Girlfriend in a Coma (song)

"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. The track 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 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-then recently released Louder Than Bombs album.

The song lends its name to the 1998 novel Girlfriend in a Coma by Douglas Coupland and the 2005 film Girlfriend in a Kimono by Dominic Thackray. The song was used to replace the main theme of The Drew Carey Show in an episode where Drew ended up in a coma after a car accident.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Morrissey and Johnny Marr, except where noted.. 

Covers

• Mojo Nixon's cover of "Girlfriend in a Coma" on his 1995 album Whereabouts Unknown is in his usual psychobilly style. After the bridge, Mojo asks that the listener not blame him for the lyrics, launching into one of his trademark "rants" in which he finally declares that "I, Mojo Nixon, am the anti-Morrissey!"
• Archive covered this song on their unplugged record in Paris in 2003, the album was released in 2004.
• 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
• Tony Hawks sung the words of the song to the tune of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" in an episode of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.
• Panic! At The Disco covered the song on Australia's Take 40 Live Lounge.
• Bombones album "Una luz que nunca se apagará" (Tributo a The Smiths).