"I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris"
(Morrissey/Boz Boorer)

 

These words are transcribed without permission the way they appear in Morrissey's "Years Of Refusal" album. There are no variations between the printed lyrics and what Morrissey actually sings in the studio version.

In the absence of your love
and in the absence of human touch 1
I have decided
I'm throwing my arms around
around Paris because
only stone and steel accept my love
In the absence of your smiling face
I travel all over the place 2
and I have decided
I'm throwing my arms around
around Paris because
only stone and steel accept my love
I'm throwing my arms around
around Paris because
only stone and steel
accept my love
I'm throwing my arms around
Paris because nobody wants my love
nobody wants my love
nobody needs my love
nobody wants my love
yes, you've made yourself plain
yes, you've made yourself very plain 3

 

1 On the first two legs of the 2009 Tour Of Refusal Morrissey sometimes changed this line to "in the absence of any kind of touch".

2 Now and then on the Greatest Hits tour in 2007-2008 Morrissey would change this line to "I skate all over the place", "I scooter all over the place" or "I tour all over the place". On the first leg of the 2009 Tour Of Refusal he would constantly change to something different. Variations include "I skate all over the place", "I figure skate all over the place", "I scoot all over the place", "I fall all over the place", "I jog all over the place" and "I gab all over the place". On that tour's second and third legs, as well as on the Swords Tour, he rarely diverted from the line's original form.

3 On a few dates on the 2009 Swords Tour, Morrissey emphasized the song's final line by adding a spoken "very plain".