Meaning of “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” by the Smiths

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is one of the Smiths’ songs with lyrics whose exact meanings have continued to elude the general public up till today. Upon the song’s release in the early 1980s, the tabloid press referred to its lyrics as lyrics that to a certain degree condone child abuse. But is this song really about child abuse? The answer to this question is no, at least according to Morrissey.

');var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; })();

In a 1985 interview that Morrissey had with the Melody Maker, he was asked where the song The Hand That Rocks The Cradle came from. He responded to the question by saying the song came from a relationship he once had with someone which didn’t “involve romance”.

Morrissey on The Hand That Rocks The Cradle:

');var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; })();

Meaning of the song The Hand That Rocks The Cradle by The Smiths.

Morrissey said the words above during an interview with a panel of writers chaired by the then editor of Melody Maker Allan Jones. The interview took place at Rough Trade’s office in London on 14th February, 1985.