Morrissey's Voice

[Andy-Mats]

Is it just me or has Morrissey's voice improved with age? I think it's much more full and complete since those Smith's days.

[Lifeguard Sleeping]

> Is it just me or has Morrissey's voice improved with age? I¿ think it's much more full and complete since those Smith's days.

This came up a while back. In my opinion, I prefer his voice as it sounded during the Smiths' prime. To me, his voice (I guess from Vauxhall, on) sounds a bit too nasally and breathy. It sort of bothers me to hear him sing some of the older songs, and not quite being able to reach some of the high notes, though obviously, it's a natural part of growing older. However, some songs, particularly "Sunny," sound wonderful with his current voice. I mean, ALL his vocals are quite good, regardless of their lack of range.

[Jason G.]

I prefer his voice from Arsenal onward. I think the combination of his voice deepening and the content of his later songs is wonderful. His work with The Smiths sounded much more urgent though...like, Listen to me now!. Try playing This Charming Man next to Now My Heart Is Full for a nice contrast.

jason
oxoxo

p.s. then you have oddballs like Lifeguard Sleeping...(the song!), which is a nice surprise

[Lifeguard Sleeping]

> I prefer his voice from Arsenal onward. I think the combination¿ of his voice deepening and the content of his later songs is¿ wonderful. His work with The Smiths sounded much more urgent¿ though...like, Listen to me now!. Try playing This Charming Man¿ next to Now My Heart Is Full for a nice contrast.

I'm in full agreement with you, Jason (well, on all but the fact that you prefer his Arsenal-on voice!).¿ p.s. then you have oddballs like Lifeguard Sleeping...

That's me!¿(the song!)

D'oh!¿which is a nice surprise

How's THIS for oddball: I don't even particularly CARE for that song!

[hyperliterate robot from the centre of the earth]

'What difference does it make' has the most horrible falsetto bit I've ever heard. By the time Viva Hate came around his voice was much stronger and more controlled and more, ah, elegant. It all sounds good, though. He has always been a *GREAT and GIFTED SINGER*. Morrissey is just so great and gifted in so many ways, he makes everyone else look weak and cheap. He makes ME feel weak and cheap.

He's never had VOICE LESSONS has he? Of course, nobody wants to answer that question. It's way too confusing.¿ I prefer his voice from Arsenal onward. I think the combination¿ of his voice deepening and the content of his later songs is¿ wonderful. His work with The Smiths sounded much more urgent¿ though...like, Listen to me now!. Try playing This Charming Man¿ next to Now My Heart Is Full for a nice contrast.¿ jason¿ oxoxo¿ p.s. then you have oddballs like Lifeguard Sleeping...(the¿ song!), which is a nice surprise

[iamawas]

All I want is to hear him do "Miserable lie" on tour so I can see how he would pull it off....I bet he would alter the song somehow so he could........

[glamlisp]

> All I want is to hear him do "Miserable lie" on tour¿ so I can see how he would pull it off....I bet he would alter¿ the song somehow so he could........

I definitely prefer his Smiths era voice , especially in songs like
"Pretty Girls Make Graves", "Suffer Little Children","The Boy With
The Thorn In His Side".

[Andy-Mats]

In my opinion...I think Moz can still hit the high notes (Smith's Era Songs), but he's now learned to broaden his range. Just think of "East/West." He's gone from more of an urgant, shake up the world immage--good point from Jason G--to more of a crooning boxer. Singing in falsetto just isn't how a tough guy sings--could you imagine "Boy Racer" any other way.

Shelve the high notes, plum the depths...now he's got everything we ever wanted.

Any-Mats

[Fabricio]

> Is it just me or has Morrissey's voice improved with age? I¿ think it's much more full and complete since those Smith's days.

i agree with you. i think he never sang so well as now. he said it so.

[Jason G.]

Moz has never been known for a huge range, but I agree that he has more of one now. He can bring a world-weariness to Boxers that he couldn't have 10 years ago. But would the earliest Smiths recordings be...dare I say...embarassing to hear him sing now? I don't know.

jason
xoxox

p.s. Boy Racer is a great example! It's the love/envy of the old(er) toward the young and beautiful -- "...and I'm gonna kill him."

[noam]

well, i`d just have to say that in the times of the smiths he could have sung falsetto or in a more frank sinatra way, like nowadays, but he chose the more challenging way. when he broke in the solo career, he just stopped all the wonderful la-de-da`s like in bigmouth or barbarism, not of choise, but because he couldn`t do it anymore.
he`s also been singing more slowly now. maybe "satan" is as fast as, well, most smiths songs.

[mynci]

You know, it's quite normal for people's voices to get deeper as they get older. It happens to just about everyone. In the classical world, a soprano might decide to go mezzo as she gets older, or a mezzo might switch to alto. Me, I like a nice, deep voice.¿ Moz has never been known for a huge range, but I agree that he¿ has more of one now. He can bring a world-weariness to Boxers¿ that he couldn't have 10 years ago. But would the earliest¿ Smiths recordings be...dare I say...embarassing to hear him sing¿ now? I don't know.¿ jason¿ xoxox¿ p.s. Boy Racer is a great example! It's the love/envy of the¿ old(er) toward the young and beautiful -- "...and I'm gonna¿ kill him."

