"Miserable Lie"
(Morrissey/Marr)

 

These lyrics are transcribed in light blue as they appear in the Smiths' debut 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.

So, goodbye
please stay with your own kind
and I'll stay with mine

There's something against us
it's not time
it's not time
So, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

I know I need hardly say
how much I love your casual way 1
but please put your tongue away 2
a little higher and we're well away
the dark nights are drawing in
and your humour is as black as them
I look at yours, you laugh at mine
and "love" is just a miserable lie 3
you have destroyed my flower-like life
not once - but twice
you have corrupt my innocent mind 1
not once - but twice
I know the wind-swept mystical air *
it means: I'd like to see your underwear 4
I recognise that mystical air *
it means: I'd like to seize your underwear 5
what do we get for our trouble and pain? 1
just a rented room in Whalley Range
what do we get for our trouble and pain?
Whalley Range
into the depths of the criminal world
I followed her...

I need advice, I need advice
I need advice, I need advice
because nobody ever looks at me twice
nobody ever looks at me twice

I'm just a country-mile behind 6
the world

I'm just a country-mile behind 6
the whole world

(repeat above 4 lines)

so take me when you go
take me when you go
I need advice, I need advice

 

1 For a short period on the UK leg of the Meat Is Murder tour in March 1985, Morrissey echoed the endings of these three lines, singing "how much I love your casual way, casual way", "you have corrupt my innocent mind, innocent mind" and "what do we get for our trouble and pain, trouble and pain?".

2 On the Scottish leg of the "Meat Is Murder" tour, Morrissey changed this line to "Oh but put your mother's dress away".

3 Live in Oxford 1985, and some other occasions on the Meat Is Murder tour: "and life is just a miserable lie".

4 On stage, Morrissey has at least once changed this line to "I'd like to be your underwear".

5 Peel session version: "I'd like to see your underwear". On stage Morrissey has been known to sing "I'd really like to see your underwear".

6 Live early and on the last ever concert: "I'd run a hundred miles away from you".

Note: lines followed by * are inverted in the Peel session of this song as well as in many live performances.