Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Every day you must say
So, how do I feel about my life?
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself?
I am sick and I am dull
And I am plain
How dearly I'd love to get carried away
Oh, but dreams have a knack of just not coming true
And time is against me now...oh
Oh, who and what to blame?
Oh, anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself, for heaven's sake?
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about the past?
Others conquered love - but I ran
I sat in my room and I drew up a plan
Oh, but plans can fall through (as so often they do)
And time is against me now...
And there's no-one left to blame
Oh, tell me when will you...
When will you accept your life?
(The one that you hate)
For anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about my shoes?
They make me awkward and plain
How dearly I would love to kick with the fray...
But I once had a dream (and it never came true)
And time is against me now...
Time is against me now...
And there's no one but yourself to blame
Oh, anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Anything is hard to find; for heaven's sake !
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself ?
When?
When?
When?
When?
So, how do I feel about my life?
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself?
I am sick and I am dull
And I am plain
How dearly I'd love to get carried away
Oh, but dreams have a knack of just not coming true
And time is against me now...oh
Oh, who and what to blame?
Oh, anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself, for heaven's sake?
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about the past?
Others conquered love - but I ran
I sat in my room and I drew up a plan
Oh, but plans can fall through (as so often they do)
And time is against me now...
And there's no-one left to blame
Oh, tell me when will you...
When will you accept your life?
(The one that you hate)
For anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about my shoes?
They make me awkward and plain
How dearly I would love to kick with the fray...
But I once had a dream (and it never came true)
And time is against me now...
Time is against me now...
And there's no one but yourself to blame
Oh, anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Anything is hard to find; for heaven's sake !
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself ?
When?
When?
When?
When?
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Marr's guitar is so in tune with Morrissey's sorrow here... His guitar playing is always beyond excellent but I feel that he prompted a well of beautiful, unhinged emotion from Moz here.
The meaning? Simple enough. He is asking himself when he will get over what hinders him from getting what he wants from life. Allow me to try to go into depth here...
'Kick with the fray' meaning hanging out with the crowd. He wishes he were popular and able to fit in but he sees his flaws before he even tries. He sees in his dreams, 'How dearly I'd love to get carried away' this poignant URGE to find love that he even enthusiastically draws plans up only to sit and also realize all the reasons why his dreams won't come true....
Jesus and the lines, 'time is against me now...' is a splendid yet heart wrenching smack from reality that he is running out of time with the pressure of aging but he cannot help but make himself his own worst enemy.
I cannot help but think the huge thing that stopped him the whole time is that he couldn't accept that he's gay... even if he doesn't mention it. I just think shyness can be overcome eventually but the lines 'Oh how do I feel about the past? Others conquered love but I ran' just come off to me as WHAT could be holding him back in the form of retrospective?
I honestly don't think Moz hates his clothes; I just don't see him hating his choice of clothing. He's had the same style for awhile now. I think he hates who's IN those clothes for lacking enough confidence to get what he wants which is essentially love, so he degrades his clothing and himself.
Last bit: "Oh anything is hard to find, when you will not open your eyes." I interpret as give things a chance to come to you... do not fear what you want.
This is a strong but sorrowful message, as the Smiths know how to do best.