The song appears to have been written at some point between the years 2000 and 2002. It was first recorded in 2002 at Cherokee Studio in Los Angeles with guitarists Boz Boorer and Alain Whyte and bassist Gary Day for the audition of drummer Dean Butterworth.

The title was not included in the list of songs recorded during the "You Are The Quarry" sessions which was made public in January 2004, four months prior to the release. This has lead to speculation that it may have already been recorded (other than that Cherokee demo), or that Morrissey decided at the last minute to record his own version (it was originally meant for Nancy Sinatra), perhaps between January and the May release date, which is not impossible. The song is credited as having been recorded in Los Angeles in 2004, but the "You Are The Quarry" sessions were actually split between Sarm Hook End in Berkshire in the autumn of 2003 and Conway Studios in Los Angeles in late 2003 or January 2004, with producer Jerry Finn. Musicians on this recording were Boz Boorer (guitar), Alain Whyte (guitar), Gary Day (bass), Dean Butterworth (drums) and Roger Manning (piano).

album / single version {3:30}

• "You Are The Quarry" album

• "Let Me Kiss You" single, all formats

• "Greatest Hits" album [remastered 2008]

Later With Jools Holland 21 May 2004 [tv]

This is widely circulated on bootlegs of Morrissey television appearances, alongside the three other songs Morrissey did that night, "Irish Blood, English Heart", "First Of The Gang To Die" and "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" as well as the Morrissey interview. The audio for "Let Me Kiss You" and "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" can be found on manufactured bootlegs, but not the audio for the two other songs which is only circulated in digital format on the internet.

Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn 12 September 2004 [tv] {3:59}

• Deluxe edition of "You Are The Quarry" album

Despite having been given an official release, this song as well as the other two Morrissey did on this programme at the time (but on different nights - "First Of The Gang To Die" and "Let Me Kiss You") are circulated on bootleg compilations of Morrissey television appearances. 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.

This song has been performed live 339 times by Morrissey, which places it in the top 5 of his 'live hall of fame'. This is even more impressive considering the fact that it is a song from the latter half of his solo years. It has been done on every tour since its live inception in 2004. It was done 57 times out of 66 dates on the 2004 You Are The Quarry tour, so every night with the exception of 9 in the first few weeks. It was on the setlist every night bar two on the 93-date Tour Of The Tormentors MMVI. It started the 2007-2008 Greatest Hits tour as a regular, but was rarely done after September, for a total of 53 airings. It was done every night except a few at the beginning and a few at the end of the 2009 Tour Of Refusal. It was only done twice later that year on the Swords tour, then only five times on the subsequent 2011 tour. It came back in force in 2012 when it was done every night, and in 2013 when it was skipped only once. On the other hand, it was done only once in 2014 before that tour got cancelled.

live Manchester 22 May 2004 {5:01}

• "Who Put The 'M' In Manchester?" live DVD

live England December 2004 {3:36}

• "Live At Earls Court" live album

live Hollywood Bowl 8 June 2007 {4:28}

• limited edition of the "Greatest Hits" album

live Hollywood High School 2 March 2013 {:}

• "25Live", a live concert on video

2002 studio outtake {3:41}

Cherokee studio outtake leaked on the internet in 2009. Source: an industry in-house cd-r.