This song was very likely written during the interim between the end of the Smiths and the launch of Morrissey's solo career. It appears to have come together during the "Viva Hate" recording sessions which stretched from October to December 1987 at Wool Hall Studios in Bath, with producer Stephen Street. Musicians on the recording were Vini Reilly (guitar), Stephen Street (bass) and Andrew Paresi (drums).

album version {2:09}

• "Bona Drag" - redesigned edition

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

This song has never been done live.

jangly demo with back vocals {2:13}

Taken from a record company cd-r of a scrapped reissue project, this version leaked in good quality in a package called "Viva Hate Outtakes" and in inferior quality from another source in 2007.

jangly demo, no back vocals {2:12}

Leaked in good quality in a package called "Viva Hate Outtakes" and in inferior quality from another source.

electric demo, no back vocals, ready-for-release {2:16}

Taken from a record company cd-r of a scrapped reissue of "Viva Hate", this has leaked on the "Revelation" bootleg.

Quotes

In an interview published in Sounds magazine in 1988, Morrissey said "It's called Please Help The Cause Against Loneliness and it was originally written for Viva Hate. There wasn't enough space and it was frozen. Sandie picked it up and put it in the microwave."