welllll, of course that song hasn't really been controversial for a long time, I don't think. I do think that there is some middle ground though. Some people in the press tend to take Morrissey's words and make them have a different meaning than he probably intended, and other people, mostly fans, tend to turn a blind eye to some of the things he has said repeatedly that actually are slightly controversial.
Obviously Morrissey does not support the
British National Front but when he coincidentally arrives at some of the same conclusions they do, a casual observer might wonder.
So let's say that in National Front Disco the line "England for the English" is spoken by a character, or represents a character's thoughts.
"there's a country / you don't live there / but one day you would like to / and if you show them what you're made of /"
in my opinion, has two meanings. One, it's talking to all the people from somewhere else that would like to come to England, who, if they have what it takes, "show them what you're made of", may successfully join the society.
The other meaning is that it reflects the thoughts of the same character who believes in "England for the English". This person would also like to live in a country, England, where they are from, but a transformed England, one that has been reclaimed from the waves of immigration, which is one interpretation of "but one day you would like to". And in this case, "show them what you're made of" could be taken to mean something much different.
Morrissey has been talking about the loss of England for a long time. That NME article didn't come out of nowhere. He says his words were cut up and re-ordered and that his meaning was destroyed. I do think that is quite possibly true. What we have seen on this very site of the NME has shown that they are full of shit, frankly. Asking fans what they think about Morrissey retiring and then running it as a story about his retirement was bargain basement "journalism". I wouldn't buy a copy of the magazine for 2 cents.
But, unless they totally fabricated quotes, and he didn't say that immigration is changing the character of England, then it's not too hard to paint his views as being only a few shades away from "England for the English".
Has he ever actually discussed this song?
Don't get me wrong. I love the song, and I believe it means that the character, David is lost, searching for identity, and has taken up with a group of dangerous fools. Maybe his motivation is not wrong, but his actions are certainly misguided. I mean, loving England, in my opinion, is not a bad thing. Nationalism is, though, especially when it is manipulated to turn misguided youth into violent and hateful racists.
I actually feel that quite a bit of what Morrissey says and sings, without a lot of explanation, is not as simple as we sometimes make it out to be. Sometimes he is his own worst enemy, and I think there are other people that would agree with me on that.
I'm not writing this to make an excuse for the NME, who I would like to see quickly fail and disappear, despite what they once represented, and I'm certainly not trying to make any sort of negative comment about Morrissey, or to add to the ammunition used against him. I'm just saying that it really isn't that simple in my opinion, to say that the song is not in any way controversial, especially with the NME "bloodbath" so fresh in memory.
Morrissey doesn't need or care for my vote of confidence, but I'm happy that he will continue to make controversial statements, and to sing songs that are not so basic as to be immediately understood by all. After listening to this song many times, and enjoying it as a live favorite, I still think that the meaning is open for discussion.
I guess I have to repeat that I am not attacking Morrissey. I don't think that he is racist. I believe what he says about this topic, and I don't trust the NME. I just don't think that this song is that simple. I think Morrissey occasionally courts controversy. To think otherwise is to think that he is stupid, as he surely knows that his words will be repeated, analyzed, misinterpreted and "anything you say can and will be used against you". By the time he wrote that song he was no stranger to controversy and having his lyrics taken out of context in the press. So when he does say something controversial, or when he does write songs with lines like "England for the English" he isn't a fool. He knows it won't go unnoticed.
Is the song, at this late date, "controversial"? Probably not. Can the lyrics still be taken out of context and used against him? Yes, always. It isn't likely to stop now. Should anyone care what the NME chooses to write about Morrissey? No, never again.
... Also since this song HAS BEEN IN THE SETLIST FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS, it's quite a shock to hear it now !!
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