Most Underrated/Overlooked Morrissey Songs?

[Skylarker]

There are some great ones that have gotten lost in the shuffle and are rarely mentioned here.

He Cried, Papa Jack, The Lazy Sunbathers, Do Your Best And Don't Worry...

Others?

[Giselle]

"Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself?"
"Nobody Loves Us"
"Come Back to Camden"
"Maladjusted"
"Lost"
"My Dearest Love"
"Spring-Heeled Jim"
"Good Loooking Man About Town"

[the raytownian]

I could be wrong, but these have always seemed underrated or rarely discussed in my time here (and on LastFM, which I've been using about as long):

I Don't Mind If You Forget Me
Mute Witness... Yeah, I really do like that song.
The Father Who Must Be Killed... I really like this song. Seems like a lot of people hate it just as strongly.
Children In Pieces

Seconding The Lazy Sunbathers and Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself?.

[mcrickson]

The studio versions of "Sing Your Life" and "There Is A Place in Hell." The KROQ version of "Sing Your Life" is okay (I prefer the studio), but I detest the rockabilly version of the latter. I think it's really supposed to be the beautiful piano number that it is on "Kill Uncle."

Also, "The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils." I will forever remain an advocate of that awesome piece, all eleven-something minutes.

[Peterb]

Let the right one in
Nobody loves us
Teenage Dad on his Estate

[the raytownian]

I really enjoy SYL and TISPIHFMAMF as well. That said, they seem to two of the few, along with Our Frank, that people claim to enjoy off of Kill Uncle with any degree of confidence.

Though I do feel they are underrated, I think Kill Uncle as a whole is pretty unfairly maligned. I still don't like the song Asian Rut (musically, it's just SUPER dull, which is my only reason for disliking it as much as I do), but I like the rest of the album pretty well or a lot.

[Raphael Lambach]

Let the right one slip in
Nobody love us
The Father who must be killed
The Lazy sunbathers
Hairdresser on fire
I like you
I'm ok by myself

[Gentler Words]

There's A Place In Hell For Me And My Friends
Used To Be A Sweet Boy
Sweetie Pie

These are three of my favorites that I never hear anything about.

I would also agree with people who are saying Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself and Hairdresser On Fire are great songs. However, they are hardly underrated. If you were to look up "Best Morrissey Songs" online, you'd see both of those popping up on countless lists and blogs. I know, cause I just did this weekend. :)

[Anodyne]

I've Changed My Plea to Guilty
You Should Have Been Nice To Me
Seasick, Yet Still Docked
Will Never Marry

Love these songs.

[Ben Budd]

Always thought a lot of album tracks off Maladjusted get a bad rep. I really really like Papa Jack, Ammunition and He Cried.

[Orson Swells]

I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
Lucky Lisp
Mute Witness
King Leer
Pregnant For The Last Time
We Hate It WHen Our Friends Become Successful
Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning
Sunny
The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils
Ammunition
I'm Not Sorry
The Youngest Was The Most Loved
I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now
That's How People Grow Up
Something Is Squeezing My Skull
Black Cloud
I'm Okay By Myself

[Anonymous]

Teenage Dad On His Estate

Do Your Best and Don't Worry

Ammunition

[Uncleskinny]

What's wrong with you people? Several post in and still no mention of...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AByiLxAqaw

P.

[Adrian Ernesto Cepeda]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEuC4jlQc-g

Driving Your Girlfriend Home- Kill Uncle's "There is a Light that Never Goes Out"

[Maurice E]

It's always a bit vague asking for under-rated songs. Under-rated by who exactly?
To make the whole exercise slightly less vague, here's a list of the 60 worst Morrissey/Smiths songs of all time (as voted in the biggest ever Moz/Smith poll).
So which of these do you think are actually quite good?

(169) 201 Oh Well I’ll Never Learn (1988), average score: 7,17
(178) 202 A Song From Under The Floorboards (2006) 7,16
(186) 203 I Am Two People (2004) 7,15
(188) 204 Don’t Make Fun Of Daddy’s Voice (2004) 7,15
(184) 205 That’s Entertainment (1991) 7,14
(187) 206 I Just Want To See The Boy Happy (2006) 7,10
(---) 207 Born To Hang (unreleased) 7,07
(191) 208 Now I Am A Was (1997) 7,06
(194) 209 Heir Apparent (1997) 7,03
(193) 210 Pashernate Love (1991) 7,01
(192) 211 On The Streets I Ran (2006) 6,99
(201) 212 The Public Image (2004) 6,89
(190) 213 This Is Not Your Country (1997) 6,88
(197) 214 Christian Dior (2006) 6,87
(196) 215 Dial-A-Cliché (1988) 6,85
(195) 216 Redondo Beach (2005) 6,85
(198) 217 Roy’s Keen (1997) 6,84
(---) 218 Fantastic Bird (2009) 6,83
(199) 219 At Amber (1990) 6,81
(---) 220 Children In Pieces (2008) 6,80
(200) 221 Dagenham Dave (1995) 6,80
(205) 222 At Last I Am Born (2006) 6,71
(204) 223 Moonriver (1994) 6,70
(202) 224 Ammunition (1997) 6,69
(206) 225 Margaret On The Guillotine (1988) 6,69
(---) 226 Drive-In Saturday (2008) 6,66
(---) 227 You Were Good In Your Time (2009) 6,66
(203) 228 The Draize Train (1986) 6,65
(207) 229 Mexico (2004) 6,64
(212) 230 East West (1989) 6,62
(211) 231 The Father Who Must Be Killed (2006) 6,61
(209) 232 Best Friend On The Payroll (1995) 6,60
(---) 233 Because Of My Poor Education (2009) 6,56
(208) 234 Cosmic Dancer (1991) 6,54
(215) 235 Death At One’s Elbow (1987) 6,53
(210) 236 Black Eyed Susan (1995) 6,52
(214) 237 America Is Not The World (2004) 6,50
(216) 238 Money Changes Everything (1986) 6,49
(---) 239 Oh Phoney (unreleased) 6,46
(213) 240 Work Is A Four Letter Word (1987) 6,41
(220) 241 He Cried (1997) 6,38
(219) 242 Asian Rut (1991) 6,33
(217) 243 Ambitious Outsiders (1997) 6,30
(218) 244 There Speaks A True Friend (1992) 6,26
(---) 245 Sorry Doesn't Help (2009) 6,22
(223) 246 All The Lazy Dykes (2004) 6,15
(221) 247 You’ve Had Her (1992) 6,11
(224) 248 Slum Mums (2004) 6,10
(227) 249 Noise Is The Best Revenge (2005) 6,09
(225) 250 Tony The Pony (1991) 6,08
(222) 251 What’s The World (1987) 6,07
(226) 252 Get Off The Stage (1990) 5,96
(228) 253 Found Found Found (1991) 5,82
(229) 254 The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye (1991) 5,77
(230) 255 Sweetie Pie (2006) 5,53
(231) 256 Sorrow Will Come In The End (1997) 5,51
(232) 257 Papa Jack (1997) 5,11
(233) 258 Golden Lights (1986) 4,93
(234) 259 Journalists Who Lie (1991) 4,78

