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.
Were you and he lovers?
And would you say so if you were?
On a forecourt
On a Friday
Passing my way
Oh...
Were you and he lovers?
And if you were, then say that you were!
On a groundsheet
Under canvas
With your tent-flap
Open wide
A note upon his desk
"P.S. Bring Me Home And Have Me!"
Leather elbows on a tweed coat
-Oh!-
Is that the best you can do ?
So came his reply :
"But on the desk is where I want you!"
So I ask (even though I know):
Were you and he lovers ?
And would you say so if you were?
On a forecourt
On a Friday
Passing my way
Oh...
Were you and he lovers?
And if you were, then say that you were!
On a groundsheet
Under canvas
With your tent-flap
Open wide
A note upon his desk
"P.S. Bring Me Home And Have Me!"
Leather elbows on a tweed coat
-Oh!-
Is that the best you can do ?
So came his reply :
"But on the desk is where I want you!"
So I ask (even though I know):
Were you and he lovers ?
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Alsatian Cousin Lyrics as written by Steven Morrissey Stephen Brian Street
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Alsatian: Derogatory noun or adjective for an unattractive woman.
This song is about an unattractive girl who is jealous over the affair of two people, one whom she is the secret admirer of. She sits behind him in class. She has been spying on the two, observing their affairs. One day, the two are passing a note in class. She can see that the note says, "BRING ME HOME AND HAVE ME" (Leather elbows on a tweed coat) is in reference to the other person he is having the affair with. This is stating in a catty way, that this person has no sense of style, and is asked honestly, "Is that the best you can do?" She sees him write the reply, "BUT ON THE DESK IS WHERE I WANT YOU" She knows that they are lovers, but confronts him anyway asking, "Where you and he lovers?" Pressing him to admit his homosexuality. This action is out of jealousy. "WERE YOU AND HE LOVERS, AND WOULD YOU SAY SO IF YOU WERE?"
Alsatian Cousin is about falling for someone you know you will never have. In this case, a double-edged sword. Knowing you are unattractive and at the same time knowing the other person can never be attracted to you, because of sexual preference.
Morrissey has always confronted the frustrations of sexuality, both hetero and homo. Women falling for him, but he not being able to feel the same way. He, falling for men that would never consider the thought. Offering himself sexually to fans who are always willing, only to be let down from rejection in a private off-stage affair. Morrissey finds himself feeling unattractive, subjecting to self deprication. "WHERE THE WORLDS UGLIEST BOY BECAME WHAT YOU SEE, HERE I AM, THE UGLIEST MAN." from: Late Night Maudlin Street
Morrissey relates himself to the Alsatian Cousin.
Excellent interpretation,<br /> though I relate to it more in just the unrequited love sense. Its such a vicious song and i've felt its lyrics and atmosphere vut pretty deep.<br /> <br /> "were you and he lovers?" ohhhh, said with such sorrowfull anger!<br />
I can't say I thought this song was about a gay relationship:
"With your tent-flap open wide,"
This sounds like a really mean-spirited reference to a woman on her back with her legs open. He's putting her down, and he's putting down her lovemaking, cheapening it. This song is about the anger, frustration, feeling of weakness and rejection of a man who's lover's decided to take someone else.
I completely agree with you on this Komeko. Thats also the first thing that came to mind when i heard that line.
What makes you think the other person is a girl. "His desk" and "His reply". It sounds like two men.
Im pretty sure that Morrissey is reffering to the same "him". Like he reads a note on his desk (placed by an unknown gender) then his reply is "But on the desk is where I want you"
No women involved in this song.
Curious fact. Johnny Marr owned two Alsatians at the time of the smiths, Rufus and Curtis. Just throwing that out there.
I don't know about anyone else, but I always took "tent flap" as a reference to a guy having a hard-on underneath his pants. You know, the "tent" created by the guy's dick, and the flap being the zipper/opening to his pants. It seems to go with the general thread of homosexuality in Morrissey's songs. "Tent flap / Open wide".... the "open wide" part can be taken one of two ways. Lol.
A jealous ex-boyfriend, who has seen them do some dirty stuff, and she probably lies about it. And then he confronts her with it.
oooh its about office romance I swear
What does the tilte mean?
You'd associate leather elbows on a tweed coat with teachers usually. Then theres the forecourt, the desk and the camping trip!
Or maybe it's about his cousin who's a bit of a dog!
@Boss Man The title might be totally random - it comes from a weak joke in an Alan Bennett play: "I was distantly related to the Woolf family, through my Alsatian cousin"