Leave it to The Smiths to turn something as grim as a girlfriend lying unconscious in a hospital bed into one of the catchiest pop songs of the 1980s. Released on August 10, 1987, “Girlfriend in a Coma” was the first single from the Manchester band’s fourth and final studio album, Strangeways, Here We Come. Written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr, the deceptively cheerful two-minute track paired Marr’s breezy guitar melodies with Morrissey’s trademark combination of morbid humor, romantic anxiety, and emotional detachment.
The song’s narrator finds himself contemplating the uncertain fate of his hospitalized girlfriend, expressing concern for her well-being while casually admitting that there were times when he wanted to kill her. It’s an absurdly dark premise, made even stranger by the upbeat arrangement and Morrissey’s remarkably casual delivery. That contrast between cheerful music and disturbing subject matter was quintessential Smiths, and “Girlfriend in a Coma” might be one of the band’s finest examples of making misery sound downright delightful.
Despite its unconventional subject matter, the single climbed to No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart. Its accompanying music video featured Morrissey performing alongside footage from the 1964 British film The Leather Boys. Unfortunately, the song arrived just as The Smiths were falling apart, with the band’s breakup becoming public around the time of its release. Their final album followed in September 1987, bringing an end to one of alternative rock’s most influential groups.
Nearly four decades later, “Girlfriend in a Coma” remains a wonderfully twisted little pop masterpiece, proving that with the right melody, even the darkest subject matter can become an irresistibly catchy song.
BTW, the original music video for Girlfriend in a Coma is worth revisiting, particularly for its wonderfully bleak late-’80s atmosphere.
