That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (single)

Cover art

Original image

THE SMITHS Single
Name	That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
Release	5 July 1985
Total Length	4:57
Recorded	October 1984
Writer/composer	Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Producer	The Smiths Stephen Street (Recording Engineer)
Art work	Cover star: Child pictured is from "The Enchanted Desna" by Julia Solntseva. The image was published in "Film & Filming" (February, 1965)
Vinyl Etching	UK 7": OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS / OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS UK 12": OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS / blank Canadian 12": HELEN WHEELS / blank
Publisher	Rough Trade Records (UK)
Format(s)	7" Vinyl, 12" Vinyl
Chart position	UK #49
Single chronology
The Headmaster Ritual ← That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore → The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

Track list

7" Vinyl

UK - [Rough Trade RT 186]

1. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore – 3:49 (Morrissey/Marr)
2. Meat Is Murder (live in Oxford) – 5:34 (Morrissey/Marr)

12" Vinyl

UK - [Rough Trade RTT 186]

1. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore – 3:49 (Morrissey/Marr)
2. Nowhere Fast (live in Oxford) – 2:31 (Morrissey/Marr)
3. Stretch Out And Wait (live in Oxford) – 2:49 (Morrissey/Marr)
4. Shakespeare's Sister (live in Oxford) – 2:12 (Morrissey/Marr)
5. Meat Is Murder (live in Oxford) – 5:34 (Morrissey/Marr)

Lyrics

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

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

Live History

Play count (The Smiths concert): 77

The Smiths live history:

• Chippenham, England 1985-02-27 (The Smiths concert)
• Guildford, England 1985-02-28 (The Smiths concert)
• London, England 1985-03-01 (The Smiths concert)
• Portsmouth, England 1985-03-03 (The Smiths concert)
• Reading, England 1985-03-04 (The Smiths concert)
• Poole, England 1985-03-06 (The Smiths concert)
• Brighton, England 1985-03-07 (The Smiths concert)
• Margate, England 1985-03-08 (The Smiths concert)
• Ipswich, England 1985-03-11 (The Smiths concert)
• Nottingham, England 1985-03-12 (The Smiths concert)

... further results

Play count (Morrissey concert): 29

Morrissey live history:

• Port Chester, New York 2013-01-19 (Morrissey concert)
• San Diego, California 2013-02-27 (Morrissey concert)
• Los Angeles, California 2013-03-01 (Morrissey concert)
• Los Angeles, California 2013-03-02 (Morrissey concert)
• Davis, California 2013-03-04 (Morrissey concert)
• Seattle, Washington 2013-03-06 (Morrissey concert)
• Portland, Oregon 2013-03-08 (Morrissey concert)
• Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2019-04-26 (Morrissey concert)
• New York, New York 2019-05-02 (Morrissey concert)
• New York, New York 2019-05-07 (Morrissey concert)

... further results

Appears On

• Meat Is Murder
• That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (single)
• The Queen Is Dead
• The World Won't Listen
• ...Best II
• Singles
• The Very Best Of The Smiths
• The Sound Of The Smiths
• The Smiths Singles Box
• Complete
• 25 Live

Appears On Covers Compilation

• Romantic And Square Is Hip And Aware (A Matinée Tribute To The Smiths)
• The String Quartet: Tribute To The Smiths

Cover Versions

• At The Drive-In
• Josh Klinghoffer
• Michael Shannon
• Simpático
• The Vitamin String Quartet

Mentioned In

• The Enchanted Desna

Discogs Information

Credits

• Music By - Johnny Marr
• Words By - Morrissey

Notes

This is the MPO push-out centre variant (see: solid centre variant). Also an EMI Records pressing with push-out centre exists.

A-Side: 'From the Rough Trade LP [r=373240] (Rough 81)'. B-Side: recorded live in Oxford, 18 Mar 1985.

© 1985 Warner Bros. Music Ltd.

Images

• That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore - Discogs master release: https://www.discogs.com/master/20118
• That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (7" Single 45 RPM Push-out Centre, MPO Pressing) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/525791-The-Smiths-That-Joke-Isnt-Funny-Anymore

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Custom flesh-coloured inner sleeve.

Track A1 From the Rough Trade LP "Meat Is Murder" (Rough 81) Tracks B1-B4 were recorded live in Oxford, 18 Mar 1985

© 1985 Warner Bros. Music Made in the UK

Runouts are stamped except for ’OUR SOULS OUR SOULS OUR SOULS’ and ’Timtom’, which are etched.

Images

• That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (12" 45 RPM Single EMI Pressing) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/490713-The-Smiths-That-Joke-Isnt-Funny-Anymore

Wikipedia Information

"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths. The full-length version of the song appears on the album Meat Is Murder. It was the sole track from the album to be released, in edited form, as a UK single. The song was composed by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Marr has cited it as one of his favourite Smiths songs.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Joke_Isn%27t_Funny_Anymore

Related Forum Threads

• The Smiths A-Z: "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" - Morrissey-solo (Oct 11, 2022)