The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Park the car at the side of the road
You should know
Time's tide will smother you
And I will too
When you laugh about people who feel so very lonely
Their only desire is to die
Well, I'm afraid
It doesn't make me smile
I wish I could laugh
But that joke isn't funny anymore
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone, more than you'll ever know
When they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
When they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
It was dark as I drove the point home
And on cold leather seats, well, it suddenly struck me
I just might die with a smile on my face after all
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
happening in mine, happening in mine
happening in mine, happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now, and now it's happening in mine, happening in mine
No, no, no
I've seen this happen, and now it's happening in mine
And now, it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives, no, no, no
Now it's happening in mine
You should know
Time's tide will smother you
And I will too
When you laugh about people who feel so very lonely
Their only desire is to die
Well, I'm afraid
It doesn't make me smile
I wish I could laugh
But that joke isn't funny anymore
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone, more than you'll ever know
When they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
When they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
It was dark as I drove the point home
And on cold leather seats, well, it suddenly struck me
I just might die with a smile on my face after all
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
happening in mine, happening in mine
happening in mine, happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now, and now it's happening in mine, happening in mine
No, no, no
I've seen this happen, and now it's happening in mine
And now, it's happening in mine
I've seen this happen in other people's lives, no, no, no
Now it's happening in mine
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Yeah the line I just might die with a smile on my face after all is the puzzler for me, everything else seems to be concluded in the posts above, obviously it's the reaction from one person to the other mocking their despair.
an idea I like and also think Morrissey quite capable of is that the line reflects some sort of twisted happiness at the knowledge that everyone will experience pain at some point in their life. "time's tide will smother you..."
You can only watch it from afar so long he seems to be saying to this other person and one day it will be happening in your life too and I will smile at the gratification of knowing that you will get your commeuppance for laughing...
The possibility of sex may come in also because now he has thought about the fate of this insensitive person and has concluded that they will regret it and pay for it someday its almost like he has forgiven them for their insensitivity
and so the as smithskid says the line "drove the point home." becomes a double entendre... (I hadn't noticed that before smithskid!!)
Also yet another possibliity is that it may represent some kind of suicidal ambition "times tide will smother you, and I will too..." may mean that he plans to punish this person by literally smothering them and commiting suicide with them in the car...??? and he will die with a smile on his face because he has shown that person that such despair can touch them too...?
All just my views though!!
See this is why Morrissey is such a wonderful song writer, many different meanings could be attrbiuted for this song and many others genius.