Girlfriend in a Coma (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Girlfriend in a Coma


Artist = The Smiths
from Album = Strangeways, Here We Come
B-side = "Work is a Four-Letter Word"
Released = August 10 1987
Format = 7", 12", MC
Recorded = Spring 1987
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 2:02
Label =
Writer = Johnny Marr
Morrissey
Producer = Morrissey, Johnny Marr and Stephen Street
Chart position = * #13 (UK)
Video director = Tim Broad
Reviews =
*
Last single = "Sheila Take a Bow"
(1987)
This single = "Girlfriend in a Coma"
(1987)
Next single = "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"
(1987)"Girlfriend in a Coma" is a song by The Smiths. It was released as a single in August 1987, reaching #13 in the UK Singles Chart.

It was the first of three singles from the band's last studio album "Strangeways, Here We Come". As such, it was the last single to include newly recorded material on the b-side. It holds the distinction of containing the last recorded Smiths song, "I Keep Mine Hidden". Also included – and recorded at the same session – is a cover version of a Cilla Black song, "Work Is a Four-Letter Word". Morrissey's insistence on recording this song incurred the wrath of Johnny Marr who left the band not long afterwards.

The single itself is a tongue-in-cheek, music hall inflected song that clocks in at a mere two minutes and two seconds. Although seemingly "lightweight" and catchy, the song features acidic, ambiguous lyrics. The song also contains peak guitar work by Johnny Marr.

The video, which featured clips from the film "The Leather Boys" (starring Rita Tushingham), was directed by Tim Broad.

The cover features playwright Shelagh Delaney from a 1961 edition of "A Taste of Honey". The photo was tinted grey for 7"s in all countries except in Australia where it was tinted green as for the 12"s. This was the second time Delaney appeared on a Smiths cover; she appeared as the cover star on the recently released "Louder Than Bombs" album.

Track listing

All tracks written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr except as noted.

7": Rough Trade / RT197 (UK)

# "Girlfriend in a Coma"
# "Work Is a Four-Letter Word (edited)" (Guy Woolfenden, Don Black, Cilla Black)

12": Rough Trade / RTT197 (UK)

# "Girlfriend in a Coma"
# "Work Is a Four-Letter Word" (Woolfenden, Black, Black)
# "I Keep Mine Hidden"

* also released on cassette Rough Trade RTT197C

Etchings on vinyl

UK 7":AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO / SO FAR, SO BAD
UK 12":EVERYBODY IS A FLASHER AT HEART/AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO

Covers

* Mojo Nixon's cover of "Girlfriend in a Coma" appears on his 1995 album "Whereabouts Unknown".
* Joshua Radin's version can be found on his 2004 EP "First Between 3rd and 4th".
* Jack Palance Band's cover is on their split with the Morons
* Bleach covered the song on their 2005 greatest hits CD/DVD album "Audio/Visual."
* Bon Voyage covered the song on their 2008 release titled "Lies".
* Million Dead covered the song for the Smiths tribute compilation album "How Soon Is Now?"
* Noah and the Whale covered the song for a track on the cd single of "5 Years Time" released summer 2008
* La Monja Enana Spanish version

Trivia

*The Canadian author Douglas Coupland named his novel "Girlfriend in a Coma" after this song. The book features some lyrics from several of The Smiths songs.
*The song replaced the song "Cleveland Rocks" for the "Drew Carey Show" episode "Drew's in a Coma."
*This song was featured in the My Name Is Earl Season 3 episode, "Love Octagon".