As his first solo album, I always wonder what the members of The Smiths thought of the title and if they saw it as directed at them.

It goes very well with "Nineteen Eighty Hate"

Viva Hate -- just say it and think about it. Long live hate. The title just emits anger and snideness, despite its ironic intent. It's easily the most badass and attitude-filled title of his solo career. The rest of his titles are personal (Vauxhall and I) or a bit silly (even if Your Arsenal is a funny pun), although You Are the Quarry comes a close second in my book.

I remember I had just started dating this girl around the time the album came out. She was trying to tell me about this great "new singer" she was into who did this "Sorry" song. I wasn't making the connection. I got in her car a couple of nights later and she was so excited. She'd gone to Tower and a shop assistant helped her find the album she was looking for - She held it up and said - "It's Morrissey, Viva Haatay".
I laughed so hard she dumped me.
And I still, to this day, can't get that pronounciation out of my head!

-The Treading Lemming

"there was love on the floor so I said Viva Haatay"

'Ringleader Of The Tormentors' is the worst. In fact, it's almost comic. 'Maladjusted' had a better title even!

Still - Tony Visconti - VERY promising!

The title sounds like most of us fans.

I loved this title. The album is not too shabby either.
Great cover art.

Verry Punny.

Because it's a pun on the title of my favourite film 'Withnail & I'.

Live At Earl's Court. Inspired title. Wildean wit, sensitive poetic intelligence, caustic social observation. It's all there.

Well it's better than Ringleader of the Tormentors, which sounds like a forgotten Dr. Who episode.

I voted for this title because it combines two types of imagery-

It combines the image of pugilistics (boxing) with that of academia/literary studies (grammar).

Now I am stretching this, but fans of the TV series M*A*S*H will liken this imagery to that of the character, Father Mulcahy.

Father Mulcahy was a Roman Catholic priest (and boxer) of Irish descent.

Call me silly.

Sincerely,

Ken Stavitzke

to separate the title from the album, isn't it? I've never considered what title I liked best- I went for 'my early burglary years'- it almost rhymes.

Morrissey, March 1988, about the title:
"It simply suggested itself and had to be. It was absolutely how I felt post-Smiths and the way I continue to feel. That's just the way the world is. I find hate omnipresent and love very difficult to find. Hate makes the world go round."

it's difficult for me choose in the sense that ido lov them all (save 'Earl's Court' and 'Ringleader' which needs some warming to and some context- irealize we're suppose to leave the context- or at least musical context- behind, but thats impossible), but 'Viva Hate' has to be the standalone best. its simply such a direct and stark message, similar to 'Meat Is Murder' or 'The Queen Is Dead'- its really the only solo album title that has the kind of standalone quality of The Smiths' titles.

ido lov 'Your Arsenal' though for all the interpretations and connotations that can be drawn from it- wonderfully suiting.

Viva Hate has to be the best as it is so angry and such a direct statement. I always really loved the title Strangeways Here We Come, as it makes me laugh and it probably describes the end of the Smiths very well. I also like the sound of Kill Uncle, but I have no idea what it means, can anyone explain it?

Does anyone know what this title means?

swung it for me. Just a typically withering, witty phrase you expect from Morrissey. Having said that, Viva Hate is excellent: direct, to the point and, of course, angry.

Does no-one else think "Kill Uncle" is the most un-Moz like title of all the album titles? I'm not slating it, but it just doesn't seem to mean anything or relate to anything. Or am I wrong?

Jessica xx

"Education in Reverse" was nice as well...should have used it for a later record.

Maladjusted I shall defend!!!

Your Arsenal. Just has to be the pinnacle of satire.

Vauxhall & I is the most personal, it really suits the album. I really do like Viva Hate, Bona Drag, Kill Uncle, who else could these albums be?

Its got to be this one for best title. What on earth could he be alluding to? :-)

And personally I like Ringleader of The Tormentors, although Ring Your Minger would give it more of a contemporary feel

And the best LP title including The Smiths stuff???

The World Won't Listen or Strangeways Here We Come.

ooh hes put a cat amongst the pigeons there

BLUEBIRDS

The greatest triple entendre ever in an album title (whether moz or otherwise)

Is the album intended to be your arsenal (a cache of weapons with which to attack your enemies)

Or, is the album intended to be a timeless classic like one of the most glorious English football teams.

Or, is it meant to be a play on words on the arsehole?

No one knows, that 's what makes it the most fun title. Ranks up among the best with the Butthole Surfers' "Hairway to Steven"

You don't have to agree but you should accept the fact that "Your Arsenal" is the best album title. It fits very well in the mouth and it is very "shoutable". Just ask Alain Whyte if you don't believe me.

I was working at Strawberries Records and Tapes in Massachusetts at the beginning of 1988, and appointed head manager at the tale end of Winter. I remember how excited I got when I had to do my first ordering of the new releases from the record companies. I calling up one of the reps that worked for Sire and explained to them that "I wanted to put up a BIG display for the store to promote the Morrissey album". Sure enough when the Post Office truck came a few days after, I was like a kid in a candy store. They sent me Viva posters, double-sided album flats and also two VH-Viva Morrissey flags. I did make a nice store display that everyone saw as they first came in the front door. But I also made another nice Viva display in my room when I got home. I remember wearing that shirt that had the album cover on the front and just "Viva Hate" on the back, and feeling so proud that I was a Moz/Smiths fan. I also wanted everyone else to know it as well! That album is still my favorite and whenever I hear it or even seeing that album or CD cover, it reminds me of the music store days in the spring of 1988. The best job I never worked at.

