Sweet And Tender Hooligan (single)

Cover art

THE SMITHS Single
Name	Sweet And Tender Hooligan
Release	23 May 1995
Total Length	3:34
Recorded	December 2, 1986 (Peel Session)
Writer/composer	Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Producer	John Porter for the BBC
Art work	A still from the Boxers video by James O'Brien The image is of boxer Cornelius Carr Sleeve: Whores In Retirement
Vinyl Etching	No matrix message
Publisher	Reprise Records (US)
Format(s)	12" & CD - USA only
Chart position	Not applicable
Single chronology
Ask ← Sweet And Tender Hooligan → The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (Demo Mix)

Track list

12" Vinyl / CD

UK - [Reprise Records – 0-43525 / 9 43525-2]

1. Sweet And Tender Hooligan – 3:34 (Morrissey/Marr)
2. I Keep Mine Hidden – 1:57 (Morrissey/Marr)
3. Work Is A Four-Letter Word – 2:47 (Black/Woolfenden)
4. What's The World? (live) – 2:07 (James)

Lyrics

He was a sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
He said that he'd never, never do it again
And of course he won't, oh, not until the next time

He was a sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
And he swore that he'll never, never do it again
And of course he won't, oh, not until the next time

Poor old man, he had an accident with a three-bar fire
But that's okay, because he wasn't very happy anyway

A poor woman, strangled in her very own bed as she read
But that's okay, 'cause she was old
And she would have died anyway

Don't blame the sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
Because he'll never, never, never, never
Never, never do it again, not until the next time

Jury, you've heard every word, so before you decide
Would you look into those motherly eyes?
I love you for you, my love, you, my love
You, my love, you, my love

Jury, you've heard every word, but before you decide
Would you look into those motherly eyes?
I love you for you, my love, you, my love
I love you just for you, my love

Don't blame the sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
Because he'll never, never do it again
And in the midst of life we are in death, etc

Don't forget the hooligan, hooligan
Because he'll never, never do it again
And in the midst of life we are in death, etc
Etc., etc., etc., etc

In the midst of life we are in death, etc
Etc., etc., etc., etc

In the midst of life we are in debt, etc
Just will you free me? Will you find me?
Will you free me? Will you find me?
Will you free me, free me, free me
Free me, free me, free me?

Jury will you free me? Will you find me?
Will you free me? Will you find me?
How will you find me, find me, find me
Find me, find me, find me, find me?
Etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc
Etc., etc., etc., etc
In the midst of life we are in debt, etc
Oh, oh

Live History

Play count (The Smiths concert): 0

Play count (Morrissey concert): 43

Morrissey live history:

• Wolverhampton, England 1988-12-22 (Morrissey concert)
• Niagara Falls, New York 2012-10-19 (Morrissey concert)
• Wellington, New Zealand 2012-12-14 (Morrissey concert)
• Auckland, New Zealand 2012-12-15 (Morrissey concert)
• Brisbane, Australia 2012-12-17 (Morrissey concert)
• Melbourne, Australia 2012-12-19 (Morrissey concert)
• Sydney, Australia 2012-12-21 (Morrissey concert)
• Greenvale, New York 2013-01-09 (Morrissey concert)
• Phoenix, Arizona 2022-05-10 (Morrissey concert)
• San Luis Obispo, California 2022-05-12 (Morrissey concert)

... further results

Appears On

• Louder Than Bombs
• Sheila Take A Bow (single)
• Interesting Drug (single)
• Sweet And Tender Hooligan (single)
• The CD Singles '88–91'
• The Sound Of The Smiths
• The HMV/Parlophone Singles '88–'95
• Complete

Appears On Covers Compilation

• The World Still Won't Listen (A Tribute To The Smiths)
• Romantic And Square Is Hip And Aware (A Matinée Tribute To The Smiths)

Cover Versions

• 59 Times The Pain
• The Liberty Ship

Discogs Information

Credits

• Bass - Andy Rourke
• Drums - Mike Joyce
• Guitar - Johnny Marr
• Layout - Heather Laurie
• Other [Cover Star] - Cornelius Carr
• Photography By - James O'Brien
• Sleeve - Whores In Retirement
• Voice - Morrissey

Notes

Reprise Records, a Time Warner Company. ©1995 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗1987 Warner Music UK Ltd. Made in U.S.A. Mfg. by WEA Manufacturing.

Track 1: Published by Morrissey/Marr Songs Ltd. PRS, admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Pub. Corp. BMI. From Louder Than Bombs, available on cassette and compact disc (4/2-25569) Track 2: Published by Morrissey/Marr Songs Ltd. PRS, admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Pub. Corp. BMI. Track 3: Published by On Backstreet Music Inc. (MCA) ASCAP Track 4: Recorded in Glasgow, September 1985. Publishing information unavailable as of date of printing.

Note: Songwriter "Cilla Black" erroneously abbreviated "D. Black".

This is a version pressed and glass mastered by Specialty Records Corporation. Similar release: [url=/release/400522]Later pressed version[/url] by WEA Mfg. Olyphant

Images

• Sweet And Tender Hooligan - Discogs master release: https://www.discogs.com/master/77417
• Sweet And Tender Hooligan (Maxi-Single 1st Pressing, FLP Case) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/7220919-The-Smiths-Sweet-And-Tender-Hooligan

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Track A1: Published by Morrissey/Marr Songs Ltd. PRS, admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Pub. Corp. BMI. From Louder Than Bombs, available on cassette and compact disc (4/2-25569)

Track A2: Published by Morrissey/Marr Songs Ltd. PRS, admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Pub. Corp. BMI. Track B1: Published by On Backstreet Music Inc. (MCA) ASCAP Track B2: Recorded in Glasgow, September 1985. Publishing information unavailable as of date of printing.

Notes: Songwriter "Cilla Black" erroneously abbreviated "D. Black"; track B2 first released on I Started Something I Couldn't Finish.

Images

• Sweet And Tender Hooligan (12" 33 ⅓ RPM) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/531412-The-Smiths-Sweet-And-Tender-Hooligan

Wikipedia Information

"Sweet and Tender Hooligan" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Recorded in 1986, it was released as a single in May 1995 by Sire Records to promote the compilation album Singles.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_and_Tender_Hooligan

Related Forum Threads

• The Smiths A-Z: "Sweet And Tender Hooligan" - Morrissey-solo (Oct 10, 2022)