Girlfriend In A Coma (single)

Cover art

Alt. cover art

THE SMITHS Single
Name	Girlfriend In A Coma
Release	10 August 1987
Total Length	2:02 2:02 (Monitor Mix)
Recorded	Circa March-April 1987
Writer/composer	Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Producer	Stephen Street Assisted by Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Art work	Cover star: Shelagh Delaney picture from "A Taste Of Honey" (1961 Ed.). Layout: Caryn Gough Artwork: Jo Slee Sleeve: Morrissey
Vinyl Etching	UK 7": AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO / SO FAR, SO BAD UK 12": EVERYBODY IS A FLASHER AT HEART/AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO
Publisher	Rough Trade Records (UK)
Format(s)	7" Vinyl, 12" Vinyl, Cassette
Chart position	UK #13
Single chronology
Sheila Take A Bow ← Girlfriend In A Coma → I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

Information

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

Track list

7" Vinyl

UK - [Rough Trade RT 197]

1. Girlfriend In A Coma – 2:02 (Morrissey/Marr)
2. Work Is A Four-Letter Word – 2:09 (Black/Woolfenden)

12" Vinyl

UK - [Rough Trade RTT 197]

1. Girlfriend In A Coma – 2:02 (Morrissey/Marr)
2. Work Is A Four-Letter Word – 2:45 (Black/Woolfenden)
3. I Keep Mine Hidden – 1:57 (Morrissey/Marr)

Lyrics

Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's serious
Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's really serious
there were times when I could
have 'murdered' her
(but, you know, I would hate
anything to happen to her)
NO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE HER
Do you really think
she'll pull through?
Do you really think
she'll pull through?
Girlfriend in a coma I know
I know - it's serious
there were times when I could
have 'strangled' her
(but, you know, I would hate
anything to happen to her)
WOULD YOU PLEASE
LET ME SEE HER!
Do you really think
she'll pull through?
Do you really think
she'll pull through?
Let me whisper my last goodbyes

I know - IT'S SERIOUS

Music Video

Credits

• Directed by Tim Broad

Live History

Play count (The Smiths concert): 0

Play count (Morrissey concert): 209

Morrissey live history:

• Tulsa, Oklahoma 2006-03-13 (Morrissey concert)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 2006-03-14 (Morrissey concert)
• Austin, Texas 2006-03-16 (Morrissey concert)
• Gothenburg, Sweden 2006-04-01 (Morrissey concert)
• Stockholm, Sweden 2006-04-02 (Morrissey concert)
• Helsinki, Finland 2006-04-04 (Morrissey concert)
• Oslo, Norway 2006-04-06 (Morrissey concert)
• Malmö, Sweden 2006-04-07 (Morrissey concert)
• Amsterdam, Netherlands 2006-04-10 (Morrissey concert)
• Paris, France 2006-04-11 (Morrissey concert)

... further results

Appears On

• Girlfriend In A Coma (single)
• Strangeways, Here We Come
• Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before (single)
• Best...I
• The Complete Picture
• Singles
• The Very Best Of The Smiths
• The Sound Of The Smiths
• Complete

Appears On Covers Compilation

• Godfathers Of Change Vol. 1: A Tribute To The Smiths
• Romantic And Square Is Hip And Aware (A Matinée Tribute To The Smiths)
• How Soon Is Now? The Songs Of The Smiths By...
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star: Lullaby Versions of The Smiths & Morrissey
• Rockabye Baby! (Lullaby Renditions Of The Smiths)

Cover Versions

• Blossoms
• Lovejoy
• Million Dead
• Mojo Nixon
• Rick Astley
• Spiritual Front
• Steve Jones
• Steven Charles Boone
• The Chinadoll
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star

Mentioned In

• The Importance Of Being Morrissey - Channel 4 (June 8, 2003)
• Of Which I Am Most Proud / singles: List from Morrissey - true-to-you.net (January 10, 2012)
• LYRIC PRIDE - Morrissey Central (July 10, 2024)

Discogs Information

Credits

• Artwork [Art Co-ordination] - Jo Slee
• Bass Guitar - Andy Rourke
• Drums - Mike Joyce
• Guitar - Johnny Marr
• Layout - Caryn Gough
• Model [Cover Star] - Shelagh Delaney
• Sleeve - Morrissey
• Voice - Morrissey

Notes

Die-cut black inner-sleeve with catalogue code [RTT 197] printed in white at top-right corner. Standard release with green-tint picture sleeve.

For the misprint EMI pressing with grey cover, see Girlfriend In A Coma For the misprint CBS pressing with grey cover, see Girlfriend In A Coma For the non-misprint CBS pressing with green cover, see Girlfriend In A Coma

Recorded in Bath during Spring 1987 Love and thanks to Angie Marr XXX

Rough Trade Records 61-71 Collier Street, London N1 9BE Made In England

Runouts are stamped except for the hand-etched 'EVERYBODY IS A FLASHER AT HEART' and 'AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO'.

Images

• Girlfriend In A Coma - Discogs master release: https://www.discogs.com/master/4054
• Girlfriend In A Coma (12" 45 RPM Single EMI pressing, Green Cover) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/388479-The-Smiths-Girlfriend-In-A-Coma

Discogs information (additional release)

Images

• Girlfriend In A Coma (7" 45 RPM EMI pressing, Solid centre) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/11631714-The-Smiths-Girlfriend-In-A-Coma

Wikipedia Information

"Girlfriend in a Coma" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It was the first of three UK singles from the band's fourth and final studio album, Strangeways, Here We Come. Inspired by the song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", "Girlfriend in a Coma" features a lilting acoustic guitar line performed by Marr and lyrics about a hospital-bound lover sung by Morrissey. "Girlfriend in a Coma" was released as a single in August 1987, reaching number 13 in the UK Singles Chart. The single features a cover of the Cilla Black song "Work Is a Four-Letter Word" on the B-side, a decision made by Morrissey that infuriated Marr to the point that it became a reason for the band's break-up in the aftermath of the single's release. As a result, Morrissey appears alone in the song's music video. "Girlfriend in a Coma" has seen critical acclaim for Marr's guitar work and Morrissey's witty lyricism. It has since appeared on multiple compilation albums and has been ranked by music writers as one of the band's best songs.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girlfriend_in_a_Coma_(song)

Related Forum Threads

• The Smiths A-Z: "Girlfriend in a Coma" - Morrissey-solo (Feb 02, 2022)