I can hear them now, the opening chords to The Last of the Famous International Playboys, backed by a thumping bass drum, and then, over the top of them, the unmistakeable, dolorous tones of Morrissey:
"Dear hero imprisoned, with all the new crimes that you are perfecting,
I can't help quoting you, 'coz everything that you've said rings tru-u-u-ue,
And now, in my cell (well, I followed you),
And here's a list of who I slew…"
Etcetera.
Or, to quote the man again, "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, and in the midst of life we are in death, etcetera."
Well, the fact of the matter is, I have the good fortune (some would not call it that) to have a friend with the cunning and wherewithal to have acquired tickets for the two of us to go and see Morrissey in concert this evening.
I have long wanted to write an entry on Morrissey, if for no other reason than to get it out of my system. The fact is, like many Morrissey fans, I can't help quoting him, and it can be embarrassing. I don't know why, precisely, but it can.
Perhaps we could analyse some of the lyrics to find out. Let's take The Last of the Famous International Playboys. As a friend of mine said, in fact, the very friend who purchased the tickets, it works on so many levels. On the most obvious level it's the strange tale of someone who, influenced by the media's fascination with gangsters, embarks upon a life of crime. On another level, it is obviously about Morrissey's own relationship with fame. The idea of Morrissey as a playboy is, of course, deeply ironic. He is, he seems to be saying, the kind of playboy who ends up in a prison cell rather than a penthouse suite a la Hugh Hefner. The cell itself seems very much a metaphor. It is the prison of loneliness. It is comforting in some ways (it is his cell, and almost a status symbol, as well as affording protection from the outside world), but it is also hard and cold.
But why is this the kind of fame that he has sought and won, and with which he now dallies? This fame that trades upon misery, he implies, is merely symptomatic of our society at large:
"See, in our lifetime those who kill,
The news world hands them stardom,
And these are the ways on which I was raised,
These are the ways on which I was raised.
I never wanted to kill, I am not naturally EVIL,
Such things I do, just to make myself more attractive to you,
HAVE I FAILED?"
There's a classic Morrissey punchline at the end, too.
If we look at the song on yet another level, it seems to show a great deal of understanding as to the relationship that the fans have with Morrissey. Are we all bound for the same cell of loneliness? Is this obsession a disease? Even if it is, we can't help it, because everything that he's said rings true.
And what does this mean for me in my life?
I have tried to be positive. No one knows how hard I have tried. Indeed, to quote the man again, how can anyone possibly think they know how I feel?
But despite my best efforts, the monster that clings to me will not die. Once again I sink beneath the crushing, paralysing weight of nightmare. In such a case, what else is there to do, but take the easy way and give in, and let Morrissey in? At least then I can celebrate the misery a little. Yes, I've changed my plea to guilty, because freedom is wasted on me. See how your rules spoil the game?
So, having come this far, I suppose there's nothing for me to do, but to quote in full a couple of the Morrissey lyrics that have captured my particular attention recently. After the gig, I might write a review:
Friday Mourning
Friday mourning
I'm dressed in black
Douse the houselights
I'm not coming back.
For years I warned you
Through tears I told you
Friday mourning
There comes a time
The flaw that breaks
This very smug mug of mine.
This dawn raid
Soon put paid to all the things
I whispered to you at night time
And I will never stand naked
In front of you, or if I do
It won't be for a long time.
Look once to me
Look once to me-then look away
Look once to me-then look away.
And when they haul me down the hall
And when they kick me down the stairs
I see the faces all lined up before me
Of teachers and of parents
And bosses, who
All share a point of view
"you are a loser
you are a loser"
(loser)
a loser
a loser
a loser
Friday / Friday mourning
Dressed in black
I won't be coming back
Friday / Friday mourning
Dressed in black
I won't be coming back
(ad libs)
The Never Played Symphonies
Reflecting from my death bed
I’m balancing lifes riches
Against the ditches
And the flat grey years in between
All I can see are the never laid
That’s the never played symphonies
I can’t see those who tried to love me
Or those who felt they understood me
And I can’t see those who
very patiently put up with me
All I can see are the never laid
Of the never played symphonies
You were one
You meant to be one
And you jumped into my face
And laughed
And kissed me on the cheek
And then were gone
Forever
Not quite
Black sky in the daytime
And I don’t much mind dying
When there is nothing left
To care for anymore
Just the never laid
The never played symphonies
You were one
You knew you were one
And you slid
Right through my fingers
No, not literally
But metaphorically
And, now you’re all I see
As the light fades
I have to say, I’ve never listened to Morrissey–don’t even know what he sounds like, but the lyrics look interesting. And I understand musical obssessions…for the past six months I’ve been listening to almost nothing but Nick Cave. Idiot me.So how was the concert?
Hello Melissa.I like Nick Cave, too, especially Murder Ballads.I’ll write a concert review soon.
I’ll look forward to it then–and find some Morrissey, he sounds in my vein, so to speak.Murder Ballads is very good. There’s nothing of Cave’s I don’t like, but am particularly fond of No More Shall We Part and Boatman’s Call.
