The joy brings many things
It cannot bring you joy
Sons of mothers huddle here
Men and boys
1850 swung the doors
And human sewage swept inside
Where victims speak in whines
And where the hardened cry
I was sent here by
A three-foot half-wit in a wig
I took his insults on the chin
And never did I flinch
A swagger hides the fear in here
By this rule we breathe
And there is no one on this earth
Who I'd feel sad to leave
You see we all lose
We all lose
What those in power do to you
Reminds us at a glance
How humans hate each others guts
And show it given the chance
We never say aloud the things
That we say in our prayers
Cause no one cares
Many executed here
By the awful lawfully good
But the only thing that makes me cry
Is when I see the sky
Brendan Behan's laughter rings
For what he had or hadn't done
For he knew then as I know now
That for each and every one of us:
We all lose
Rich or poor, we all lose
Rich or poor, they all lose
It cannot bring you joy
Sons of mothers huddle here
Men and boys
And human sewage swept inside
Where victims speak in whines
And where the hardened cry
A three-foot half-wit in a wig
I took his insults on the chin
And never did I flinch
By this rule we breathe
And there is no one on this earth
Who I'd feel sad to leave
We all lose
Reminds us at a glance
How humans hate each others guts
And show it given the chance
That we say in our prayers
Cause no one cares
By the awful lawfully good
But the only thing that makes me cry
Is when I see the sky
For what he had or hadn't done
For he knew then as I know now
That for each and every one of us:
We all lose
Rich or poor, we all lose
Rich or poor, they all lose
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The song is about Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, Ireland.
Known as "the joy" by the locals.
Known as "the joy" by the locals.
This song references the Irish writer Brendan Behan, who served time in Mountjoy Prison as a young man for activities related to the IRA.
One of my favorite songs by 21st Century Morrissey.