[smiffy]

we'll let you know
trouble loves me
ill never be anyones hero now
if you dont like me.......
i knew i was next
you were good in your time

[lindsey1151]

It's always a bit vague asking for under-rated songs. Under-rated by who exactly?
To make the whole exercise slightly less vague, here's a list of the 60 worst Morrissey/Smiths songs of all time (as voted in the biggest ever Moz/Smith poll).
So which of these do you think are actually quite good?

(169) 201 Oh Well I’ll Never Learn (1988), average score: 7,17
(178) 202 A Song From Under The Floorboards (2006) 7,16
(186) 203 I Am Two People (2004) 7,15
(188) 204 Don’t Make Fun Of Daddy’s Voice (2004) 7,15
(184) 205 That’s Entertainment (1991) 7,14
(187) 206 I Just Want To See The Boy Happy (2006) 7,10
(---) 207 Born To Hang (unreleased) 7,07
(191) 208 Now I Am A Was (1997) 7,06
(194) 209 Heir Apparent (1997) 7,03
(193) 210 Pashernate Love (1991) 7,01
(192) 211 On The Streets I Ran (2006) 6,99
(201) 212 The Public Image (2004) 6,89
(190) 213 This Is Not Your Country (1997) 6,88
(197) 214 Christian Dior (2006) 6,87
(196) 215 Dial-A-Cliché (1988) 6,85
(195) 216 Redondo Beach (2005) 6,85
(198) 217 Roy’s Keen (1997) 6,84
(---) 218 Fantastic Bird (2009) 6,83
(199) 219 At Amber (1990) 6,81
(---) 220 Children In Pieces (2008) 6,80
(200) 221 Dagenham Dave (1995) 6,80
(205) 222 At Last I Am Born (2006) 6,71
(204) 223 Moonriver (1994) 6,70
(202) 224 Ammunition (1997) 6,69
(206) 225 Margaret On The Guillotine (1988) 6,69
(---) 226 Drive-In Saturday (2008) 6,66
(---) 227 You Were Good In Your Time (2009) 6,66
(203) 228 The Draize Train (1986) 6,65
(207) 229 Mexico (2004) 6,64
(212) 230 East West (1989) 6,62
(211) 231 The Father Who Must Be Killed (2006) 6,61
(209) 232 Best Friend On The Payroll (1995) 6,60
(---) 233 Because Of My Poor Education (2009) 6,56
(208) 234 Cosmic Dancer (1991) 6,54
(215) 235 Death At One’s Elbow (1987) 6,53
(210) 236 Black Eyed Susan (1995) 6,52
(214) 237 America Is Not The World (2004) 6,50
(216) 238 Money Changes Everything (1986) 6,49
(---) 239 Oh Phoney (unreleased) 6,46
(213) 240 Work Is A Four Letter Word (1987) 6,41
(220) 241 He Cried (1997) 6,38
(219) 242 Asian Rut (1991) 6,33
(217) 243 Ambitious Outsiders (1997) 6,30
(218) 244 There Speaks A True Friend (1992) 6,26
(---) 245 Sorry Doesn't Help (2009) 6,22
(223) 246 All The Lazy Dykes (2004) 6,15
(221) 247 You’ve Had Her (1992) 6,11
(224) 248 Slum Mums (2004) 6,10
(227) 249 Noise Is The Best Revenge (2005) 6,09
(225) 250 Tony The Pony (1991) 6,08
(222) 251 What’s The World (1987) 6,07
(226) 252 Get Off The Stage (1990) 5,96
(228) 253 Found Found Found (1991) 5,82
(229) 254 The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye (1991) 5,77
(230) 255 Sweetie Pie (2006) 5,53
(231) 256 Sorrow Will Come In The End (1997) 5,51
(232) 257 Papa Jack (1997) 5,11
(233) 258 Golden Lights (1986) 4,93
(234) 259 Journalists Who Lie (1991) 4,78

I dont agree with some of those!

[Anonymous]

I dont agree with some of those!

I'm with you, lindsey1151.

[Maurice E]

I dont agree with some of those!

I expect we all don't to some extent.
I think at least 15 of those songs are among the best he's ever sung. But it's an interesting list to use in the 'underrated songs' debate...

[20'years'7'months'27'days]

i dont mind if you forget me
the lazy sunbathers
the bed took fire
late night maudlin street

[CrystalGeezer]

All of these mentioned. Except Tony the Pony.

[Gentler Words]

Off that list, I'm a big fan of:

America Is Not The World
Sweetie Pie


and, a decent-size fan of:

Margaret On The Guillotine
Christian Dior
Mexico

Surprised to see them listed so low. I also have always liked Sorrow Will Come In The End, but I can see why others might not.

