The song was written shortly before the band went into Utopia Studios in Primrose Hill (London) in January 1985 to record and mix it. The Smiths (actually mostly Johnny) acted as producers, with Stephen Street as recording engineer.

single version {2:37}

• 12" single of "Shakespeare's Sister"

• 12" and cd-single of "Barbarism Begins At Home" (except in Greece)

• "Louder Than Bombs" album

alternate album version {2:44}

• "The World Won't Listen" album

• deluxe edition of "The Sound Of The Smiths" [remastered 2008]

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

This song has been done in concert 66 times by the Smiths, probably even 67 times if we take into account the missing information for one setlist from the era. It was in the set for a majority of dates on the 1985 Meat Is Murder tour, including the handful of 'loose' dates at the beginning of 1986 (43 performances out of 51 dates). It was almost always played on the first UK leg and the North American leg of the 1986 Queen Is Dead tour, but never on the second UK leg, but a total of 23, perhaps even 24 airings.

live Oxford 18 March 1985 {2:53}

• 12" single of "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"

• 12" and cd-single of "The Headmaster Ritual"

The song has been played a further 44 times by Morrissey after the Smiths. Most audiences on the legs of the Greatest Hits tour stretching from September 2007 to July 2008 were treated to it.

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