I Want The One I Can't Have
The Smiths · The Smiths Complete [2011]
On the day that your mentality
Decides to try
To catch up with your biology
Come 'round
'Cause I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over, all over my face
On the day that your mentality
Catches up with your biology
I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over, all over my face
A double bed
And a stalwart lover for sure
These are the richest of the poor
A double bed
And a stalwart lover for sure
These are the richest of the poor
And I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over my face
A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails
Raised on Prisoner's Aid
He killed a policeman when he was thirteen
And somehow that really impressed me
And it's written all over my face
Oh, these are the richest of the poor
These are the richest of the poor
I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's written all over my face
On the day that your mentality
Catches up with your biology
And if you ever need self-validation
Just meet me in the alley by the railway station
It's all over my face
Decides to try
To catch up with your biology
Come 'round
'Cause I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over, all over my face
On the day that your mentality
Catches up with your biology
I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over, all over my face
A double bed
And a stalwart lover for sure
These are the richest of the poor
A double bed
And a stalwart lover for sure
These are the richest of the poor
And I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's all over, all over my face
A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails
Raised on Prisoner's Aid
He killed a policeman when he was thirteen
And somehow that really impressed me
And it's written all over my face
Oh, these are the richest of the poor
These are the richest of the poor
I want the one I can't have
And it's driving me mad
It's written all over my face
On the day that your mentality
Catches up with your biology
And if you ever need self-validation
Just meet me in the alley by the railway station
It's all over my face
I Want The One I Can't Have
Released on The Smiths' 2011 complete discography, this track exemplifies Morrissey's distinctive vocal delivery and Johnny Marr's jangly guitar work. The song explores themes of unrequited desire and emotional frustration, characteristic of the band's indie pop and post-punk fusion during the early 1980s. Its lyrical focus on longing and the impossibility of possession resonates deeply within the band's broader catalog of introspective ballads. As a staple of The Smiths' enduring legacy, the recording captures the raw tension between hope and heartbreak that defined their musical identity.