As for Redondo Beach, it's a cover so it really shouldn't even be considered, but besides that, it's a damn fine song and I really like his rendition.

(If you want to make your voices be heard regarding some of Morrissey's better and underrated songs, you can vote for the best song in the Best Morrissey Song bracket (http://public.bracketeers.com/round-finished.php?&id=1043) I've created! ;))

[RobLand]

I can't believe no one has mentioned my favorite yet: "I'd Love To" ("The more you ignore me..." b-side). I still remember buying the CD single at Vinyl Solution in Grand Rapids, Mich and speeding back to my small basement apartment during my senior year of college (I had no CD player in my car back then). Then hearing it for the first time and the hairs on my arm standing up.

[Anonymous]

It's always a bit vague asking for under-rated songs. Under-rated by who exactly?
To make the whole exercise slightly less vague, here's a list of the 60 worst Morrissey/Smiths songs of all time (as voted in the biggest ever Moz/Smith poll).
So which of these do you think are actually quite good?

(169) 201 Oh Well I’ll Never Learn (1988), average score: 7,17
(178) 202 A Song From Under The Floorboards (2006) 7,16
(186) 203 I Am Two People (2004) 7,15
(188) 204 Don’t Make Fun Of Daddy’s Voice (2004) 7,15
(184) 205 That’s Entertainment (1991) 7,14
(187) 206 I Just Want To See The Boy Happy (2006) 7,10
(---) 207 Born To Hang (unreleased) 7,07
(191) 208 Now I Am A Was (1997) 7,06
(194) 209 Heir Apparent (1997) 7,03
(193) 210 Pashernate Love (1991) 7,01
(192) 211 On The Streets I Ran (2006) 6,99
(201) 212 The Public Image (2004) 6,89
(190) 213 This Is Not Your Country (1997) 6,88
(197) 214 Christian Dior (2006) 6,87
(196) 215 Dial-A-Cliché (1988) 6,85
(195) 216 Redondo Beach (2005) 6,85
(198) 217 Roy’s Keen (1997) 6,84
(---) 218 Fantastic Bird (2009) 6,83
(199) 219 At Amber (1990) 6,81
(---) 220 Children In Pieces (2008) 6,80
(200) 221 Dagenham Dave (1995) 6,80
(205) 222 At Last I Am Born (2006) 6,71
(204) 223 Moonriver (1994) 6,70
(202) 224 Ammunition (1997) 6,69
(206) 225 Margaret On The Guillotine (1988) 6,69
(---) 226 Drive-In Saturday (2008) 6,66
(---) 227 You Were Good In Your Time (2009) 6,66
(203) 228 The Draize Train (1986) 6,65
(207) 229 Mexico (2004) 6,64
(212) 230 East West (1989) 6,62
(211) 231 The Father Who Must Be Killed (2006) 6,61
(209) 232 Best Friend On The Payroll (1995) 6,60
(---) 233 Because Of My Poor Education (2009) 6,56
(208) 234 Cosmic Dancer (1991) 6,54
(215) 235 Death At One’s Elbow (1987) 6,53
(210) 236 Black Eyed Susan (1995) 6,52
(214) 237 America Is Not The World (2004) 6,50
(216) 238 Money Changes Everything (1986) 6,49
(---) 239 Oh Phoney (unreleased) 6,46
(213) 240 Work Is A Four Letter Word (1987) 6,41
(220) 241 He Cried (1997) 6,38
(219) 242 Asian Rut (1991) 6,33
(217) 243 Ambitious Outsiders (1997) 6,30
(218) 244 There Speaks A True Friend (1992) 6,26
(---) 245 Sorry Doesn't Help (2009) 6,22
(223) 246 All The Lazy Dykes (2004) 6,15
(221) 247 You’ve Had Her (1992) 6,11
(224) 248 Slum Mums (2004) 6,10
(227) 249 Noise Is The Best Revenge (2005) 6,09
(225) 250 Tony The Pony (1991) 6,08
(222) 251 What’s The World (1987) 6,07
(226) 252 Get Off The Stage (1990) 5,96
(228) 253 Found Found Found (1991) 5,82
(229) 254 The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye (1991) 5,77
(230) 255 Sweetie Pie (2006) 5,53
(231) 256 Sorrow Will Come In The End (1997) 5,51
(232) 257 Papa Jack (1997) 5,11
(233) 258 Golden Lights (1986) 4,93
(234) 259 Journalists Who Lie (1991) 4,78

Are you sure thats all??

[the raytownian]

Always thought a lot of album tracks off Maladjusted get a bad rep. I really really like Papa Jack, Ammunition and He Cried.

It seems like all my favorites from Maladjusted are the most popular ones from Maladjusted, so I don't have much to add... I really do like "Satan..." a whole lot though. One of my many favorites.

[the raytownian]

What's wrong with you people? Several post in and still no mention of...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AByiLxAqaw

P.

Come to think of it, I have heard a lot of bad words spoken about this song as well, but it seems like people are pretty evenly divided between loving and hating it... I really like it m'self.

[CrystalGeezer]

I can't believe no one has mentioned my favorite yet: "I'd Love To" ("The more you ignore me..." b-side). I still remember buying the CD single at Vinyl Solution in Grand Rapids, Mich and speeding back to my small basement apartment during my senior year of college (I had no CD player in my car back then). Then hearing it for the first time and the hairs on my arm standing up.


Awwww. I love that story! :love:

[the raytownian]

Of the songs in that worst-of list, I took particular exception to these low-rated choices:

Don’t Make Fun Of Daddy’s Voice
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
Fantastic Bird
Children In Pieces
Dagenham Dave
Ammunition
Drive-In Saturday
You Were Good In Your Time
The Draize Train
East West
The Father Who Must Be Killed
Death At One’s Elbow
Money Changes Everything
Tony The Pony
Get Off The Stage
Found Found Found(not my favorite on KU, but it grows on you... or me)
The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye
Journalists Who Lie

[Skylarker]

It's always a bit vague asking for under-rated songs. Under-rated by who exactly?
To make the whole exercise slightly less vague, here's a list of the 60 worst Morrissey/Smiths songs of all time (as voted in the biggest ever Moz/Smith poll).
So which of these do you think are actually quite good?

