This Charming Man – English Lyrics

• By: The Smiths

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the nuances of British culture and social commentary through The Smiths' iconic song, 'This Charming Man'. Explore Morrissey's witty lyrics and Marr's jangly guitar riffs while unraveling themes of class, identity, and desire, making it a fascinating study for English language learners and music enthusiasts alike.

[English]

Punctured bicycle on a hillside desolate

Will nature make a man of me yet?

When in this charming car

This charming man

Why pamper life's complexity

When the leather runs smooth

On the passenger seat?

I would go out tonight

But I haven't got a stitch to wear

This man said, "It's gruesome

That someone so handsome should care"

A jumped-up pantry boy who never knew his place

He said, "Return the rings"

He knows so much about these things

He knows so much about these things

I would go out tonight

But I haven't got a stitch to wear

This man said, "It's gruesome

That someone so handsome should care"

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na

This charming man

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na

This charming man

Ah, a jumped-up pantry boy who never knew his place

He said, "Return the ring"

He knows so much about these things

He knows so much about these things

He knows so much about these things

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
charming /ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ/ B2	adjective - very pleasant or attractive
punctured /ˈpʌŋktʃərd/ C1	adjective - having a hole made by a sharp object verb - to make a hole in something with a sharp object
bicycle /ˈbaɪsɪkl/ A1	noun - a vehicle with two wheels
hillside /ˈhɪlsaɪd/ B1	noun - the sloping side of a hill
desolate /ˈdɛsələt/ C1	adjective - deserted of people and in a state of bleak and dismal emptiness
nature /ˈneɪtʃər/ A2	noun - the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations.
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult male human being
car /kɑːr/ A1	noun - a road vehicle, typically with four wheels, powered by an internal combustion engine or electric motor and able to carry a small number of people.
pamper /ˈpæmpər/ B2	verb - indulge with every attention, comfort, and kindness; spoil.
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
complexity /kəmˈplɛksəti/ B2	noun - the state or quality of being intricate or complicated.
leather /ˈlɛðər/ A2	noun - a material made from the skin of an animal by tanning or a similar process.
runs /rʌnz/ A1	verb - move at a speed faster than a walk; never having both or all the feet on the ground at the same time.
smooth /smuːð/ B1	adjective - having an even and regular surface or consistency; not rough, rugged, or bumpy.
passenger /ˈpæsɪndʒər/ A2	noun - a person who travels in a vehicle.
seat /siːt/ A1	noun - a thing made or used for sitting on.
stitch /stɪtʃ/ B2	noun - a loop of thread or yarn resulting from a single pass or movement of the needle in sewing, knitting, or embroidery.
gruesome /ˈɡruːsəm/ C1	adjective - extremely unpleasant; repulsive.
handsome /ˈhænsəm/ B1	adjective - (of a man) good-looking.
care /keər/ A2	verb - feel concern or interest; attach importance to something.
jumped-up /ˌdʒʌmpt ˈʌp/ C2	adjective - having suddenly acquired power or importance; presumptuous.
pantry /ˈpæntri/ B2	noun - a small room or cupboard in which food, crockery, and linens are kept.
boy /bɔɪ/ A1	noun - a male child or young man.
place /pleɪs/ A1	noun - a particular position or point in space.
return /rɪˈtɜːrn/ A2	verb - go or come back to a place or person.
ring /rɪŋ/ A1	noun - a small circular band, typically of precious metal and often set with a gem, worn on a finger.
things /θɪŋz/ A1	noun - an object that one need not, cannot, or does not wish to give a specific name to.
knows /noʊz/ A1	verb - be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.

Key Grammar Structures

• Will nature make a man of me yet?

  ➔ Inversion in questions; Future simple with "will"

  ➔ The sentence uses inversion ("Will nature...") to form a question. "Will" indicates a future action or possibility. The word "yet" shows the action in the future.

• Why pamper life's complexity

  ➔ Possessive noun ("life's"); Imperative form implied.

  ➔ "Life's" shows possession (complexity belongs to life). Although the sentence is a question, it functions as a rhetorical question, implying a command or suggestion: "Don't pamper life's complexity."

• When the leather runs smooth On the passenger seat?

  ➔ Simple present tense (describing a state)

  ➔ "Runs" is in the simple present, describing a general truth or state. The sentence expresses a sensory experience.

• I would go out tonight But I haven't got a stitch to wear

  ➔ Conditional ("would"); Present perfect negative ("haven't got")

  ➔ "Would go" expresses a hypothetical situation. "Haven't got" is a colloquial way of saying "don't have" in British English, indicating a lack of something at the present time.

• That someone so handsome should care

  ➔ Subjunctive mood ("should care")

  ➔ The use of "should care" expresses surprise or disbelief that someone so handsome would be concerned about something trivial. The subjunctive mood is used after words like 'that' to express a wish, doubt, or emotion.

• A jumped-up pantry boy who never knew his place

  ➔ Relative clause ("who never knew his place"); Past simple tense ("knew")

  ➔ "Who never knew his place" is a relative clause modifying "a jumped-up pantry boy." "Knew" is in the past simple, describing a state in the past.

• He said, "Return the rings"

  ➔ Imperative verb ("Return")

  ➔ "Return" is used in the imperative form, giving a direct command.