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 version {4:13}

• "Ringleader Of The Tormentors" album

Album Chart Show 31 March/1 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 Just Want To See The Boy Happy" 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 4 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.

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.

The song has been done in concert a total of 174 by Morrissey. It was played each and every night on the 2006 Tour Of The Tormentors MMVI, for a total of 93 performances. It was done a further 39 times on the 2007 Greatest Hits tour, assiduously at the beginning, then less and less until its retirement in mid-October. It returned in 2012 when Morrissey sang it 42 times out of 56 concerts, again mostly early in the tour.

live Hollywood Bowl 8 June 2007 {4:16}

• limited edition of the "Greatest Hits" album

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

Quotes

"Alain's writing for Ringleader of the Tormentors had elegantly surpassed itself, with what would become Life is a pigsty, I will see you in far-off places and The father who must be killed defined for all time as the very best."
- Morrissey, "Autobiography"