Lyrics for I Want The One I Can't Have as interpreted by YtseJam

I Want The One I Can't Have Lyrics
On the day that your mentality
catches up with your biology

I want the one I can't have
and it's driving me mad
it's written all over my face

(repeat)

A double-bed
and a stalwart lover, for sure
these are the riches of the poor

A double-bed
and a stalwart lover, for sure
these are the riches of the poor
(refrain)

A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails
raised on Prisoner's Aid
he killed a policeman when he was
thirteen
and somehow that really impressed me
it's written all over my face

On the day that your mentality
catches up with your biology
And if you ever need self-validation
just meet me in the alley by the
railway-station
it's written all over my face

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stealthbeetle
01-11-2002

Rated 0 
On the most basic level, this song is about wanting to be with another.. a person who has not accepted their "biology," which could mean homosexuality. Also, I see the possibility for a "Lolita" type scenario.. a young person with the right "biology"... they look old enough, but they are still mentally too young to fully appreciate or understand what is involved in love. But maybe not. :-)

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jenwill2
03-12-2002

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I think it's obviously the biology of homosexuality, esp. bc it talks abt a man (became a policeman when he was thirteen, and somehow that really impressed me"; having said that, as a hetero female I totally identified with htis song regardless-- who couldn't relate to it?

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Chloe le Fay
06-19-2002

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More input: I think the guy in the song (apparently one of the tough-boyish sorts that Morrissey seems to have a weakness for) is a closeted homosexual and in denial. The narrator insists that when he is finally ready to admit it ("the day that your mentality catches up with your biology"), that, well...the line"if you ever need self-validation, just meet me in the alley by the railway station" kinda says it all.

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exloverofedlover
08-17-2002

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i don't necessarilly it's operating at a homosexual level,I think its saying when you grow up mentally(act the age your biology is) and then maybe you'll see that I was the one.

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Chloe le Fay
10-05-2002

Rated 0 
Or perhaps it's meant both ways.

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Miseryhead
03-05-2003

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i think it's about a guy who's in love with another guy but the object of his affections isn't gay, so therefore, he wants the one he can't have....
on another note, doesn't everyone want what they can't have????

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Johnno
06-05-2003

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I think these songs (this, This Charming MAn, Hand In Glove etc.) can be related to by all, not just homosexuals. I think morrissey is trying to say that just because they are of the same gender the love is exactly the same, coming from a hetero male

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Kaguth
07-01-2003

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There's a Morrissey quote in the book "Morrissey and Marr"(i can't remember it exactly) that explains how morrisey always keeps the characters in his songs sexually ambiguous. I think with most Morrissey songs you can look at the lyrics from either side of the fence. To me this song has always been about a boy who is fascinated with the criminal lifestyle, and either loves or wants to be like one "tough kid" in particular. "On the day when..." is another way of saying, when you act your age and grow out of the desire for this lifestyle. The killed a policeman line should be "He killed a policeman when he was thirteen and SOMEHOW that really impressed me" not someone. In other words the narrator doesn't know why he so fascinated by the criminal lifestyle but somehow is.

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bacontots
01-31-2005

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I just realized...."A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails "....a double entendre, perhaps?

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Boss Man
07-17-2005

Rated 0 
I think the double entendre you're looking for is 'all over his face.'

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marquicerise
12-28-2005

Rated 0 
"Health, Health, the blessing of the Rich, the Riches of the Poor"

-From Edith Sitwell's "The English Eccentrics"




"A tough kid who sometimes sleeps on nails."

Director Howard Sachler's description of James Dean.




"We all want the things we can't have."

Samantha Eggar in The Collector.

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Libeth
12-12-2006

Rated 0 
"...he killed a policeman when he was
thirteen
and SOMEHOW that really impressed
me..."

not someone

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upthera44
12-29-2006

Rated 0 
The song seems to be about lusting after someone who doesn't want you. Whether or not it's actually autobiographical Morrissey doesn't matter as much to me as the more universal themes of the songs, but one could definitely interpret the song as being Morrissey pining for a tough guy (who "killed a policeman when he was 13" and whose "mentality hasn't caught up to his biology").

