Moz might not be pop’s most charming man, but ever since the Smiths doodled their signature onto the nation’s pencil cases, the quiffed singer has been pumping out lyrics that are remarkably easy to get along with – down-hearted yet upbeat, literate yet lively, never less than loveable. Whether they’ve induced tears of laughter, misery, or both at once, these 10 lyrics see Manc’s beloved pop-poet on his fiercest form.

10 ‘Handsome Devil’ by The Smiths

For all his flamboyance and melodrama, Moz knows when to dial up the deadpan for a savvy punchline. The first line here sounds like the haughty admonishment of a parent who just doesn’t get it, while the second wryly implies the narrator’s superiority: I’ve seen quite enough, he seems to say, and I’ll choose the life that suits me.

9 ‘Reel Around the Fountain’ by The Smiths

A classic Mozza bait-and-switch, this – “’Take me to the haven of your bed’” flashes a rare happy ending before the last line snatches it away. But it’s the setup that nails it: by painting himself as an ornamental butterfly, the narrator strikes an alarming power balance between the keeper and the kept, with the “pin and mount” sounding at once seductive and exploitative of the precious, helpless butterfly.