There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (single)

Rare French cover

Cover art

CD2 Cover art

THE SMITHS Single
Name	There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Release	January 1987 (French 7") November 16, 1992 - Single^[1] June 16, 1986 - Original release on The Queen Is Dead
Total Length	4:02 4:25 (Take 1 demo)
Recorded	September 1985
Writer/composer	Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Producer	Morrissey / Johnny Marr Stephen Street (Recording Engineer)
Art work	2 Sandie Shaw images Unknown boy (French cover) Layout: Slim Smith Art: Jo Slee Sleeve: Morrissey
Vinyl Etching	No matrix message
Publisher	WEA (UK)
Format(s)	7" Vinyl, CD, Cassette, Promo-only 12"
Chart position	UK #25 (WEA release)
Single chronology
Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others ← There Is A Light That Never Goes Out → Shoplifters Of The World Unite
Single WEA release chronology
How Soon Is Now? (WEA reissue) ← There Is A Light That Never Goes Out → Ask (WEA reissue)

Information

An alternate take of this song appears on The Smiths – Unreleased Demos & Instrumentals bootleg LP.

Track list

7" Vinyl

France - [Rough Trade – 90299]

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – 4:02 (Morrissey/Marr)
Half A Person – 3:35 (Morrissey/Marr)

7" Vinyl

UK - [WEA YZ0003]

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – 4:02 (Morrissey/Marr)
Handsome Devil (live) – 2:53 (Morrissey/Marr)

CD Single 1

UK - [WEA YZ0003CD1]

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – 4:02 (Morrissey/Marr)
Hand In Glove (live) – 2:48 (Morrissey/Marr)
Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (live) – 5:04 (Morrissey/Marr)
Money Changes Everything – 4:38 (Marr)

CD Single 2

UK - [WEA YZ0003CD2]

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – 4:02 (Morrissey/Marr)
Hand In Glove (featuring Sandie Shaw) – 2:59 (Morrissey/Marr)
I Don't Owe You Anything (featuring Sandie Shaw) – 4:04 (Morrissey/Marr)
Jeane (featuring Sandie Shaw) – 2:50 (Morrissey/Marr)

Lyrics

Take me out tonight
where there's music and there's people
who are 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
because I want to see people
and I want to see lights
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
such a heavenly way to die
and if a ten ton truck
kills the both of us
to die by your side
the pleasure and the privilege is mine
take me out tonight
oh take me anywhere, 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
take me anywhere, I don't care
just driving in your car
I never want to go home
because I haven't got one
I haven't got one

Music Video

Credits

Directed by Derek Jarman

Live History

Play count (The Smiths concert): 41

The Smiths live history:

... further results

Play count (Morrissey concert): 171

Morrissey live history:

... further results

Morrissey live history - played in concert twice:

Dublin, Ireland 2004-12-20 (Morrissey concert)

Appears On

Appears On Covers Compilation

Cover Versions

... further results

References And Notes

↑ The Smiths Discography compiled by Stephane Daigle. It May All End Tomorrow. Retrieved from [1].

Mentioned In

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out-Redondo Beach: Single released in the U.K. - Release Information (April 6, 2005)

Discogs Information

Credits

Bass Guitar - Andy Rourke
Coordinator [Art] - Jo Slee
Drums - Mike Joyce
Guitar, Music By - Johnny Marr
Layout - Slim Smith (2)
Producer - Johnny Marr
Producer - Morrissey
Sleeve, Voice, Words By - Morrissey

Notes

Released with the Virgin logo only and barcode printed on the top left corner of the rear. Also issued with a different rear print and matrices. Copies were also distributed as promotional.

Images

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - Discogs master release: https://www.discogs.com/master/2732795
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (7" 45 RPM Single Stereo) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/2110477-The-Smiths-There-Is-A-Light-That-Never-Goes-Out

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Images

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (7" Silver Moulded Labels) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/1040672-The-Smiths-There-Is-A-Light-That-Never-Goes-Out

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Issued in a jewel case with a dark tray and with a four page booklet. Hype sticker applied to the case.

[Cover backside] Photograph © London Features The copyright in this sound recording and artwork is owned by Warner Music U.K. Ltd. A Time Warner Company.

[Inlay] Tracks 2 and 3 recorded […] at Brixton Academy, Dec. [12,] 1986

[Sticker on front] THE SMITHS THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT Contains rare and unreleased tracks Part 1 of a 2 [url=/release/490548]CD[/url] Set YZ 0003 CD 1

Note: "Hand in Glove" (track 2) actually is the live version from 29 June 1983, not from December 1986 as incorrectly credited on the inlay.

Images

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Single CD1) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/388651-The-Smiths-There-Is-A-Light-That-Never-Goes-Out

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Issued in a double-CD case (standard depth jewel case with a hinged dark tray). Instead of the 2nd CD, the media tray holds a CD-shaped cardboard reading: “THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT” [url=/release/388651]CD 1[/url] Available Separately The first CD single features the previously unreleased “Hand in Glove” (live) and the rare tracks “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" (live) and “Money Changes Everything”. YZ0003CD1 4509-91152-2

Eight page fold-out booklet. Lyrics to track 1 printed in the booklet. The rear inlay appears to be printed on both sides but in fact is printed on one side only and with a separate single leaf insert on top.

[Round sticker on front:] THE SMITHS THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT CD 2 Limited Edition This double CD box contains part 2 of a 2 CD set Featuring SANDIE SHAW YZ 0003 CD 2

[Inlay, backside:] Front Photograph © Rex Features Inside Photograph © London Features 1 ℗ 1986 Warner Music U.K. Ltd. 2, 3 & 4 ℗ 1984 Pulsacre Ltd. © 1992 Warner Music U.K. Ltd. The copyright in this sound recording and artwork is owned by Warner Music U.K. Ltd. A Time Warner Company.

Images

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Single Limited Edition Numbered CD2) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/490548-The-Smiths-There-Is-A-Light-That-Never-Goes-Out

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

2 part fold out inlay printed to one side only. Black plastic cassette with silver on-body print.

Handsome Devil recorded live at the Hacienda, Manchester in 1983.

1 ℗ 1986 Warner Music U.K. Ltd. 2 ℗ 1983 Warner Music U.K. Ltd. A Time Warner Company The copyright in this sound recording and artwork is owned by Warner Music U.K. Ltd.

Images

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Single) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/942894-The-Smiths-There-Is-A-Light-That-Never-Goes-Out

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Record plays same track on both sides.

Promotional copy Not for sale

From The Smiths album The Queen Is Dead on Sire Records (1-25426)

Morrissey/Marr Songs Ltd. PRS. All rights on behalf of Morrissey/Marr Songs Ltd. for the world controlled by Warner Bros. Music Ltd. PRS. All rights on behalf of Warner Bros. Music Ltd. for the Western Hemisphere adm. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. BMI ℗ 1986 Sire Records Company