

Later With Jools Holland 2 June 2006 [tv]

This performance as well as the other two Morrissey did on this programme at the time ("You Have Killed Me" and "The Youngest Was The Most Loved") are circulated on bootleg video compilations of Morrissey television appearances. The audio can be found in digital format on the internet.

L'album de la semaine 8 September 2006 [tv]

This song as well as the other six Morrissey did on this programme at the time (but on different days of the same week) are circulated on bootleg video. The audio can be found in digital format on the internet. This performance was used as the promotional video for this song when it was released as a single shortly after.

Russell Brand Show 1 December 2006 [tv]

This television appearance as well as the interview with Morrissey are only circulated on bootleg video. The audio can be found in digital format on the internet.

In-D TV: Morrissey En El Polyforum 27 January 2007 [tv]

This performance is part of a 5-song mini-concert + interview given by Morrissey for television ahead of a concert in Mexico City. It is circulated on bootleg video and the audio can be found in digital format on the internet.

Jimmy Kimmel Live 20 April 2007 [tv]

This performance is part of a 6-song set recorded by Morrissey for this programme. This is the only song to have been broadcast in full. It and the first few seconds of "First Of The Gang To Die" which were shown before the closing credits are circulated on bootleg video and the audio can be found in digital format on the internet. The four other songs remain unseen (except by those who attended the taping).

This song has been performed 174 times by Morrissey. It was done each and every night on the 93-date Tour Of The Tormentors MMVI. It remained a regular at the beginning and at the end of the 2007-2008 Greatest Hits tour, and on-and-off in the middle, for a total of 74 airings out of 91 dates. It returned for a further 7 performances near the end of the 2009 Tour Of Refusal.

live Mexico 16 November 2006 {3:21}

• official download at the time of release of the "I Just Want To See The Boy Happy" single

live Hollywood Bowl 8 June 2007 {2:56(UK) / 3:20(USA)}

• limited edition of the "Greatest Hits" album

live Warsaw 7 July 2009 {2:50}

• limited 2-cd edition of the "Swords" album

No demos or studio outtakes of this song have leaked to the general public at this point in time.