(169) 201 Oh Well I’ll Never Learn (1988), average score: 7,17
(178) 202 A Song From Under The Floorboards (2006) 7,16
(186) 203 I Am Two People (2004) 7,15
(188) 204 Don’t Make Fun Of Daddy’s Voice (2004) 7,15
(184) 205 That’s Entertainment (1991) 7,14
(187) 206 I Just Want To See The Boy Happy (2006) 7,10
(---) 207 Born To Hang (unreleased) 7,07
(191) 208 Now I Am A Was (1997) 7,06
(194) 209 Heir Apparent (1997) 7,03
(193) 210 Pashernate Love (1991) 7,01
(192) 211 On The Streets I Ran (2006) 6,99
(201) 212 The Public Image (2004) 6,89
(190) 213 This Is Not Your Country (1997) 6,88
(197) 214 Christian Dior (2006) 6,87
(196) 215 Dial-A-Cliché (1988) 6,85
(195) 216 Redondo Beach (2005) 6,85
(198) 217 Roy’s Keen (1997) 6,84
(---) 218 Fantastic Bird (2009) 6,83
(199) 219 At Amber (1990) 6,81
(---) 220 Children In Pieces (2008) 6,80
(200) 221 Dagenham Dave (1995) 6,80
(205) 222 At Last I Am Born (2006) 6,71
(204) 223 Moonriver (1994) 6,70
(202) 224 Ammunition (1997) 6,69
(206) 225 Margaret On The Guillotine (1988) 6,69
(---) 226 Drive-In Saturday (2008) 6,66
(---) 227 You Were Good In Your Time (2009) 6,66
(203) 228 The Draize Train (1986) 6,65
(207) 229 Mexico (2004) 6,64
(212) 230 East West (1989) 6,62
(211) 231 The Father Who Must Be Killed (2006) 6,61
(209) 232 Best Friend On The Payroll (1995) 6,60
(---) 233 Because Of My Poor Education (2009) 6,56
(208) 234 Cosmic Dancer (1991) 6,54
(215) 235 Death At One’s Elbow (1987) 6,53
(210) 236 Black Eyed Susan (1995) 6,52
(214) 237 America Is Not The World (2004) 6,50
(216) 238 Money Changes Everything (1986) 6,49
(---) 239 Oh Phoney (unreleased) 6,46
(213) 240 Work Is A Four Letter Word (1987) 6,41
(220) 241 He Cried (1997) 6,38
(219) 242 Asian Rut (1991) 6,33
(217) 243 Ambitious Outsiders (1997) 6,30
(218) 244 There Speaks A True Friend (1992) 6,26
(---) 245 Sorry Doesn't Help (2009) 6,22
(223) 246 All The Lazy Dykes (2004) 6,15
(221) 247 You’ve Had Her (1992) 6,11
(224) 248 Slum Mums (2004) 6,10
(227) 249 Noise Is The Best Revenge (2005) 6,09
(225) 250 Tony The Pony (1991) 6,08
(222) 251 What’s The World (1987) 6,07
(226) 252 Get Off The Stage (1990) 5,96
(228) 253 Found Found Found (1991) 5,82
(229) 254 The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye (1991) 5,77
(230) 255 Sweetie Pie (2006) 5,53
(231) 256 Sorrow Will Come In The End (1997) 5,51
(232) 257 Papa Jack (1997) 5,11
(233) 258 Golden Lights (1986) 4,93
(234) 259 Journalists Who Lie (1991) 4,78

All of those songs are phenomenal.

[Rowntree]

I like a lot of the songs on Maurice's list. I guess it just goes to show how prolifically good Moz has been.

[Scarlet1987]

You must please remember. Does anyone else see this a very haunting track? His melody and wailing and the backing vocals?

[Anaesthesine]

"Ammunition," "Heir Apparent" and "Christian Dior" all ranked so poorly on Maurice's list? Morrissey is golden.

I've always been surprised that "Nobody Loves Us" isn't a mainstream classic; it's Sinatra-worthy. "I Know Very Well How I Got My Name" and "Lost" should be featured on every movie soundtrack, "Hold Onto Your Friends" is seldom discussed yet I think of it quite often in my day-to-day life, and "Come Back to Camden," though much appreciated by the fan base, is strangely overlooked by Morrissey himself. I dimly remember something about Morrissey finding it too personal to sing, but it would be a live highlight, no doubt about it.

[joe frady]

...and "Come Back to Camden," though much appreciated by the fan base, is strangely overlooked by Morrissey himself. I dimly remember something about Morrissey finding it too personal to sing, but it would be a live highlight, no doubt about it.

It was. Dublin, 29th of July 2011. Here's how it went down, as posted on 'The Cissy Site' at the time :rolleyes: ~

It was a truly beautiful moment. You had a hunch something special was about to happen because Jesse strapped on that pretty red guitar that he uses for 'There Is A Light..', then Morrissey and his band all crowded together in a loose huddle around Matt's drumkit, there was a bit of discussion, Matt looked at Moz with a 'Right?' look, Moz took a swig of water, then gave a firm nod; and off we bloody well went. Clearly there must have been some doubt as to whether they would play it.

Despite the clueless dolts about me in the balcony, I yelped with glee when I heard the opening line, as did many others down below who realised the momentousness of the...moment. Well actually they roared. I yelped. Each to their own, etc.