Hello.I was going to write the review tonight, but it’s past midnight already, and I’m tired. Or maybe I shall write it anyway. I’ll see how I feel after I’ve done the washing up and cleaned my teeth.I think one of my favourite Nick Cave tracks is the reprise version of Do You Love Me? on Let Love in. For some reason it always seems to me like a depiction of someone dying, the moments of death, looking back on one’s life, the soul leaving the body and so on.
Sorry to rain on your parade, and feel free to delete this if it seems bitchy, but after reading the lyrics posted on your blog, I realized why Morrisey pisses me off so much… I would like to preface the following diatribe by admitting that my exposure to his music is limited, and I really know very little about him other than he used to be in The Smiths. I guess people dig what they relate to, and I just don’t get it. I mean, I might have loved it when I was 19 and had an eating disorder and liked to bleed on stuff. But the thing with Morrissey is that lyrically, it doesn’t seem like he’s going anywhere, you know, like as a person. He seems like a whiny, self-centered, sexually ambiguous, angst-ridden teenage boy in an old rich guy’s body. After writing my last post, I feel like a bit of a hypocrite saying this, but he’s too old to still be caught up in such a love/hate relationship with himself. Like, he’s almost 50 and the only thing he’s learned in his whole life is how to write the same tired drama in a new tragic way. I mean, it’s like we’re all supposed to feel really sad for him, and moved on his behalf because he only sees bad stuff in his life, and he’s such a “loser”, and, poor guy, his life is a grey wasteland. But he’s a famous singer, so it’s either disingenuous stuff intended to keep the same sad suckers coming back for more, or it’s a pathetic cabaret of a person’s stunted personal growth. And all that death fixation? Get a grip!!!I would like to conclude this tirade by saying, “Morrissey, get over yourself already!” That is all.
Hello Esme. Thanks for the comment. Well, as you say, people dig what they relate to. It’s not as if the stuff you say has never occurred to me before, and I sometimes wonder if I should even be listening to this music, if it’s not a symptom of my own stunted growth. But, I don’t know. I enjoy listening to it. Why should I take my own enjoyment of it so literally? I read Edgar Allan Poe, too, and other similar writers, but if I really took on their world view, well, I suppose I’d just rather not. What Morrissey does is to embody a particular aspect of human experience, and no one seems to embody it quite as well as him. Whether or not he is old and rich, whether or not you want to dig into his personal life and find out whether he’s a hypocrite or whatever, his music remains in the psyche as a familiar place that you can choose to visit or not, as you desire.
I suppose I’m with Esme on this. I just find Morrissey… mildly irritating, and impossible to take seriously. I don’t know why.
I understand all the reasons people give for not liking Morrissey, especially at this stage of his career. Nonetheless, what he does still does it for me. This is sometimes the cause of self-examination, which I suppose was the point of the post above. What can I say? We all have our vices.
I know why Morrissey is impossible to take seriously- because he’s a big ol’ BABY, wallowing in self pity/loathing like a dirty diaper.
This article is interesting.It mentions Morrissey in connection with another of my artistic idols, Mishima Yukio. Strangely, both were also mentioned in a review of my collection, Morbid Tales. Here’s the relevant extract from the article:Pallett finds equally morbid and amusing parallels between Mishima and one of his other idols, Morrissey. “In my head they are two figures who are tied together in some way, these incredibly talented but malevolent forces. The actual function of both of their writing is something very negative and destructive. The question is whether it’s necessary or not. To my mind there’s no disputing that Mishima is the greatest author of the 20th century, and to me Morrissey is probably the most interesting figure in pop music of the last 30 years. There are so many different sides to what they’re writing about. It’s like believing in a lie, basically. Life is not that tragic or dramatic. It would be wonderful if it was, but the way Mishima writes, he over-philosophises and applies meaning to so many things that are inconsequential.”
Anonymous writes:Ha i just got my ticket for may 07Oh wow. I can never stop quoting him too!! I constantly write quotes everywhere. HE sings about EVERYTHING-from (obviously) love and hate but even jobs, friends, sex, fame, gangs, drugs, sexuality, and SO ON. AHHH. I guess people do get annoyed but maybe those people are the kind who just want to move on and not be reminded. But he’s like a best friend always there for you and he knows exactly how you feel. All i know, I can never stop listening and loving him. I think he’s one of greatest writers of all time (also a great singer). Oh he’s such a mystery. Moz for life!(Great Entry by the way! :D)~Rebecca in Houston
Hello Rebecca. Thanks for dropping by. I hope you have a good time on the seventh. Yes, I’m still listening to the Moz. Apart from the Moz, well, my life is an endless succession of people saying goodbye.
Anonymous writes:Also, i love the Fuseli painting you have too! :D~Rebecca
Bob Dyldo writes:Specially dedicated to Esme,Like what Bob Dylan sang “And you can’t criticise what you can’t understand…” I guess it same goes to Moz’s writings as well. His words can be really in yer face. But most of us just hate his guts and carry on living in denial even “everything that he said rings tru-u-ue…”If you try to be more open towords good writings in songs, you should really check Moz’s works. But if you still thinks whatever he did is crappy, then there’s always Michael Learns To Rock or Boys II Men for your “easy” listening. Morrissey is an artist and an artist can be easily misunderstood. So if you don’t get him by now, guess you will never will…Before I go I can’t help but quoting him again. “Some people keep their brains between their legs…”