[der smoot]

> he`s also been singing more slowly now. maybe "satan"¿ is as fast as, well, most smiths songs.

Some of the Smiths songs are TOO fast. I remember really liking 'Ask' but when I listened to it again it practically gave me whiplash. I mean, slow down, Johnny ...

[hnia]

> Is it just me or has Morrissey's voice improved with age? I¿ think it's much more full and complete since those Smith's days.

No it's hard to describe the changes that have occurred in Morrissey's voice, I guess I'm a standing on both sides of the fence on this one. The Smiths were a very exciting band! They had so many
things to communicate. But then, with Viva Hate, Moz picked up where he left off, but earned new "points" with songs like, "Angel." I thought he sounded great on the Maladjusted tour. No complaints live from me. In fact, listening to "Rank" I believe Moz vocals sounded a little flat and bored. I would love to see Moz perform the old numbers but I doubt that he ever could capture the essence of the old-songs live. Nor, could he go back into the studio and produce the same notes and generate the same enthusiasm 15 years later. I have to say that the Kill Unkle tour had to be his best singing. Actually I saw Moz inbetween tours in NY. When "My love life" was first released just beforer he cancelled that tour. And he sounded amazing, so perhaps Moz peaked somewhere in the 90's. Frankly, I thought some of Maladjusted's singing was lacking a little spark, but he still gave some interesting numbers like "Sorrow will come," and "Satan rejected" --just in case we forgot that this is morrissey!!
E

[Courtney]

I think I'm the only one who has this opinion, but, I like his voice best on the whole album "Maladjusted" and that being one of his newest albums, it makes me look like a Moz fan newbie. But I'm not...! Also, I have plenty of Smiths and Morrissey CDs to hear how his voice changed, I guess I just like the deep voice. =)

His voice has -always- been wonderful though! Oh yes, I also adore his voice on the song "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful"...

~Courtney

PS Not all people like his voice, my friends hates his voice, and the qualities that make it so unique, they say he whines to much or something...also they make fun of his singing style, you know, the way he sings out his words sometimes, all of you know I can hardly speak correctly right now I'm so tired. But um, I was wondering if any of you guys have friends, or family, who just hate his voice?? I'm curious...and bored...

[noam]

well courtney, i am bored too...trying to convince people is not easy. most of my friends, even best friends, are just laughing about his style. i am now trying to make my best friend love the smiths more, but just likes specific songs like bigmouth, how soon is now, last night i dreamt, and yes, interlude. he heard suedehead on vh1, said its ok, but then started imitating "i`m so sorry" with this opera twitch in his voice...

[hnia]

> well courtney, i am bored too...trying to convince people is not¿ easy. most of my friends, even best friends, are just laughing¿ about his style. i am now trying to make my best friend love the¿ smiths more, but just likes specific songs like bigmouth, how¿ soon is now, last night i dreamt, and yes, interlude. he heard¿ suedehead on vh1, said its ok, but then started imitating¿ "i`m so sorry" with this opera twitch in his voice...

Yea, I guess most of my "friends" have expressed that same opinion about Moz, but their not sensitive about his emotions. I think he is fairly honest in his songs and to certain people that is hard to hear. In his opinion "it's so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle in kind" You know? Some of my friends are just not into hearing "sad" songs. and that's ok. There will always be a core following of Morrissey. We are his true fans. Courtney, yes I do like his voice on Maladjusted, but there is a formulaic quality to some of the songs, in my opinion. Glad you like it.
HNIA

[Courtney]

> Yea, I guess most of my "friends" have expressed that¿ same opinion about Moz, but their not sensitive about his¿ emotions. I think he is fairly honest in his songs and to¿ certain people that is hard to hear. In his opinion "it's¿ so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate, it takes guts to be¿ gentle in kind" You know? Some of my friends are just not¿ into hearing "sad" songs. and that's ok. There will¿ always be a core following of Morrissey. We are his true fans.¿ Courtney, yes I do like his voice on Maladjusted, but there is a¿ formulaic quality to some of the songs, in my opinion. Glad you¿ like it.¿ HNIA

That's what I think. My friends really don't understand his lyrics, all they really go for is the fashion, I think, they really don't care for lyrics.

Oh and Noam! two of my friends, whenever they can, they say a key word in their sentence with that "opera twitch" thing, it's very annoying and not funny. (It was for the first three times, but they over due it)

Hey but they can all make fun of Mozzer! Because I'm quite proud of listening to real tlaent other than that teen-pop that my age is "supposed" to listen to. =P

~Courtney

[hyperliterate robot from the centre of the earth]

> He's never had VOICE LESSONS has he? Of course, nobody wants to¿ answer that question. It's way too confusing.

I assume the answer is NO? Why don't you TELL me if that's the answer? You uncooperative, incurious, unintelligent, incognito jerks!
Morrissey has a very lurvely voice for somebody with no training. Of course, nobody else thinks so. You think ... oh you!

[Neil H. Enet]

Someone said that "What Difference Does It make?" has the worst falsetto ever, I think Miserable Lie is even worse!!!! Moz sings better now, he sings calmer and he seems more confortable with his voice now. I've always preferred Moz now than the Smiths. Oh heaven, KILL ME!!!!!!!!