"You Have Killed Me" is the first single from the albumRingleader of the Tormentors by Morrissey. The single was released on 27 March 2006. The title track was written by Morrissey and Jesse Tobias. Morrissey said it would showcase the "marked difference in sound" brought about by the new influence of Tobias on Morrissey's work while Billboard magazine described it as a "simple, effective first single." The lyrics reference Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1961 film, Accattone, about prostitution in the slums of Rome, as is shown in the first two lines of the lyrics. There is much speculation as to the meaning of this quote. Some fans believe that it is merely an example of Rome's influence on Morrissey whereas some believe that it is a reference to the loss of virginity, since Accattone is Pasolini's first film. A picture of Terence Stamp, main character of Pasolini's movie Teorema, was also chosen by Morrissey as cover of one of The Smiths early singles, "What Difference Does It Make?". The lyrics also mention Anna Magnani, Luchino Visconti, and in some live performancesFellini. The references to Anna Magnani and Luchino Visconti probably refer to the Visconti's segment of the anthology film Siamo Donne, in which actresses are shown in their everyday lives, rather than as glamorous or sexualised. Anna Magnani frequently portrayed ordinary women who sacrificed everything for her family as in Visconti's Bellissima or Pasolini's Mamma Roma.
Airplay and charts
US
The single's main track, "You Have Killed Me", appeared on the "official" MySpace page of Morrissey on Monday, 6 February 2006. Soon after, the song was added to the playlists of several alternative rock radio stations in the United States. Its biggest supporters were originally KDLD and XTRA. In the first week of its release, it debuted as the seventy-fifth most-played song on US modern rock radio. It was made available for download on iTunes on 14 February 2006. Soon after, the single appeared on the playlists of twenty-nine US modern rock stations. The major supporters during mid-February were KDLD, S021 and S026, XTRA, WFNX, X047, KXRK, and KRBZ. However, for most of mid and late-February, the song was not added to any more stations, gaining in airplay largely due to huge increases in airplay from KDLD, WFNX, and especially the three digital radio stations. By the time March arrived, it had even become the number one song on KDLD and S026, though it failed to make the playlists of any more stations and was even dropped from some. During the first week in March, the single received its first new adds in weeks, joining the playlists of WWCD and WHTG-FM, both of which had been major supporters of the singles from You Are the Quarry. By 12 March it was receiving at least fifteen plays per week from each of these stations and had also been added to the playlists of three more stations. At the middle of March, the song stood as the 45th most-played song on US alternative radio. After that, its airplay fell into decline and it failed to make the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Despite this, "You Have Killed Me" entered the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart at number one with 3,160 copies sold.
UK
The track became a part of Xfm London's "Upfront" list of songs on 20 February 2006. It was added to the station's playlist on 27 February 2006. On 3 March 2006 it was added to the playlist of Virgin Radio. The next day, it was added to the C-List of BBC Radio 2 and the A-List of BBC 6 Music. On 11 March 2006, it moved to Radio 2's B-List. On 1 April 2006 it reached the A-List of Radio 2. Upon its release it was predicted to sell well in the UK, reaching number one on the Woolworths chart upon its release. "You Have Killed Me" became Morrissey's joint highest UK chart entry with "Irish Blood, English Heart" entering the UK Singles Chart at number three.
Canada
The song was released in Canada on 9 April 2006 during the major chart success of Madonna's "Hung Up". Although radio stations had begun adding the track to playlists, it was unable to enter the BDS airplay chart and did not receive much airplay.
