Who Knows? Maybe Mike Joyce wrote it. Perhaps that was another reason why he hated The
Mozzer so much.

The only people that know are the ones that were in the studio at the time. Does what a load of uninformed fans think count?

i heard it was michael bolton

"I write the songs that make.... Mozzer sing..." it had to be Barry-LOL. Really, I think it was Street. Had it not, or had it been both, it would have been through the courts by now.
Regardless, 'Viva Hate' is a great, under rated album. If it was not for the success of 'Viva hate' Moz may not have had as long of a solo run as he would has had.
Also, many people forget that a lot of the lyrics of this cd were going to be the lyrics for Smiths songs had the band stayed together. In fact, the success of 'Viva Hate' is part of what kept the Smiths broke up for good. Had that album not been good Morrissey would have been forced to crawl back to Marr to work something out.
Anyway, it's one of his best 4 albums. The other three are YA, V & I, and Quarry.

thetexasbloke

a bit of clarification: the suzanne who came up with this poll idea is not the sweet and lovable suzanne who is writing this post.

i honestly don't ponder over who made Viva Hate what it was. it's an album i occasionally listen to and one that i believe should lie in the shadows behind Bona Drag and Vauxhall and I.

as a matter of fact, i don't even know this other suzanne, so i can't even vouch for them.

hmm.

Anyone that has listened to much of The Durutti Column will have to recognize the significant contributions of Vini Reilly on Viva Hate. Perhaps Stephen Street had some basic outlines for some of the music, and most likely had a large amount of input on the arrangements of instruments other than the guitar. Vini himself states that Stephen wrote the entirety of Suedehead, but the rest of the tracks from the guitar standpoint are clearly the work of Mr. Reilly. Why would he not defend his work? Vini is not one to care about what anyone else wants to think of him, nor has he sought fame or fortune. Indeed he was tired of having to work within the constraints of pop music and Morrissey's no doubt demanding nature. After refusing to work on a follow up project, it's not hard imagining Morrissey snubbing Vini on the credits (Moz holding grudges, whaa???), or Vini's nonchalance and quickness to return to his own music.

That having been said, it was such a nice collaboration it's really a shame that they will in all likelihood never work together again. I can hear a bit of Vini in Johnny's guitar work, and being a slightly older peer already established in the Manchester music scene I can't imagine Marr not having taken note of him.

If anyone has ever watched that ghastly Jewel In The Crown video, you know that this is the topic that is debated to death between the two of them, and they both seem like tedious blubber heads as far as I am concerned. I couldn't even watch the whole thing (on youtube as I can't imagine anyone paying money for this) without Stephen Street making me want to rip my hair out!

Stephen Street often gets too much credit whenever Viva Hate gets discussed.

Sure, he's credited with the songwriting, but how can we forget Vini Reilly, one of the greatest guitarists Morrissey's ever worked with (second to Johnny, in my opinion) at the time?

Aside from the songwriting controversy (which I do think Reilly had some 'uncredited' involvement; look at "Dial-A-Cliche" and "Late Night Maudlin Street" for example), Viva Hate is a brilliant record.

The Street collaboration started a downside after Reilly's departure; just look at the following two singles and b-sides (all of which are indeed great work, but the spark had been lost, despite the ex-Smiths coming back into the picture).

People may throw rocks at me here, but I've always thought this album to be overrated. It's not bad, and it certainly does have its shining moments, but too much of it is forgettable, as the music is frankly subpar.

That being said, they probably both contributed to the writing, though I suspect Street had the heavier hand.

Side note: "I Don't Mind If You Forget Me" is woefully underrated!

My opinion...Johnny Marr wrote the bass lines for most of it and Stephen Street and Vini wrote the rest. I have thought this for many years as this was ultimately, lyrically, for Morrissey, supposed to be the next Smiths album. I figure Mr. Marr got part way through and gave Moz and or Stephen the sheet music of bass lines and told them to stick it. They just sound too much like Johnny's bass lines. My opinion.

i never heard the Durutti Column till now, but indeed Vini Reilly create this bizzare guitar approachment in Viva Hate album, really different with Marr style. and that's why Moz first solo album can survive from the post-smiths too much expectations. it has it charming aura, just like Marr guitar songs, but in another way. and stephen street, off course, he knew what kind of music platform for Moz solo carreer, he's a darn good producer, also responsible for the release of some famous britpop bands in 90's. he's like a Jerry Finn prototype in 90's. so, combine Street and Reilly is like how Jerry Finn and Alain Whyte succesfully make Moz comeback with FOTGTD, landed safely in every airport landing pads around our heart.

brilliat.

