Morrissey changed the lyrics of this song very often in live performances to: “ As merry as the days were long i’m right and you’re wrong”.
11. you've got everything now
The Smiths Lyrics
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I was right and you were wrong
Back at the old grey school
I would win and you would lose
But you've got everything now
You've got everything now
Oh, what a mess I've made of my life
No, I've never had a job
Because I've never wanted one
I've seen you smile
But I've never really heard you laugh
So who is rich and who is poor?
I cannot say...oh
You are your mother's only son
And you're a desperate one
Oh...
But I don't want a lover
I just want to be seen...oh...in the back of your car
A friendship sadly lost?
Well this is true...and yet, it's false
Oh...
But did I ever tell you, by the way?
I never did like your face
But you've got everything now
You've got everything now
And what a terrible mess I've made of my life
Oh, what a mess I've made of my life
No, I've never had a job
Because I'm too shy
I've seen you smile
But I've never really heard you laugh
So who is rich and who is poor ?
I cannot say...oh
Oh...
You are your mother's only son
And you're a desperate one
Oh...
But I don't want a lover
I just want to be tied... oh...to the back of your car
To the back of your car
To the back of your car
To the back of your car
To the back of your car
To the back of your car
Oh...
The Smiths' song "You've Got Everything Now" is a melancholic reflection upon a broken friendship or relationship. The song opens with the nostalgic image of happy, carefree days, but the tone quickly turns bitter. The singer accuses his former friend or lover of having won everything in life, while he himself has made a mess of his own. He laments not having a job, yet not wanting one, and feeling overshadowed by the other person's success. The chorus repeats the phrase "you've got everything now", as if to drive home that contrasted feeling of envy and dissatisfaction.
The song also contains several contradictory statements and mixed emotions. The singer claims to have been always right and victorious over the other person at school, yet later admits to never having liked their face. He mentions seeing the other person smile but never hearing them laugh, suggesting a lack of genuine connection or intimacy in their past relationship. The final lines about wanting to be tied to the back of the other person's car instead of being their lover add a touch of perverse desire and despair to the lyrics, as if the singer has resigned himself to a position of lesser value.
Overall, "You've Got Everything Now" portrays a complex and uneasy mix of regret, jealousy, and longing. The singer feels like he has missed out on something essential in life, while resenting the other person for seemingly having it all. The song's ambiguous lyrics and haunting melodies capture the universal feeling of being left behind by someone else's success or happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
As merry as the days were long
I remember those carefree days full of joy and happiness
I was right and you were wrong
I used to be smarter than you and always win arguments
Back at the old grey school
We were both in school and things were simpler then
I would win and you would lose
I used to be better than you in academics
But you've got everything now
You have everything that I don't have and it bothers me
And what a terrible mess I've made of my life
I have made poor choices in my life that have led to regret
No, I've never had a job
I have never held a job before
Because I've never wanted one
I have never been interested in having a career or working
I've seen you smile
I have witnessed moments where you appeared happy
But I've never really heard you laugh
However, I have never truly heard you laugh from genuine joy or delight
So who is rich and who is poor?
It's difficult to say who is truly rich or poor in life
You are your mother's only son
You are your mother's only child
And you're a desperate one
You are in a state of despair or hopelessness
But I don't want a lover
I am not interested in a romantic relationship
I just want to be seen...oh...in the back of your car
I just want to be noticed or acknowledged in some way
A friendship sadly lost?
Did we lose touch or drift apart from a once-strong connection?
Well this is true...and yet, it's false
Although it may be true that we are no longer friends, it's also not the entire truth
But did I ever tell you, by the way?
I have something to confess or share with you
I never did like your face
I never found you physically attractive
But you've got everything now
You have everything that I don't have and it bothers me
And what a terrible mess I've made of my life
I have made poor choices in my life that have led to regret
No, I've never had a job
I have never held a job before
Because I'm too shy
I lack the confidence or courage to pursue job opportunities
To the back of your car
I want to feel a sense of excitement and adventure by being tied to the back of your car
Oh...
I am expressing confusion or uncertainty
You are your mother's only son
You are your mother's only child
And you're a desperate one
You are in a state of despair or hopelessness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind