He knows (he knows)
Or, I think he does
'Cause when I lived
In the arse of the world

He knows, he knows
He knows I'd love
To see him happy
(Or as close as is allowed)
Oh, 'cause when I lived
In the arse of the world...

He knows, he knows
He knows I'd love
To see him happy
(Or as close as possible)
As close as possible
As close as possible
As close as is allowed

Oh, my name still conjures up deadly deeds
And a bad taste in the mouth
And the police - they actually know me
They said :

"You're just another person in the world
You're just another fool with radical views
You're just another who has maddening views
You want to turn it on its head
By staying in bed !"

I said : "I know I do"

He doesn't know...

Overall Meaning

In this song, Morrissey expresses his longing to see someone he cares about happy, even if it's just from a distance. He mentions living in the "arse of the world" which could refer to feeling isolated or far away from this person. He knows that this person may never be completely happy, but he still desires to see them as close to happiness as possible. The repetition of the lines "he knows, he knows" suggests that Morrissey believes this person is aware of his feelings.

Morrissey also reflects on his reputation, which he accepts has negative connotations. The police even know him by name, associating him with radical and controversial views. Morrissey responds with a sense of acceptance, acknowledging that he is just another person in the world with his own opinions, even if they are unconventional.

The overall message of the song seems to be one of acceptance and empathy towards others, even when we may not fully understand them. Morrissey recognizes that he cannot control the happiness of the person he cares about, but he still desires it for them. He also shows acceptance of his own perceived shortcomings and the negative perceptions of others towards him.

Line by Line Meaning

He knows (he knows)
The singer believes that the person being sung about knows something.

Or, I think he does
The singer isn't completely sure if the person being sung about knows something.

'Cause when I lived In the arse of the world
The singer thinks the person being sung about knows something because they both lived in the same terrible place.

He knows I'd love To see him happy (Or as close as is allowed)
The singer wants the person being sung about to be happy, even if it's not completely possible in their current situation.

Oh, my name still conjures up deadly deeds And a bad taste in the mouth And the police - they actually know me They said :
The singer's actions have caused a negative reputation and even the police are aware of them.

"You're just another person in the world You're just another fool with radical views You're just another who has maddening views You want to turn it on its head By staying in bed !"
The police are dismissive of the singer's beliefs and think that their actions won't change anything.

I said : "I know I do"
The singer agrees that they want to change things even though others don't think it's possible.

He doesn't know...
The singer changes their mind and now thinks the person being sung about doesn't know something after all.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEVIN ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG, STEVEN MORRISSEY, STEVEN PATRICK MORRISSEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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