It's hard to extricate the titles from the music, but for me it was a draw between Viva Hate, which is just iconic and bold, and Southpaw Grammar. Vauxhall & I is wonderful, too, but only because we know it's Morrisey -- it's very personal. Viva Hate would be a great title for any band to come up with (they can dream on).

I went with Southpaw Grammar, which I've always see as referring to someone whose language is their fists. It seems to depict Morrissey himself, who came out of the gate fast and furious with this album, as well as his ex-friend (and lover, if you believe that), who was a pugilist.

I also chose Southpaw because I knew less people would.

I voted for Viva Hate, but yet I'm intruiged by all the differing views of what "Southpaw Grammar" might be referring to. I'd always assumed that Southpaw Grammar made reference to "The school of hard knocks" - which in itself is a way of describing the ways in which we learn to face the troubles we all have in our everyday lives. (Unemployment, crime, loss of loved ones etc).

I've heard uneducated, yet clever people, stereotypically state this very phrase when asked what school they went to.

"Me, mate? I went to the school of hard knocks!"

I just feel that Morrissey gave the school a name - Southpaw Grammar.

TT

but who on earth voted for "other?" And what were they thinking of?

The best title has to be the new one.

Second, Viva Hate

Third, Beethoven Was Deaf.

broken

A reverse Sandie Shaw reference. She had a hit with 'Long Live Love'

Not an album, but the wittiest name.

can someone explain who scores the comments and what the score mean? thanks.

Very fond of this title and its many puns connected. I love the cover pictures too.
Nearly went for Maladjusted.(never to be trusted)

I was lucky to pick up 2 Morrissey promotional Morrissey/Kill Uncle turtle neck long sleeve jerseys right after the album was released in 1991. That shirt gets the best reactions out of people. My favorite line is "do you want to kill your uncle?" These are beautiful looking long sleeve turtle necks with Morrissey ambroided on the sleeve in silver and Kill Uncle embroided in gold over the front pocket. It is certain that none of the other titles except for 'Viva Hate' would even produce a second glance. Only Morrissey could think up such a great titles in his songs and album covers.

It doesn't get any better than that.

 

the combination of morrissey holding the mike phallic wise & the threatening lettering of "your ARSEnal" is awesome & ambiguous as ever: is he shouting abuse or speaking palare or mentioning- once again- a specific borough of london...?

    I dunno

      Davey from Paris

First off, favorite album title is My Early Burglary Years (a collection that I think is underrated), closely followed by Vauxhall and I (a title which, I have read, is a reference to both Withnail and I and the area in London where Jake lived).
Related to both Jake and My Early Burglary Years, has anyone noticed the amount of lyrics missing or changed in the My Early Burglary Years booklet. Most significantly, in my humble opinion, is the omission of the chorus of Swallow on My Neck (the "until he drew a swallow on my neck..."). I wonder if this omission was intentional or just further evidence of Morrissey's lack of involvement in the release. If it was intentional, one wonders why? could it be he was embarrassed by the romantic, sentimental nature of those lyrics once the relationship faltered. Perhaps I am overanalyzing, but I do find it very interesting. I would like to hear other people's thoughts

This is probably the best poll we've had in a while.

Hey, "Viva Hate" is tattooed on my upper left arm, so of course it's my favorite.

Anais

Not to take from any other album, but SPG is what is lifting me now.

I really love Friday Mourning & Mozs cover of Redondo Beach from LAEC, but SPG is perfect.

VV8 is just awesome. And Ringleader... is just very good as second best title ever.

CantorPistola

very simple and moving
also I'm a boxing fan, it's very violent, yes, but I do quite like it.

the second is Southpaw Grammar

I like this title best. I associate rolling R's and L's with Morrissey and his melancholic voice. That's why I've never liked him being called Mozzer. Z's are just too aggresive to suit Morrissey. As in Pazzaz!

firstodie

What a deliciously fruity title this is. Redolent of the underground soho London of the 1950s. (The illegal 'gay' underground anyway.)

This title has it all. It's part secret, part high camp, part joke, and part sex.

Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joe Orton, and so many more.

This isn't just the best looking Morrissey title. It's the best smelling Morrissey title. A gamey masterpiece of words.

It makes the others looks, simplistic, obvious and laboured. (well not entirely 'southpaw Grammar' has got a satisfying complexity too.)

Isn't it dreadful? More utterly humourless, self-destructive bitterness.

Lovely succinct title.... and also practical advice for any Australians or Kiwi's planning to reside in London

Yeah.. well nominated Tom.
My vote easily goes for Vauxhall&I, I like 'YOuR A****l' too, but as you realise I cannot even say the word.. or even wear red for that matter!

The compilations are good too.. but, let's face it, they're not REAL albums are they. B-sides and stuff.

Quarry was a slow burner for me, and now, it's an occasional good listen.

None of it is nothing compared to SMITHS work though is it!

Ruffian

?

no patience.