It's got to be Vini.

Moz: "So, if I let your crazy cousin come to all my gigs, speak to her through the mic and generally make her feel special... you'll write this music AND let me keep all the dosh? Sound."

I saw the jewel in the crown documentary yesterday. Considering how hard it can be even today, after all the technichal developments that have happened since 1987, to play string samples on a keyboard and make it sound like a real string orchestra, I wonder if Vini really could have played the strings on Angel the way he said he did and make it sound so good.

If you WATCH that guy speak...I mean...I would not let my kids within twenty feet of that guy. He looks odd (not in a good way), ill, mealy mouthed, and exactly like the kind of person you would expect to be making such claims.

Street makes many good points in the documentary.
For instance, if Reilly wrote the music, why did Morrissey keep writing with Street? Also, no one doubts Reilly's claim that he embellished and enhanced Street's chords. But that is NOT the same as saying he wrote them. We don't say Boz and Jesse wrote Shoplifters, but they play it markedly differently.

Moz did the Viva Hate sleeve and credited Street as his co-author, not Reilly. If we can't trust Morrissey himself, what's the point of this debate?

Secondly, Reilly played on the Sunday single and I doubt he would have done this if he had been jilted out of credits for writing the preceding album.

Durutti Column is interesting but it is NOT (not does it try to be) pop music, or rock music, or anything that would fit with Morrissey. It is doubtful he could have produced the immediacy and catchiness of Viva Hate. That's not his bag. Which is fine, but he shouldn't try to steal Street's thunder.

Street seems much more credible to me if you watch the "debate" on the documentary. Reilly just sits there and mumbles and sneers. The guy is fucking creepy.

And he's one of those pretentious twats that thinks if art isn't highbrow, it's crap...he calls the basic guitar chords of Street's demos "crass" and "like folk music."

As folk music is still being played and celebrated hundreds of years on, I'd say this is not a bad thing. The simple stuff is the best.

What do you want, Emerson Lake and Palmer?

The 148 people who have said they think Vini Reilly wrote the music need thier heads testing. I mean seriously, the guy sits there waffling on about "folk" chord progressions looking like something off Scooby Doo. He's a fucking clown.

Um Hi..Viva Hate is the worst album.
MOST of the songs are shitty.

...but some of the songs do have a bit of a durutti column vibe to them as far as these ears can hear at least, particularily "he knows i'd love to see him".

There have been some interesting comments about the Jewel in the Crown documentary here, which I had not previously watched. I had to see for myself and am about halfway through it now. I actually think it is great! Morrissey's early solo career has always been very mysterious to me(I became a fan in the 1990s) and I find the video very informative. The notion that there was very nearly a Morrissey/Gannon album - incredible! And to see Nevin, Street, Langer, etc. speak...people who had previously been very anonymous to me...also very interesting. Also a lot of insight here into how Morrissey works and writes. All in all, a very good documentary, I'd say.

If you watch the documentary, you will hear Reilly contradict himself. First he claims he specifically asked NOT to be credited on the LP, THEN he complains that he never got due recognition for his (alleged) compositional input. Reilly's musical contribution to 'Viva Hate' cannot be underestimated, but in terms of the songwriting it really is cut and dry. Just ask the publishers.

Jesse Tobias wasn't around back then.

There seems to be a huge amount of confusion here about Viva Hate so I will try to shine some light on the situation. If the question is who "wrote" the songs, then the answer is Stephen Street. Writing credits are dished out to the people who come up with the chords, not the people who add signature sounds or ripping lead parts.
If the question is who "contributed" to the album then the answer is both men. Reilly is far better on guitar than Street and so he probably did have a massive influence on the sound, i'm not denying that but Street composed the chord progressions. Lets move on now eh

... as someone who wasn't there and has no way of really having any idea, who really wrote the music to Viva Hate?"

idontknow and idontcare, but it would be nice to hear something of that quality and tranquility come again from Morrissey.