May seem strange to you
But who asked you, anyway ?
It's my life to wreck
My own way
You see : to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ...
Alma matters
In mind, body and soul
In part, and in hole
Because to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ...
Alma matters
In mind, body and soul
In part, and in hole
So the life I have made
May seem wrong to you
But, I've never been surer
It's my life to ruin
My own way
You see : to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ...
Alma matters
In mind, body and soul
In part, and in hole
Because to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ...
Alma matters
In mind, body and soul
In part, and in hole
To someone, somewhere, oh yeah ...
Alma matters
In mind, body and soul
Part, and in hole
So to someone, somewhere, oh yeah ...
Alma matters
In mind, body and soul
Part, and in hole
To someone, somewhere, oh yeah ...
Oh yeah ...
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah ...
Morrissey's simplistic lyrics once again reveal a more complex side on closer inspection. The use of the pun "Alma Matters" implies three separate things; one, that an education in general counts (your "alma mater" is the university you went to), two, that kindness is important ("alma" means benevolent), but only to someone, somewhere, and three, that your upbringing will always, in one way define you. After all, what other education is there than that of your experiences ?
Indeed, there is an implication that only education can make you "alma". All this from two words: not bad.
AND it might be referring to Alma, a character in Coronation Street. Also, "Alma" is Spanish for "soul".
A distant cousin of Everyday Is Like Sunday, or so one journalist insists.
Morrissey says of the song :
"Well... it really does mean something specific. I think it means that we should be pleased and proud of the female side of our character, of our nature. Or if we're female, we should be proud of the male side of our character and give it just as much import as the other side. So, everything's fine, it doesn't matter how you behave."
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