I was literally biting my knuckles whlist grinning, if that's physically possible, in the manner of a sweet-stuffed chubby child, for the entirety of the rendition.
The band nursed it gently, like an 'unpriapic fawn' being born into this world, and Morrissey was clearly nervous, which was incredibly charming. Mere minutes before he'd delivered 'Scandinavia' in a version that was so perfect in it's dark and twisted potency, so breathtaking in it's phrasing, control and precision, so pure in intent and intent on purity, that to see him switch to another skewed ode to the joys and misery of love, memory {and geography}, and address it so differently was...sublime. There was a devoted fragility to the performance that could have been debut nerves, or it could have been Moz channeling the emotion that first inspired the lyric. Who can say? Not even the man himself I'd wager. I prefer to pick the latter option.

He made some self-deprecating comments after it, over the wild yawps and screams, along the lines of 'You can't mean that' etc, etc. but that's just Morrissey. What does he know?

I hope he does it again. And I hope he doesn't. Weird.

To see him tightly closehis eyes, open his loving mouth and sing "and here is the very last plea from my heart, my heart / forevermore " is one of those heghtened memories I'll have forever...more

...we knew, we just knew...:bow:

He played it the next night in Dublin, and on the final night of the tour at the London Palladium, when it was arguably even more sublime.

[Giselle]

It was. Dublin, 29th of July 2011. Here's how it went down, as posted on 'The Cissy Site' at the time :rolleyes: ~

It was a truly beautiful moment. You had a hunch something special was about to happen because Jesse strapped on that pretty red guitar that he uses for 'There Is A Light..', then Morrissey and his band all crowded together in a loose huddle around Matt's drumkit, there was a bit of discussion, Matt looked at Moz with a 'Right?' look, Moz took a swig of water, then gave a firm nod; and off we bloody well went. Clearly there must have been some doubt as to whether they would play it.

Despite the clueless dolts about me in the balcony, I yelped with glee when I heard the opening line, as did many others down below who realised the momentousness of the...moment. Well actually they roared. I yelped. Each to their own, etc.

I was literally biting my knuckles whlist grinning, if that's physically possible, in the manner of a sweet-stuffed chubby child, for the entirety of the rendition.
The band nursed it gently, like an 'unpriapic fawn' being born into this world, and Morrissey was clearly nervous, which was incredibly charming. Mere minutes before he'd delivered 'Scandinavia' in a version that was so perfect in it's dark and twisted potency, so breathtaking in it's phrasing, control and precision, so pure in intent and intent on purity, that to see him switch to another skewed ode to the joys and misery of love, memory {and geography}, and address it so differently was...sublime. There was a devoted fragility to the performance that could have been debut nerves, or it could have been Moz channeling the emotion that first inspired the lyric. Who can say? Not even the man himself I'd wager. I prefer to pick the latter option.

He made some self-deprecating comments after it, over the wild yawps and screams, along the lines of 'You can't mean that' etc, etc. but that's just Morrissey. What does he know?

I hope he does it again. And I hope he doesn't. Weird.

To see him tightly closehis eyes, open his loving mouth and sing "and here is the very last plea from my heart, my heart / forevermore " is one of those heghtened memories I'll have forever...more

...we knew, we just knew...:bow:

He played it the next night in Dublin, and on the final night of the tour at the London Palladium, when it was arguably even more sublime.

Oh, what a beautifully written review, so befitting one of his most lovely and heartfelt songs. :tears: How I wish I could have been there.

[leedoggpimp]

MEBY is a fantastic compilation that goes under the radar... i'd put it up there with bona drag.

[leedoggpimp]

Off that list, I'm a big fan of:

America Is Not The World
Sweetie Pie


and, a decent-size fan of:

Margaret On The Guillotine
Christian Dior
Mexico

Surprised to see them listed so low. I also have always liked Sorrow Will Come In The End, but I can see why others might not.

As for Redondo Beach, it's a cover so it really shouldn't even be considered, but besides that, it's a damn fine song and I really like his rendition.

(If you want to make your voices be heard regarding some of Morrissey's better and underrated songs, you can vote for the best song in the Best Morrissey Song bracket (http://public.bracketeers.com/round-finished.php?&id=1043) I've created! ;))

all of those songs are crap... mexico is a good track but the studio version is crap.

[Maurice E]

"Ammunition," "Heir Apparent" and "Christian Dior" all ranked so poorly on Maurice's list? Morrissey is golden.
I've always been surprised that "Nobody Loves Us" isn't a mainstream classic; it's Sinatra-worthy. "I Know Very Well How I Got My Name" and "Lost" should be featured on every movie soundtrack, "Hold Onto Your Friends" is seldom discussed yet I think of it quite often in my day-to-day life, and "Come Back to Camden," though much appreciated by the fan base, is strangely overlooked by Morrissey himself. I dimly remember something about Morrissey finding it too personal to sing, but it would be a live highlight, no doubt about it.

Hey, it's not my list - it's the fans'!
As for Nobody Loves Us, it's consistently voted as a favourite. In the big poll that I took the list from, it's in the top 20 (of nearly 200 Morrissey songs).
The problem is that it was only a b-side. Had it been a single, it would be getting played on radio stations and at indie discos across the land to this day!

[Skylarker]

MEBY is a fantastic compilation that goes under the radar... i'd put it up there with bona drag.

See, I hate that collection. Half the lyrics in the booklet were incomplete or wrong, and the flow of the songs was totally whack. There was also no rhyme or reason to it. Some previously released stuff, an album track or two, some rarities. Same problem I have with the even worse collection World of Morrissey. Great songs one by one, but as collections they failed.

[a rejected soul]

Speaking of crummy comps (WOM being mentioned here), I really dislike WOM for the above reasons especially.

It's a hopelessly scrambled mess of single and live tracks, with some album tracks which seem completely unnecessary... For all I know, he just picked a list of the crap he was really into that week (or picked them out of a hat), which doesn't make for a particularly good compilation. The flow of that album is terrible.

On their own, they're mostly good/great songs and live recordings, but their compiling is indeed "whack".

