This song is assumed to have been written at some point between the year 2000 and its live debut in August 2002. It was first recorded on 3 October 2002 for Morrissey's appearance on Janice Long's BBC2 programme, alongside 2 other numbers. Musicians for this radio session were Boz Boorer (guitars), Alain Whyte (guitars), Gary Day (bass) and Dean Butterworth (drums).

The definitive album version 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 version {3:51}

• "You Are The Quarry" album

Janice Long radio session 3 October 2002 {4:01}

Nothing from this 3-song radio session (also including "Irish Blood, English Heart" and "I Like You") has ever been given an official release, but good sounding recordings of the tracks as well as the Morrissey interview can be found on various manufactured bootlegs as well as in digital format on the internet.

Reading Session@AOL 27 August 2004 [web video] {4:21}

• official USA iTunes download as "Sessions@AOL" EP

Because this official release in only in audio form, the web video footage is being circulated in bootleg video.

The song has been performed live 211 times by Morrissey, which places it in the top 12 of his 'live hall of fame'. It was first played in front of a live audience on the 2002 tour with no name, two year ahead of its release. It was on the setlist each and every night bar one that year. After being finally made available to purchase, it was done 55 times, a majority of dates on the You Are The Quarry tour. It was played another 33 times in the latter third of the Greatest Hits tour, between October 2007 and July 2008. Morrissey also sang it very often on the two 2009 tours, 55 times out of 68 dates on the Tour Of Refusal, then 22 times out of 26 concerts on the Swords tour.

live Manchester 22 May 2004 {4:24}

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

live England December 2004 {3:55}

• "Live At Earls Court" live album

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