excellent lol

Not everyone gets Morrissey. I come across people all too often who share this same opinion Mr Nigel Havers shares.

Misses the point . . . seems unable to grasp concepts, instead focuses on single words. Hence not finding what it is all about . .

Go away now, old man

But found him interesting
he doesn't gave a clue (and admits it)
and yet..does make a few points

okay that was hysterical.. I love the bit at the end with them twirling the flowers!

I admit I didn't care much for the Smiths at first either- but they sure grew on me suddenly back in the 80's!

cheers,

Jay

The episode is repeated at 9.30 tonight on BBC 4, if anybody wants to see it. :)

i love this.

This was really funny! I don´t know Nigel Havers, but his dry way of looking at Morrissey´s lyrics & his complete lack of understanding the underlying depression & angst made me laugh so much - I could certainly do with some of that practicality & aloofness!

Their interpretation of "This Charming Man" was a bit confusing to me though...he´s passing a bycicle that´s lying around somewhere? I always imagined that it is Morrissey´s bicycle that´s punctured & this is why he needs a lift - no?

The show seems quite enjoyable in general, it has an interesting concept & I´d like to watch it sometimes if I had the necessary technical devices to receive it.

the way i see it is, the punctured bicycle is the person on the hillside wondering will nature make a man of me....completely deflated, depressed, and isolated in life. Hence the image of a broken down bicycle on a hillside.
Excellent use of a metaphor.

That was the most awesome thing I've ever seen.

Who was the host?

"What's he got to be depressed about?"....

I hate when people say things like that...
 

This is the guy from "Chariots of Fire." Love him!

He's so right - the words to Smiths songs are a little weird and kinda don't make sense, but gosh, when Morrissey sings them, it changes things a bit.

Nigel's a hoot!

That was great. It makes me want to see other episodes of the show too - cute idea.

That was adorable. And when the host was channeling Morrissey, he sounded like Ernie from Sesame Street. And, yes, when Morrissey sings, it's much more compelling (though I quite like Ernie).

Watching that made me feel rather violent towards the host, Nigel Havers doesnt like them, fair enough, different generation, but as for the host, who is clearly a fan, but takes the piss, Mocking his voice and reducing the work of the smiths into a laughing stock, well Id like to smash his head open and scoop out his brains with a teaspoon. Harsh, but fair.

I thought Nigel Havers came across as an utterly charming man himself! It appears that he really threw himself into the spirit of the show and, let's face it, he ended up giving The Smiths 7/10! :-)

There was nothing more than gentle ribbing given in the show and I absolutely loved his way of reading out the lyrics and then looking blankly at the audience in order to get a laugh. Let's not forget that Nigel Havers is an actor - he knows how to 'work a crowd'!

I thought it was brilliant and totally disagee with the other poster below who thought that Marcus Brigstock reduced Morrisey's lyrics to a laughing stock - the affection he held for The Smiths and Moz was plain to see.

And I, too, will be seeking out other episodes of the show!

Klang!

That interviewer is a total nob...he is supposedly a comedian? On which planet I have no idea...
Nigel is a very charming man (apart from the meat), if a little too smooth...

I've never heard as much rubbish in my life.

I mean, it is usually a silly thing to try to 'explain' lyrics, or treat them as they're poetry. Lyrics aren't supposed to be taken out of the context of the performance, and the music.

I'm not a big fan of Brigstocke, but I'm quite warming to him now I know he's a Moz fan.

How hard is it to get this song.

Hes walking his bike on a hillside because the tire is punctured. He's depressed and alone, a man in a car comes by and gives him a lift. He's attracted to the man and it's so gruesome someone so handsome should care.

He would go out but he really doesn't have nice clothes or bothered to buy clothes to go out. He's just a pantry boy.

No Bob Dylan? I love Dylan but most of his lyrics are gibberish.

Everyone can have their own opinion, but it's just funny how this guy is SOOOOO Pretensious. He does'nt relate because most likely he grew up rich without the same type of problems that we who undersand The Smiths did. It's fair that he does not like them, but it's horrible for him to act like this music is foolish.

I find this an utterly weird -- but compelling -- concept for a television program. I am of course devastated that this person I've never heard of doesn't "get" the lyrics to my favorite song -- (nor does the presenter, it seems).

But I liked the fact that they let each other ramble on and each seemed open to the other person, I suppose. Nice to see polite people on television.

But it's actually really distressing that seemingly educated people -- British upper class people no less -- demonstrate little ability to interpret lyrics/poetry. Have you not taken poetry class in high school?

By the way:

Punctured Bicyle on a Hillside, Desolate

Lovely, sparse imagery--alone worth the price of admission to the rest of the song.