The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
The Smiths · The Smiths Complete [2011]
The boy with the thorn in his side,
behind the hatred there lies a murderous desire
for love...
How can they look into my eyes and still they don't believe me?
How can they hear me say those words - still they don't believe me?
And if they don't believe me now, will they ever believe me?
And if they don't believe me now, will they ever, they ever, believe me?
Oh ...
The boy with the thorn in his side,
behind the hatred there lies a bumbiling desire
for love
How can they see the Love in our eyes and still they don't believe us?
And after all this time...
(they don't want to believe us)
And if they don't believe us now, will they ever believe us?
And when you want to live,
how do you start, where do you go,
who do you need to know?
Oh...
behind the hatred there lies a murderous desire
for love...
How can they look into my eyes and still they don't believe me?
How can they hear me say those words - still they don't believe me?
And if they don't believe me now, will they ever believe me?
And if they don't believe me now, will they ever, they ever, believe me?
Oh ...
The boy with the thorn in his side,
behind the hatred there lies a bumbiling desire
for love
How can they see the Love in our eyes and still they don't believe us?
And after all this time...
(they don't want to believe us)
And if they don't believe us now, will they ever believe us?
And when you want to live,
how do you start, where do you go,
who do you need to know?
Oh...
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Released on The Smiths' 2011 complete discography, this track exemplifies the band's signature blend of jangly guitar work and Morrissey's distinctive vocal delivery. The song delves into themes of emotional vulnerability and the complexities of relationships, characteristic of the Manchester indie-pop movement of the late 1980s. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to capture the raw tension between intimacy and isolation, a recurring motif in the band's catalogue. As a staple of their reissued collection, the recording stands as a testament to the group's influence on alternative rock, balancing melancholic lyrics with an upbeat, driving rhythm that defined an era of British music.