"Istanbul"
(Morrissey/Boz Boorer)

 

These words are transcribed without permission the way they appear in Morrissey's "World Peace Is None Of Your Business" album. Additions to the printed lyrics are in darker text while omissions are striken out.

When he first cried his mother died
I had tried to be his guide
when he was born I was too young
the father searches for the son
in Istanbul
give him back to me
Istanbul, give me back my brown-eyed
son

Moonlight jumping through the trees
sunken eyes avoiding me
from dawn to dusk the hunt is on
the father searches for the son
in Istanbul *
give him back to me *
Istanbul, give me back my brown-eyed *
son *

On secret streets in disbelief
Little Shadow shows the lead
prostitutes stylish and glum
in amongst them you are one
oh, what have I done?

Rolling breathless off the tongue
the vicious street gang slang
I lean into a box of pine
identify the kid as mine

 

* These lines are not found in spoken word version of the song used for the video.