Since the breakup of The Smiths, Morrissey has performed this song live in 2004, including it on his Live at Earls Court (2005). Johnny Marr sang and played it in a Later With Jools Holland TV broadcast (June 2013).
The lyrics describe the protagonist's frustration of being hounded by others for his comments, to which he replies "I was only joking".
During the song, the protagonist compares himself to Joan of Arc as the flames rose to her Roman nose.[2] The proceeding line, "and her Walkman started to melt'", is often changed by Morrissey in live performances, to the more technologically-current "and her iPod started to melt".[3]
The high-pitched voice in the background is actually Morrissey's voice altered to a higher pitch. The backing vocal is credited to "Ann Coates", a reference to the Manchester district of Ancoats.
Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I said I'd like to
Smash every tooth in your head
Oh, sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking
When I said by rights you
Should be bludgeoned in your bed
And now I know how Joan of Arc feltNow I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race, oh, oh, oh-oh
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her hearing aid started to melt
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh
Bigmouth, oh-oh-oh, ha-ha
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh
Bigmouth, oh-oh-oh, ha-ha
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
The lyrics to The Smiths' "Bigmouth Strikes Again" are wry and self-deprecating, with Morrissey gently poking fun at himself and his tendency to get carried away with his own opinions. The opening verses refer to violent fantasies about smashing someone's teeth in, but the chorus takes a more philosophical turn. Morrissey acknowledges that he has no right to take his place with the human race, suggesting that his shortcomings, particularly his tendency to speak before he thinks, make him unworthy of full membership in humanity.
The reference to Joan of Arc is particularly interesting, as it draws parallels between Morrissey's own struggles with self-expression and the legendary French heroine's battles with patriarchal society. Joan of Arc famously faced condemnation and execution for her unconventional beliefs and behavior, and Morrissey may be identifying with this outsider figure as someone who himself often feels at odds with societal expectations.
Overall, "Bigmouth Strikes Again" can be read as a self-aware critique of Morrissey's persona as a cantankerous, self-righteous provocateur. By acknowledging his own shortcomings, Morrissey is able to connect with his audience on a deeper level and suggest that perhaps we are all struggling with similar insecurities and contradictions.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head
Oh oh oh
I didn't mean any harm when I said that I would like to use physical violence towards you.
Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking
When I said by rights you
Should be bludgeoned in your bed
When I talked about doing terrible things to you, I didn't mean it literally.
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt
I can sympathize with the pain and suffering that Joan of Arc experienced as she was burned alive, even as my own personal struggles seem trivial in comparison.
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
All my careless words and actions make me feel ashamed, and I realize that I don't deserve to consider myself part of humanity.
Bigmouth, oh oh oh oh, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
I keep making the same mistake of saying and doing things that hurt others, and I'm starting to question whether or not I even belong among other people.
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
I'm frustrated with myself for being so thoughtless and cruel, and I know that I need to change if I want to be a part of society.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vindictivevillain
[LYRICS]
Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head
Oh oh oh
Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking
When I said by rights you
Should be bludgeoned in your bed
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her hearing aid started to melt
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
Bigmouth, oh oh oh oh, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
@mitskismos
Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head
Oh oh oh
Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking
When I said by rights you
Should be bludgeoned in your bed
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her hearing aid started to melt
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
Bigmouth, oh oh oh oh, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Oh oh oh oh oh
Bigmouth, la-da-da-da-da, bigmouth, la-da-da-da
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the human race
Fonte: LyricFind
Compositores: Steven Morrissey / Johnny Marr
@Peepee-eu5ck
Lyrics: Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head
Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said by rights you should be
Bludgeoned in your bed
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her walkman started to melt
Bigmouth
Bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
To the Human race
Bigmouth
Bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
To the Human race
Bigmouth
Bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
To the Human race
Bigmouth
Bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
To the Human race...
@RiverdudeCovers
And here we go...
@CarbonMonoxideBag
they canโt escape us
@justinn8541akaDrPokemon
The Jojo cycle continues.
@rockyjmoon3
No escape
@Hamuel
We ain't leaving the psychward with this one folks
@OB.x
Gotta love it.
@QuazukMSM
this song really gets the BLOOD pumping... helps you to really LOOK inside the HEART of that special someone...
@ilieirimia3612
You made the 3 JoJoLands fans happy๐
@dj-um7el
Lol
@boundlesstrap
@@ilieirimia3612 *four