That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
The Smiths Lyrics


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Park the car at the side of the road
You should know
Time's tide will smother you
And I will too
When you laugh about people who feel so very lonely
Their only desire is to die
Well, I'm afraid
It doesn't make me smile
I wish I could laugh

But that joke isn't funny anymore
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone, more than you'll ever know

When they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
When they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down

It was dark as I drove the point home
And on cold leather seats, well, it suddenly struck me
I just might die with a smile on my face after all

I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
happening in mine, happening in mine
happening in mine, happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now, and now it's happening in mine, happening in mine
No, no, no
I've seen this happen, and now it's happening in mine
And now, it's happening in mine




I've seen this happen in other people's lives, no, no, no
Now it's happening in mine

Overall Meaning

The Smiths' "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is a melancholic song about the pain of loneliness and desperation. The lyrics start by warning someone who thinks they're invincible that time will eventually catch up to them. The singer then expresses their frustration with people who laugh at those who are lonely and suicidal. The singer admits that they wish they could find amusement in such dark topics, but they can't. It's not funny to them. The lyrics then repeat the chorus "That joke isn't funny anymore" several times, emphasizing that the topic of suicide is something to be taken seriously.


The second verse takes a darker turn, with the singer revealing that they have experienced the same feelings of loneliness and desperation as the people they were just criticizing. They describe driving through the night, feeling like they might die with a smile on their face. The repeated phrase "I've seen this happen in other people's lives and now it’s happening in mine" is a powerful admission of vulnerability and the realization that no one is immune to the pain of loneliness and despair.


Overall, the song is a powerful meditation on the human experience. It exposes the fragility of our emotional state and the universality of our struggles, while also exploring the contradictions and confusions of our emotional responses.


Line by Line Meaning

Park the car at the side of the road
Stop what you are doing for a moment and listen to what I have to say.


You should know
You need to be aware of something important.


Time's tide will smother you
If you let time pass you by without truly living your life, it will eventually drown you in regret and sorrow.


And I will too
I will be there with you, no matter what happens.


When you laugh about people who feel so very lonely
If you make fun of others for feeling lonely, you are only showing how callous and insensitive you really are.


Their only desire is to die
Some people who are feeling very lonely may be so desperate that they contemplate suicide as the only way out.


Well, I'm afraid
I am deeply concerned and troubled by what you are saying.


It doesn't make me smile
Laughing at other people's pain and suffering is not amusing to me at all.


I wish I could laugh
I wish I could be happy and carefree like you, but the world is too complicated and difficult for that.


But that joke isn't funny anymore
Once you start to understand the true implications of what you are saying, it becomes clear that there is nothing amusing about it.


It's too close to home and it's too near the bone
The subject of this joke hits too close to my own personal experiences and it hurts me deeply.


It's too close to home and it's too near the bone, more than you'll ever know
You can never truly understand how much this joke hurts me, because you have not lived through the same experiences.


When they fall down
When someone is at their weakest point and most vulnerable.


Kick them when they fall down
Taking advantage of someone's weakness and causing them more pain is a cruel and heartless thing to do.


You kick them when they fall down
Addressing the cruel and heartless people who would take advantage of someone's weakness by causing them more pain.


Kick them when they fall down
Repeating the message that taking advantage of someone's weakness is not acceptable behavior.


It was dark as I drove the point home
It was difficult for me to say what I needed to say, but it had to be said anyway.


And on cold leather seats, well, it suddenly struck me
In the midst of my thoughts and feelings, I had an epiphany which helped me see things more clearly.


I just might die with a smile on my face after all
Although life can be difficult and painful, it is possible to find some happiness and joy in the midst of all that.


I've seen this happen in other people's lives
I have observed other people going through similar experiences as me in the past.


And now it's happening in mine
Now I am going through the same experiences as those people I observed before.


happening in mine, happening in mine
The repetition emphasizes how personal and immediate this experience is for the singer.


No, no, no
The singer is rejecting the painful reality of their situation.


And now, it's happening in mine
Despite their initial denial, the singer is starting to accept the truth of their situation.


I've seen this happen in other people's lives, no, no, no
The singer is still struggling to accept that they are going through the same thing as others before them.


Now it's happening in mine
Final confirmation that the singer is indeed going through the same difficult experiences as others before them.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY MARR, STEVEN PATRICK MORRISSEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@InstallaFriend

Johnny Marr faded in an extra 30 seconds at the end cause he knew you wouldn't have gotten enough of it.

@milestonowhere

that extra is geniously done and it is so good!

@piolobato2

Yes, it is!

@NameNotAlreadyTaken2

I think the fade out and fade back in sucks, actually. Would have been superior if they'd made the singing end and the music just keep going in the best way possible

@elliottsalazar4597

The crowd repeated the line over and over until the encore .
Bad ass .

@BonnerTheWeebcreator

Just like in 'Pretty Girls Make Graves'

15 More Replies...

@vb2388

One of the most Underrated Tracks from The Smiths’s Discography...

Its one of Johnny Marr’s favourite tracks from The Smiths..

@stephopalopal

Agree...Much love and Respect from New Orleans Louisiana..StephopalOpal of music and Peace

@MeanManu

Yo VB MUTT, fuck Radiohead !

@redrum4139

I like your radiohead bear profile pic 😊

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