"Rubber Ring"
(Morrissey/Marr)

These lyrics are transcribed in light blue as they appear in the Smiths "The World Won't Listen" and "Louder Than Bombs" albums 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.

A sad factor widely known ¹
How a The most impassionate song
To a lonely soul
Is so easily outgrown
But don't forget the songs
That made you smile
And the songs that made you cry
When you lay in awe
On the bedroom floor
And said: "Oh, smother me, Mother..." ²
La la, love me, love me, love me, love me
La la, love me, love me, love me
La la, love me, love me, love me
The passing of time
And of all its crimes
Is making me sad again
The passing of time
And all of its sickening crimes
Is making me sad again
But don't forget the songs
That made you cry
And the songs that saved your life
Yes, you're older now
And you're a clever swine
But they were the only ones who ever stood by you
The passing of time leaves empty lives
Waiting to be filled
The passing of time
Leaves empty lives
Waiting to be filled
I'm here with the cause
I'm holding the torch
In the corner of your room
Can you hear me?
And when you're dancing and laughing
And finally living
Hear my voice in your head
And think of me kindly
La la, love me, love me, love me, love me
La la, love me, love me, love me
La la, love me, love me, love me

Do you
Love me like you used to?

You're clever
Everybody's clever nowadays
You're clever
Everybody's clever nowadays

You are sleeping, you do not want to believe
You are sleeping, you do not want to believe
You are sleeping, you do not want to believe
You are sleeping...

 

² When Morrissey did this song live on his 2004 You Are The Quarry tour, he sang "Good God! smother me Mother!", or sometimes slight variations such as "Please God! smother me Mother!".