To me, the more universal aspects of the song are the lines about a bed and a lover being "the riches of the poor"-- in other words, love and sex are things that transcend economics. I also get a kick out of Morrissey's ambivalence about the tough kid who killed the policeman. When he says "somehow that really impressed me", the word 'somehow' gives the impression that he knows it's wrong to admire it, but that he still does. As always, Morrissey displays a sympathy for the poor and someone who had a rough time growing up.

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rubberring
07-02-2007

Rated 0 
i don't get the whole picture of this song (no clue about this policeman line). i think it's about someone who has already grown up biologically, but not mentally.

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eddieb
09-18-2007

Rated 0 
All gay references etc included the melody and energy of a growling top form Mozer Marr affair always pops me out of my seat. I can never help singing and dancing along. Music can be such a gift. They should be proud of their body of work.

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sherrah012
10-26-2007

Rated 0 
I can really relate to this song 'cause I want the one I cant have. And everyone knows about it... "it's written all over my face". Haha.

I love this part:

On the day that your mentality
catches up with your biology
And if you ever need self-validation
just meet me in the alley by the
railway-station
it's written all over my face

To sum it up, he's basically saying: when you start acting your age and you need a little somethin-somethin', come find me and I'll give it to you, CAUSE I WANT YOU BAD!! lol.

I don't really think the song is about a Lolita type deal. I just think it's about someone who's grown up, physically, but just refuses to act their age. They're immature, obnoxious, lazy, maybe... but he wants them oh-so-bad. But he can't have them. Maybe its a case where his head is trying to keep his heart in line; he knows in his head, that hooking up with someone immature will put a damper on where he is in his life, but his heart is screaming "come on, go for it. THEY'RE HOT!"

Just my perspective. It's a bit different from everyone elses, and probably wrong. But that's what I got from this song.

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hateme.
10-28-2007

Rated 0 
Ahh the one you can't have, I think we have all been there.

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bigmouthstrikes
11-27-2007

Rated 0 
"a tough kid who sometimes swallows nails" is an obvious reference to queer sexual activity. Morrissey references James Dean's bisexuality by turning Director Howard Sachler's description on its head to include the phallic and queer symbolism of "swallowing nails".

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nic-ck
01-15-2008

Rated 0 
Oh FUCK the homosexuality. It's about how girls are attracted to bad boys

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nic-ck
01-15-2008

Rated 0 
Oh FUCK the homosexuality. It's about how girls are attracted to bad boys

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hoitsmith
02-19-2008

Rated 0 
"on the day that your mentality catches up with your biology" means "on the day that you realise you're ugly" OR Beautiful. either way. and yeah it could be about gayness also.

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tonester34
04-02-2008

Rated 0 
This song is about the one I cannot have and that does make me sad but Johnny Marrs' intense guitar licks on this recording makes it all better.

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SugarPlumFairy1
07-18-2008

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"And if you ever need self-validation, just meet me in the alley by the railway station."

That made me laugh out loud the first time I heard it. Morrissey is a genius.

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Loves_young_dream
09-01-2008

Rated 0 
Haha, i fell for "A tough kid" for 4 years. It wasnt very plesant, and even tho this song isnt particulary instrumentally miserable, i never fail to burst into tears

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Rathatespeople
10-22-2008

Rated 0 
This song makes it rather difficult to deny Morrissey's queersexuality, doesn't it?
Still, I maintain that until the man specifically states his orientation, all this speculation is highly disrespectful.
Not that I've ever deigned to show respect for anyone, musical inspiration or no.
You know what's all over his face?
SEMEN.
Because he's GAY.
Or bisexual, wouldn't that explain somewhat?
Wishful thinking...

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