I'd much prefer a collection of all-live tracks. Never (or at least rarely have) been fond of mixing live versions of studio recordings with other studio recordings though, unless they are grouped accordingly...




But I am off-topic.

[Skylarker]

Christian Dior.


Once, many years ago, I was playing this song while driving a friend home; a friend whose presence had for some time started to wear thin on me.

He started laughing, saying how ridiculous the lyrics were. I pulled over to the side of the road, we were about a mile and a half from his house.

"Listen man, I think you can walk the rest of the way. Take care."

True story.

[stephsteph]

Pregnant for the last time! SOooooo wonderful.

[Anaesthesine]

It was. Dublin, 29th of July 2011. Here's how it went down, as posted on 'The Cissy Site' at the time :rolleyes: ~

It was a truly beautiful moment. You had a hunch something special was about to happen because Jesse strapped on that pretty red guitar that he uses for 'There Is A Light..', then Morrissey and his band all crowded together in a loose huddle around Matt's drumkit, there was a bit of discussion, Matt looked at Moz with a 'Right?' look, Moz took a swig of water, then gave a firm nod; and off we bloody well went. Clearly there must have been some doubt as to whether they would play it.

Despite the clueless dolts about me in the balcony, I yelped with glee when I heard the opening line, as did many others down below who realised the momentousness of the...moment. Well actually they roared. I yelped. Each to their own, etc.

I was literally biting my knuckles whlist grinning, if that's physically possible, in the manner of a sweet-stuffed chubby child, for the entirety of the rendition.
The band nursed it gently, like an 'unpriapic fawn' being born into this world, and Morrissey was clearly nervous, which was incredibly charming. Mere minutes before he'd delivered 'Scandinavia' in a version that was so perfect in it's dark and twisted potency, so breathtaking in it's phrasing, control and precision, so pure in intent and intent on purity, that to see him switch to another skewed ode to the joys and misery of love, memory {and geography}, and address it so differently was...sublime. There was a devoted fragility to the performance that could have been debut nerves, or it could have been Moz channeling the emotion that first inspired the lyric. Who can say? Not even the man himself I'd wager. I prefer to pick the latter option.

He made some self-deprecating comments after it, over the wild yawps and screams, along the lines of 'You can't mean that' etc, etc. but that's just Morrissey. What does he know?

I hope he does it again. And I hope he doesn't. Weird.

To see him tightly closehis eyes, open his loving mouth and sing "and here is the very last plea from my heart, my heart / forevermore " is one of those heghtened memories I'll have forever...more

...we knew, we just knew...:bow:



Holy smokes! I've got chills...


Hey, it's not my list - it's the fans'!
As for Nobody Loves Us, it's consistently voted as a favourite. In the big poll that I took the list from, it's in the top 20 (of nearly 200 Morrissey songs).
The problem is that it was only a b-side. Had it been a single, it would be getting played on radio stations and at indie discos across the land to this day!

Precisely. It should be ubiquitous, like "Mack the Knife" or "Le Chant D'Amour." A classic.

[joe frady]

Christian Dior.


Once, many years ago, I was playing this song while driving a friend home; a friend whose presence had for some time started to wear thin on me.

He started laughing, saying how ridiculous the lyrics were. I pulled over to the side of the road, we were about a mile and a half from his house.

"Listen man, I think you can walk the rest of the way. Take care."

True story.

Seems fair enough. People have to be taught beauty. He's lucky you didn't reverse over him, 'accidentally'...

[neverdream]

Pretty much everything on Years Of Refusal and You Are The Quarry.
Much better then The Smiths.

[Skylarker]

Pretty much everything on Years Of Refusal and You Are The Quarry.
Much better then The Smiths.

Mozzer...is that you?!

[neverdream]

Mozzer...is that you?!
The World is full of crashing bores, I have Forgiven Jesus, I not Sorry, How can anybody know how I feel, and every song on Years of Refusal just flows into a master work.
Not the music but Morrissey just keeps getting better with age.

[Orson Swells]

Hey, it's not my list - it's the fans'!
As for Nobody Loves Us, it's consistently voted as a favourite. In the big poll that I took the list from, it's in the top 20 (of nearly 200 Morrissey songs).
The problem is that it was only a b-side. Had it been a single, it would be getting played on radio stations and at indie discos across the land to this day!

I agree. There are a number of Morrissey songs that I'm sure would be standards (or on their way to being) had they been released as singles. Since Everyday Is LIke Sunday, he seems reluctant to release the more mid-tempo or ballard-inclined numbers. I'm thinking of:

I've Changed My Plea To Guilty
Nobody Loves Us
Lost
Come Back To Camden
It's Not Your Birthday Anymore

Not underrated by many of the fans perhaps, but unknown and therefore overlooked by the public at large.

[nothappynotsad]

the loop
disappointed
IKIGHSD

[lindsey1151]

the loop
disappointed
IKIGHSD
What does IKIGHSD mean?

[nothappynotsad]

What does IKIGHSD mean?

I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday.

See how that works?

[goinghome]

Seems fair enough. People have to be taught beauty. He's lucky you didn't reverse over him, 'accidentally'...

Roll over, Cook and Moore :lbf:

[peptastic]

I agree. There are a number of Morrissey songs that I'm sure would be standards (or on their way to being) had they been released as singles. Since Everyday Is LIke Sunday, he seems reluctant to release the more mid-tempo or ballard-inclined numbers. I'm thinking of:

I've Changed My Plea To Guilty
Nobody Loves Us
Lost
Come Back To Camden
It's Not Your Birthday Anymore

Not underrated by many of the fans perhaps, but unknown and therefore overlooked by the public at large.

I hope I've changed my plea to guilty isn't overlooked. :)
It's a classic.

Sunny.
Black-Eyed Susan
Southpaw
Life is a Pigsty

[Ryan.]

Ammunition and Christian Dior, my favorite two Morrissey tracks.

[Orson Swells]

I hope I've changed my plea to guilty isn't overlooked. :)
It's a classic.

