Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before

Below are the lyrics to the song "Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before" by "The Smiths." The Smiths, in my opinion, were one of the very best bands to come out of the 1980's post-punk scene. Their sublime lyrics and musicality evoked thought and bordered on the thin line between depression and ridiculousness. Take a look...

Stop me, oh, stop me
Stop me if you think that you've
Heard this one before
Stop me, oh, stop me
Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before

Nothing's changed
I still love you, oh, I still love you
...Only slightly, only slightly less than I used to, my love

I was delayed, I was way-laid
An emergency stop
I smelt the last ten seconds of life
I crashed down on the crossbar
And the pain was enough to make
A shy, bald, buddhist reflect
And plan a mass murder
Who said lied I'd to her ?

Oh, who said I'd lied because I never ? I never !
Who said I'd lied because I never ?
I was detained, I was restrained
And broke my spleen
And broke my knee
(and then he really laced into me)
Friday night in Out-patients
Who said I'd lied to her ?

Oh, who said I'd lied ? - because I never, I never
Who said I'd lied ? - because I never

Oh, so I drank one
It became four
And when I fell on the floor ...
...I drank more

Stop me, oh, stop me
Stop me if you think that you've
Heard this one before
Stop me, oh, stop me
Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before

Nothing's changed
I still love you, oh, I still love you
...Only slightly, only slightly less than I used to, my love...................

Nevertheless, "Stop Me" brings to my mind the thought that no one has really ever "heard this one before." Therefore, no one should ever preclude another from telling the same, or a new story, because no one has ever really "heard this one before." For example, given the subjective nature of every story ever told, no story is ever the same. Every individual gives a story its own uniqueness. Each story brings uniqueness in tone, rhythm, pitch, emotion, perspective, etc.

If you care to think of this theory in even greater metaphysical terms consider this excerpt from a Bill Hick's performance recorded Live at the Dominion Theatre in London, November 1992...

"Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration. That we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we're the imagination of ourselves. Here's Tom with the weather."

Notwithstanding the reference to illicit substances, though a recurring topic of interest in his performances, Hick's clearly believed that each person perceives life individually. As such, each person hears, tastes, speaks, perceives differently than the next. Linguists, Psychologists, and the ilk refer to this theory as the "Shared Subjective Experience Theory." (a brief, and likely amateur, description can be found here ...http://theorypages.blogspot.com/2005/11/shared-subjective-
experience-theory.html). This same theory explains why human language, despite its usefulness , is a relatively imperfect tool. One may further extrapolate that this linguistic fallibility contributes to arguments, wars, conflicts, and other disagreements result from a failure to truly understand one another.

Thus, despite its beauty and genius, "Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before," as a song title, always makes me think, even if you have heard this one before, do not stop ME from telling YOU. After all, you have not heard it from me or if you have it will not be the same twice.