(Music: J. Marr/Lyrics: Morrissey)
This song, from the magnifique Smiths album The Queen Is Dead is one that only got pulled out of the hat and into the live set on rare occasions. He played it at least once during his Melbourne shows on his first tour in Australia (1995), none of which I was able to see due to tickets selling out fast.
But I have been fortunate enough to receive a tape of the performance of this song at the Glastonbury festival in the UK in 1995; I think it actually occurred during the Everything But The Girl set, rather than Jeff's own, which might explain (i) why it doesn't appear much in other collections of recordings of Jeff at Glastonbury and (ii) the Tracey-Thorn-like vocals that pop up throughout alongside Jeff's.
I've done a simple chord chart based on the Smiths' version, in the key of C. The Glastonbury version is played in the key of G, and, although the translation between these keys should be easy, I do the work for you down below if you really need it.
C Am
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
C Am
And as I climb into an empty bed - oh well, enough said
F G F G
I know it's over, still I cling, I don't know where else I can go
F G
Over and over.....
C Am F G
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
C Am
See the sea wants to take me, the knife wants to slit me
Do you think you can help me
F G C Am
Sad veiled bride please be happy - handsome groom give her room
F G C
Loud loutish lover treat her kindly though she needs you
Am F G F G
More than she loves you - and I know it's over - still I cling
F G F G
I don't know where else I can go - over and over.....
[This section almost spoken, making the timing a touch tricky]
C F G F G Am
I know it's over and it never really began but in my heart it was so real
G F G
And she even spoke to me and said
C Am F G
"If you're so funny, then why are you on your own tonight?"
C Am F G
"And if you're so clever then why are you on your own tonight?"
C Am F G
"And if you're so very entertaining then why are you on your own tonight?"
C Am
"And if you're so very good looking, then why do you sleep alone tonight?"
F G C
I know - 'cos tonight is just like any other night - that's why you're on
Am
your own tonight
C Am F
With your triumphs and your charms - while they're in each other's arms
G F G F
It's so easy to laugh it's so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle
G F G
and kind - over and over....
C F G
It's so easy to laugh it's so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle and
Am F G
kind - over and over....
C F G Em F G
Love is natural and real - but not for you my love not tonight my love
C F G F G Am F G
Love is natural and real - but not for such as you and I my love
C F G Em F G....
Oh mother... etc.
C F G Am G F G etc.
If you want to play this in the key of G, as did Jeff, my rough and ready seat of
the pants re-labelling goes something like this:
For C major, play G major;
For A minor, play E minor;
For F major, play C major;
For G major, play D major;
For E minor, play B minor;
(I think that should be accurate. Please let me know if you think otherwise.)