Not by the fans maybe. But I meant by the unwashed masses.

[Maurice E]

I agree. There are a number of Morrissey songs that I'm sure would be standards (or on their way to being) had they been released as singles. Since Everyday Is LIke Sunday, he seems reluctant to release the more mid-tempo or ballard-inclined numbers. I'm thinking of:
I've Changed My Plea To Guilty
Nobody Loves Us
Lost
Come Back To Camden
It's Not Your Birthday Anymore
Not underrated by many of the fans perhaps, but unknown and therefore overlooked by the public at large.

I've never really understood the appeal of Camden. I think the clunky lyrics and the synth strings really put me off - there may well be a great tune in there somewhere.
But, yes, Birthday really would be a standard (and one of very few Morrissey songs that genuinely deserve the term). It's so frustrating that on the few occasions when he co-writes an absolute blinder, it's just left to languish in obscurity. Similarly, When Last I Spoke To Carol would've been all over the radio. The music is so catchy that you don't even have to like Morrissey to enjoy listening to it.
Lost is indeed also up there - musically it's a beauty. The lyrics are not spectacular but they're good enough.
I don't think that he's necessarily reluctant to release mid-tempo songs, he's just not very good at realising what his best songs actually are, musically, at the time (e.g. the nonsense of releasing Roy's Keen as a single and then removing it completely from the Maladjusted re-release).

[DAVIE]

The Smiths

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Well I Wonder

Morrissey

The Bed That Took Fire/At Amber
There Speaks A True Friend
You Must Please Remember
Oh Phoney (piano)
Sweetie Pie
East West
Girl Least Likely To

[lindsey1151]

Good looking man about town.

[Ryan.]

The thing with You Must Please Remember is, it's only ever appeared on the Dagenham Dave single, and never on any future compilation of re-release.

Only song in the catalogued to be so tucked away like that...

[DAVIE]

The thing with You Must Please Remember is, it's only ever appeared on the Dagenham Dave single, and never on any future compilation of re-release.

Only song in the catalogued to be so tucked away like that...

I quite enjoy it myself. It's a good song :)

[billy scissors]

Good looking man about town.

Good choice.

Is It Really So Strange? Can't help but sing along to it.

[fabval]

Michael's Bones is rarely mentionned but I love it.

[Anonymous]

i know very well how i got my name

[Death Disco]

I think All The Lazy Dykes is quite underrated - I listen to it all the time. Also, How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel? (OLPSSTTI) is a firm favourite.

[billy scissors]

I think All The Lazy Dykes is quite underrated - I listen to it all the time. Also, How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel? (OLPSSTTI) is a firm favourite.

It annoys me when people do this

[Worm]

I love "Christian Dior" and his unforgettable version of "That's Entertainment". But I think the most underrated track is "Something Is Squeezing My Skull". Fans seem to like it, but I think it's among the very best songs he's ever recorded and it never seems to get its due. Should've been a worldwide smash #1.

[Death Disco]

It annoys me when people do this

Me too. That's why I did it. OLPSSTTI = Only Lazy People Shorten Song Titles To Initials. AICOW? (Am I clever or what?)


(No, I'm not, I'm an idiot ungrateful bloody lying sod!!!!)

[billy scissors]

Me too. That's why I did it. OLPSSTTI = Only Lazy People Shorten Song Titles To Initials. AICOW? (Am I clever or what?)


(No, I'm not, I'm an idiot ungrateful bloody lying sod!!!!)

Thought it was a song.Just couldn't be arsed to work it out.Speaking of AI COW,I'm a PMF.

[Death Disco]

Thought it was a song.Just couldn't be arsed to work it out.I'm a PMF.

Probably Masturbating Furiously?
Pissed Man Fumbling?
Pull My Finger?

[billy scissors]

Probably Masturbating Furiously?
Pissed Man Fumbling?
Pull My Finger?

'potty mouth fool'

[Death Disco]

'potty mouth fool'

Pretty Mouthy Fucker.

I'm off to watch Come Dine With Me on 4OD.

[Skylarker]

An album's worth of my favorite Morrissey obscurities would read/play as follows:

1. Tony The Pony
2. I Knew I Was Next
3. Fantastic Bird
4. I Am Hated For Loving
5. Let The Right One Slip In
6. Do Your Best And Don't Worry
7. He Cried
8. Teenage Dad On His Estate
9. You Were Good In Your Time
10. Oh Phoney (not the horrible 2010 version)
11. A Swallow On My Neck
12. Driving Your Girlfriend Home
13. Christian Dior

[DAVIE]

10. Oh Phoney (not the horrible 2010 version)

They took everything away from the brilliant song in the Bona Drag remaster. It was terrible. Why would they have took away the piano and the other instruments? It doesn't make sense...

[Orson Swells]

I've Changed My Plea To Guilty
Nobody Loves Us
Lost
Come Back To Camden
It's Not Your Birthday Anymore

Not underrated by many of the fans perhaps, but unknown and therefore overlooked by the public at large.

Apologies for replying to myself, but to this list I could actually add:

I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday
Jack The Ripper (live)
Now My Heart Is Full
Speedway
Trouble Loves Me
And, perhaps, Life's A Pigsty

There's almost a hidden, alternate line of classic Morrissey songs that the public just doesn't know. I do wonder how it different his career may have been (and how differently he may be perceived) had this side of him been better served in terms of single releases. I mean, Please Please Please... seems to only now be getting the recognition it deserves.

[123xyz]

I love "Christian Dior" and his unforgettable version of "That's Entertainment". But I think the most underrated track is "Something Is Squeezing My Skull". Fans seem to like it, but I think it's among the very best songs he's ever recorded and it never seems to get its due. Should've been a worldwide smash #1.



I don't disagree , Worm ( personally I love the cynicism of "... No true friends in modern life...") , but a worldwide smash ?

