"Spring-Heeled Jim"
(Morrissey/Boz Boorer)

 

These words are transcribed without permission the way they appear in the "Vauxhall & I" album. Additions to the printed lyrics are in darker text while omissions are striken out.

Spring-heeled Jim winks an eye
he'll "do", he'll never be "done to"
he takes on whoever flew through
"well, it's the normal thing to do" 1
Spring-heeled Jim lives to love
now kissing with his mouth full
and his eyes on some other fool
so many women
his head should be spinning
ah, but no!
ah, but no!
ah, no!
ah, no!
Spring-heeled Jim slurs the words:
"there's no need to be so knowing
take life at five times your
average speed, like I do" 2
until Jim feels the chill
"oh, where did all the time go?"
once always in for the kill
now it's too cold
and he feels too
old
too old
old

(and they catch him, and they say he's mental)

 

1 On the Boxers tour of 1995 and on and off on the second half of the Maladjusted tour, Morrissey often changed this line to "As long as it's the normal thing to do". Also, in all 1995 and 1997 performances, however he sang the line, Morrissey followed it with "...ah yes!". This can all be heard in the live version of "Spring-Heeled Jim" available on the "The Boy Racer" cd-single.

2 In most live performances of this song, Morrissey changed this line to "take life at five times your average speed just like I do". This can be heard in the live version of the song available on the "The Boy Racer" cd-single. He also changed the line to "take life at five times your average speed I never do" on a few occasions in 1995 and 1997.