"Handsome Devil"
(Morrissey/Marr)

These lyrics are transcribed in light blue as they appear in the "Hatful Of Hollow" album and are reproduced here without permission. Variations between the printed lyrics and what is sung by Morrissey are indicated in darker text for additions and omissions are deleted.

All the streets are crammed with things
eager to be held
I know what hands are for ¹
and I'd like to help myself
you ask me the time
but I sense something more
and I would like to give you
what I think you're asking for
you handsome devil
you handsome devil

Let me get my hands
on your mammary glands
and let me get your head
on in the conjugal bed
I say, I say, I say

I crack the whip
and you skip
but you deserve it
you deserve it, deserve it, deserve it

A boy in the bush
is worth two in the hand
I think I can help you get through your exams
Oh you handsome devil

(refrain)

And when we're in your scholarly room
who will swallow whom?
when we're in your scholarly room
who will swallow whom?
you handsome devil

(refrain)²

There's more to life than books, who know ³
but not much more.
There's more to life than books, who know
but not much more
not much more
oh you handsome devil
oh you handsome devil

 

² Actually Morrissey only repeats the first part of the refrain. He ends it by singing the slightly different "I said, I say, I say".

³ In live performances of this song, Morrissey has been known to occasionally adapt this line to the visited town: "There's more to life than Leeds, who know but not much more" or "There's more to life than Poole, who know but not much more".