[Gentler Words]

Apologies for replying to myself, but to this list I could actually add:

I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday
Jack The Ripper (live)
Now My Heart Is Full
Speedway
Trouble Loves Me
And, perhaps, Life's A Pigsty

There's almost a hidden, alternate line of classic Morrissey songs that the public just doesn't know. I do wonder how it different his career may have been (and how differently he may be perceived) had this side of him been better served in terms of single releases. I mean, Please Please Please... seems to only now be getting the recognition it deserves.

Yeah, within his fans, those songs would all be ranked up with his very best. Actually, I'm pretty sure almost all would land in the top ten. So, it's hard to call them underrated. But, as you say, the general public doesn't really know them and that's a shame. They really are some of his greatest works.

[alabamy]

I suspect that the general public actually knows fewer songs than we imagine, so I guess that an "underrated" song means in fact any song that isn't currently performed live - so Jack the Ripper, for example, is now underrated (too bad), although it wasn't underrated some time ago. By the same criterion, Sheila... isn't underrated right now.
Beyond this, anyone of us can very quickly name a lot of songs with less exposure, either because they were B-sides, unreleased, weren't played live or were considered "dated" and so on. Out of laziness, I could very well use Skylarker's list too, with He Cried, Teenage Dad On His Estate, You Were Good In Your Time, or It's Not Your Birthday Anymore. But the actual list is always changing. Lately I fell in love with My Dearest Love and My Life Is a Succession... Are these ones underrated? I don't know.

[Skylarker]

Have - a - Go Merchant

[JJKelsall]

There are quite a few in the list of worst songs that I would rate among the best.

Heir Apparant, He Cried, Ambitious Outsiders and Sorrow Will Come to and End make Malajusted well worth it.

Tbe Draize Train is one of the best instrumentals that The Smiths did.

All the songs from Kill Uncle should not be here, as that is Morrissey's most laid back album, making it an easy, calming listen.

I always found At Amber and Pashernate Love great, and Sweetie Pie is a masterpiece.

Lastly, Death at Elbow is a fun, devilish tune that shows a great country side to the smiths, reminds me of Burn-Up, by Siouxsie Sioux.

[Pav1ova]

Lifeguard Sleeping,Girl Drowning;I Am Hated For Loving,Trouble Loves Me,The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores,Dear God Please Help Me,It's Not Your Birthday Anymore,I Like You,I'd Love To,When Last I Spoke To Carol,Michael's Bones,Jack The Ripper,Interlude (especially solo version)...I guess that's not all.

[chrisarclark]

of those given a rating below 7, not counting Smiths tracks and covers (cant believe some of the covers that are rated as low as they are), i'd say these are underrated to very underrated.

(192) 211 On The Streets I Ran (2006) 6,99
(201) 212 The Public Image (2004) 6,89
(190) 213 This Is Not Your Country (1997) 6,88
(197) 214 Christian Dior (2006) 6,87
(196) 215 Dial-A-Cliché (1988) 6,85
(198) 217 Roy’s Keen (1997) 6,84
(199) 219 At Amber (1990) 6,81
(200) 221 Dagenham Dave (1995) 6,80
(202) 224 Ammunition (1997) 6,69
(206) 225 Margaret On The Guillotine (1988) 6,69
(---) 227 You Were Good In Your Time (2009) 6,66
(207) 229 Mexico (2004) 6,64
(209) 232 Best Friend On The Payroll (1995) 6,60
(210) 236 Black Eyed Susan (1995) 6,52
(214) 237 America Is Not The World (2004) 6,50
(219) 242 Asian Rut (1991) 6,33
(217) 243 Ambitious Outsiders (1997) 6,30
(223) 246 All The Lazy Dykes (2004) 6,15
(221) 247 You’ve Had Her (1992) 6,11
(224) 248 Slum Mums (2004) 6,10
(225) 250 Tony The Pony (1991) 6,08
(228) 253 Found Found Found (1991) 5,82
(229) 254 The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye (1991) 5,77

"The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye" is likely his most underrated song of all-time- people juste don't get it.

of the last decade, "Slum Mums" and "All The Lazy Dykes" are his most underrated.

iabsolutely lov "Black-Eyed Susan"- can't fathom why it would be rated so poorly.

"The Public Image" is quite overlooked. so is "I Am Two People"

"You've Had Her" is a very special song for me- brilliant lyric.

"Dagenham Dave" and "Roy's Keen" are defintely his most underrated singles- great tracks.

most overrated song is likely "First Of The Gang To Die".

[Johnbetjeman]

Im amazed "You know I couldnt last" is hardly mentioned if at all. very very good song in my opinion.

[MOZtonMA]

At Amber/Bed Took Fire. My absolute favorite. Too bad he'll probably never give it another go live.

[MozAngeles818]

1) Found Found Found
2) Tony The Pony
3) Southpaw
4) Do Your Best And Dont Worry
5) My Dearest Love
6) To Me You Are a Work of Art
7) A Swallow On My Neck
8) Lost
9) There's a Place in Hell for Me and My Friends
10) Trouble Loves Me

These are just a couple I believe are underrated songs, imo.
I'm a fan that tends to sway away from the more commercial albums(Viva Hate, Bona Drag) etc. Primarily the early years.
I do love all his albums, but Maladjusted, Southpaw Grammar, Vauxhall and I stuck out for me way more than anything else.

[JJKelsall]

At Amber/Bed Took Fire. My absolute favorite. Too bad he'll probably never give it another go live.

I agree. Of all Morrissey's songs this is the one that I revisit the most often.

[Vicarinacoma]

Lucky lisp is one of my favs of the less well known Morrissey songs but then how do you decide what makes a song underrated/overlooked? Less than 1% of the world population probably own any Morrissey/Smiths product which says a lot but then to actual Morrissey fans there's probably less than 1%, if any, of his songs that they haven't heard or own so then none of them are overlooked.

[Thesmithsmorrissey]

'Yes, I am Blind', FTW