The Story of The Smiths’ Most Popular Song: There is a Light That Never Goes Out
What many fans consider The Smiths best song, “There is a Light That Never Goes Out,” was almost never a single at all. It sat as a deep cut on The Queen is Dead, the band’s 1986 masterpiece, for more than half a decade until 1992, five years after the band’s demise. This is the story of that song, where it came from, how Johnny Marr wrote the music (Marvin Gaye, The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground), what Morrissey may reference in its lyrics (Bishop Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley being burned at the stake, James Dean’s Rebel Without a Cause, and more), and how it became a fan favorite for The Smiths.
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WATCH NEXT:
✓ Why Frankly Mr. Shankly is The Smiths Funniest Song: https://youtu.be/tPJAN4sOSkI
✓ The Tragedy Behind Suffer Little Children: https://youtu.be/tgrWNyeTfek
✓ Is Bigmouth Strikes Again about Morrissey? https://youtu.be/_RTDWQ0jM7o
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CHAPTERS:
0:00 The Story of There is a Light That Never Goes Out
1:13 One Especially Lucrative Evening’s Work
2:48 A Deep Cut on The Queen is Dead
4:28 The Emulator, the Budget, and the Shout at the End
6:41 The Passenger Seat
9:16 The Title Was Borrowed From a Fire
10:36 The Six-Year Wait
11:53 Why This One Hit Like A Double Decker Bus
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@scotttill3847
August 17, 2026 at 9:26 am
This song and "How Soon Is Now?" are my favorite Smiths songs. The lyrics are so amazing.
@PlanetC64
August 17, 2026 at 9:26 am
I am the sun and the air (how i heard it kinda) life changing song for me ty ty ty
@an_anxiety1
August 17, 2026 at 9:26 am
getting in a car accident was too edgey for 1986, but knocking your girlfriend's teeth out was radio friendly 🤣
@DEVOn.A.Skertic
August 17, 2026 at 9:26 am
On the way to the secret Morrissey show at the Santa Monica Civic Center ( KILL UNCLE ) tour, my girlfriend driving, best mate in the passenger seat, me in the back seat, we were hit by a Truck , sadly it was not a ten ton truck it was a small Toyota pickup driven by a drunk driver.
We did make it to the Civic Center, however we were there on the wrong night.
@christopherblack3102
August 17, 2026 at 9:26 am
I love the ending of this song, is that a flute playing at the end ?
I always wished the ending was a little bit longer with that beautiful flute in the background.
@Malto_Dextrin
August 17, 2026 at 9:26 am
I have to say my favorite version is Johnny Marr's live version where he plays the emulator "flute" part on guitar over the ending – that tone is so marvelous, I wish it were on the Smiths version, it's absolute perfection.
@s3bast1aannn
August 17, 2026 at 9:26 am
Boom 2nd
@mcdarwin
August 17, 2026 at 9:26 am
MTV 120 Minutes in 1986 played the video of this so I was not aware there was no physical single release at the time. It was the first song I heard from the band and it would start my love of the band that lasts til this day. A personal favorite still.
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