Strangeways has opened its vault to take a look at one of the first songs released by The Smiths. Reel Around The Fountain is the first track on The Smiths debut self-titled album and to this day still remains a favorite of many fans.
Like most things Morrissey related, this song comes with lots of discussion and controversy. The songs opens up with the line “It’s Time The Tale Were Told”, and by the songs end you will inevitably find yourself wondering what it’s all about, and then you may come to realize that the tale has still not been told.
Morrissey himself has said that the song is about “…loss of innocence, that until one has a physical commitment with another person, there’s something childlike about the soul.” The website SongMeanings.net has a roughly 70 people chiming in on what this track is all about. The opinions vary from being about unrequited lust to being about child abuse. We at Strangeways will leave the interpretation up to you.
In the meantime, you can view this live performance from The Hacienda in 1983, featuring Morrissey with some of his tallest hair!
It’s time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
It’s time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
You made him old
Reel around the fountain
Slap me on the patio
I’ll take it now
Oh, Fifteen minutes with you
Well, I wouldn’t say no
Oh, people said that you were virtually dead
And they were so wrong
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, well, I wouldn’t say no
Oh, people said that you were easily led
And they were half-right
Oh, they … oh, they were half-right, oh
It’s time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
It’s time that the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
You made him old
Oh, reel around the fountain
Slap me on the patio
I’ll take it now
Ah … oh …
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, I wouldn’t say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
Oh, but I do.
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, I wouldn’t say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
I do.
Oh, I … oh, I do
Oh …
I dreamt about you last night
And I fell out of bed twice
You can pin and mount me like a butterfly
But “take me to the haven of your bed”
Was something that you never said
Two lumps, please
You’re the bee’s knees
But so am I
Oh, meet me at the fountain
Shove me on the patio
I’ll take it slowly
Oh …
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, I wouldn’t say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
Oh, but I do.
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, no, I wouldn’t say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
I do.
Oh, I … I do
Oh, I do
Oh, I do
Oh, I do
