Boy With the Thorn in His Side
The Smiths
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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 plundering 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 Oh no Oh La
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Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
Band Formation"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" was released by The Smiths, an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. The band members included vocalist Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce.
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Song ReleaseThe song was first released as a single in the UK in September 1986. It later appeared on the band's third studio album, "The Queen is Dead", which was released in June 1986.
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Chart PerformanceUpon its release, "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" reached No. 23 in the UK Singles Chart.
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Cover ArtThe cover art of the single features actor Colin Campbell from the drama movie "The Leather Boys", which is a symbol of nonconformity, reflecting the theme of the song.
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Song InspirationMorrissey, the lead singer of The Smiths, stated that the song's lyrics describe his experience in the music industry, where he felt that his work was not being understood or appreciated.
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Music VideoA promotional video for the song was shot with director Jean-Baptiste Mondino. It was filmed in plush surroundings in London's Palladium theater which was a stark contrast to the band's previous videos.
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First PerformanceAccording to setlist.fm data, The Smiths debuted "The Boy With the Thorn in His Side" live on August 25, 1985 at the "Jobs for a Change" festival at London’s GLC-run Battersea Park, well before its official release.
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Song PopularityDespite its chart position, the song has remained one of The Smiths' most popular, regularly played on radio and often cited as a fan-favorite.
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Cover VersionsNumerous artists have since covered the song, including Jeff Buckley, Skin, Trashcan Sinatras, and Bis.
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Song Re-releaseA demo mix version of the song was re-released in 2017 for Record Store Day with an unreleased version of "Rubber Ring" as the B-side.
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Notable LyricsThe song's notable lyrics, "And when you want to live, how do you start? Where do you go? Who do you need to know?" reflect the band's struggle with ambition and the music industry's constraints.
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Song LengthThe original release of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" runs approximately 3 minutes and 16 seconds.
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Citation
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