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Frankly, Mr. Shankly Lyrics by The Smiths

Complete

1986

[Verse 1]
Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this position I've held
It pays my way, and it corrodes my soul
I want to leave, you will not miss me
I want to go down in musical history
Frankly, Mr. Shankly, I'm a sickening wreck
I've got the twenty-first century breathing down my neck
I must move fast, you understand me
I want to go down in celluloid history, Mr. Shankly
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 2]
Fame, fame, fatal fame
It can play hideous tricks on the brain
But still I'd rather be famous than righteous or holy
Any day, any day, any day
But sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled
Making Christmas cards with the mentally ill
I want to live and I want to love
I want to catch something that I might be ashamed of
[Verse 3]
Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this position I've held
It pays my way, and it corrodes my soul
Oh, I didn't realise that you wrote poetry
I didn't realise you wrote such bloody awful poetry, Mr. Shankly
Frankly, Mr. Shankly, since you ask
You are a flatulent pain in the arse
I do not mean to be so rude
Still, I must speak frankly, Mr. Shankly
Oh, give us your money!
Credits
The Smiths

The Smiths

About “Frankly, Mr. Shankly” by The Smiths

Read the complete lyrics to "Frankly, Mr. Shankly" by The Smiths from the album "Complete" in 1986. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under New Wave (Rock), Jangle Pop, Ska.

"Frankly, Mr. Shankly" is performed by The Smiths. from the album "Complete" in 1986 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Frankly, Mr. Shankly", explore more songs by The Smiths using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Frankly, Mr. Shankly" is credited to The Smiths. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Frankly, Mr. Shankly" appears on "Complete" in 1986.

Visit the The Smiths artist page at /artist/the-smiths for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.