The song was the second single off of The Smiths' 1986 "The Queen Is Dead" album (although released as a single six years after the album was released).
The song became The Smiths' second song to top BBC Radio One DJ John Peel’s Festive Fifty poll in his 1986 edition. As a single, the song reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.
The song has been referenced in multiple works of art, such as the novel Trainspotting, the movie (500) Days of Summer and the TV series Orange is the New Black. Multiple artists have also covered it, including superfan Noel Gallagher and Miley Cyrus.
The fan favorite has stood out for its ideal balance of Morrissey’s irreplaceable voice and lyricism and the ingenious guitar ability of Johnny Marr.
In 1993, guitarist, Johnny Marr, told Select magazine that he thought this was “the best song” that he had ever heard: “I didn’t realise that ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ was going to be an anthem but when we first played it I thought it was the best song I’d ever heard.” In the same interview, Marr revealed that the song’s intro was lifted from The Rolling Stones' cover of “Hitch Hike” by Marvin Gaye. The Velvet Underground also swiped this intro for their song, “There She Goes Again.” Marr recalled: “There’s a little in-joke in there just to illustrate how intellectual I was getting. At the time everyone was into The Velvet Underground and they stole the intro to ‘There She Goes Again’ – ‘da da-da-da, da-da!’ – from The Rolling Stones' version of ‘Hitch Hike,’ the Marvin Gaye song. I just wanted to put that in to see whether the press would say, ‘Oh it’s the Velvet Underground!’ Cos I knew that I was smarter than that. I was listening to what The Velvet Underground was listening to.”
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
The Smiths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where there's music and there's people
And they're young and alive
Driving in your car
I never, never want to go home
Because I haven't got one anymore
Take me out tonight
And I want to see life
Driving in your car
Oh, please, don't drop me home
Because it's not my home, it's their home
And I'm welcome no more
And if a double-decker bus crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten ton truck kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine
Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care
And in the darkened underpass
I thought, oh God, my chance has come at last
But then a strange fear gripped me
And I just couldn't ask
Take me out tonight
Oh, take me anywhere, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care
Driving in your car
I never, never want to go home
Because I haven't got one, la-di-dum
Oh, I haven't got one
Oh, oh
And if a double-decker bus crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten ton truck kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine
Oh, there is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
The Smiths' song, "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," is a testament to the power of love and the all-encompassing feeling of wanting to be with someone no matter what the consequence. The opening lines illustrate the singer's desire to escape their lonely existence and find companionship among other people who are "young and alive." Their longing for togetherness stems from not having a home of their own anymore – an underlying theme of isolation that permeates the song.
The refrain "To die by your side" is somewhat contradictory in that it's a statement of devotion to another person, yet it deals with the idea of dying. The singer, however, would rather die with someone they love than to live without them. The line "the pleasure, the privilege is mine" is a testament to the joy that being with someone who understands and shares your feelings can bring.
The bridge of the song, which takes place in a "darkened underpass," reveals the singer's hesitancy to ask their lover to be with them. This fear illustrates a real struggle that many people face when it comes to expressing their feelings to someone they care for. Despite this, the singer maintains their desire to be with their lover, and the chorus's repetition of "there is a light that never goes out" is a beacon of hope against life's many uncertainties, providing comfort and security.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me out tonight
I want to go out and experience life
Where there's music and there's people
I want to be where there is a lively atmosphere
And they're young and alive
I want to be around people who are full of life
Driving in your car
I want to go on an adventure with you
I never, never want to go home
I don't want to go back to my lonely life
Because I haven't got one
I don't have a home or a place to belong
Anymore
I'm lost and lonely
Oh, please don't drop me home
I don't want to go back to my empty house
Because it's not my home, it's their home
I feel like a stranger in my own home
And I'm welcome no more
No one welcomes me back home anymore
And if a double-decker bus
If something tragic were to happen
Crashes into us
And we were together
To die by your side
It would be a comforting and peaceful way to die
Is such a heavenly way to die
It would be a beautiful way to pass on
And if a ten ton truck
If we were to meet an unfortunate end
Kills the both of us
Together, in each other's company
Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine
It would be an honor to die with you
Take me anywhere, I don't care
As long as I'm with you, I'm content with wherever we go
And in the darkened underpass
When we're alone in a secluded area
I thought, 'Oh God, my chance has come at last'
I thought that this could be the moment we finally get closer
But then a strange fear gripped me
But my anxiety and fear took over
And I just couldn't ask
And I couldn't bring myself to express my feelings
Oh, there is a light and it never goes out
There's a flicker of hope and love that will never fade away
There is a light and it never goes out
This feeling of hope and love never dies
There is a light and it never goes out
No matter how lost or lonely I feel, this light is always shining
There is a light and it never goes out
Hope and love will always be there, no matter what
There is a light and it never goes out
It's a feeling that never fades
There is a light and it never goes out
This light of hope and love will never diminish
There is a light and it never goes out
It's a reminder that there's always something to hold onto
There is a light and it never goes out
Love can never truly die
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind