Favourite Morrissey songwriting partner

[sid james]

Ignoring Johnny Marr for the obvious reason that he'd romp home and win this poll by a mile, who is your favourite Morrissey songwriting collaborator?

(Somehow I think this tussle is going to be between the big 3 of Street, Whyte and Boorer, but you never know...)

 

[Mada]

Any chance of an example of songs each of them co-wrote? I can't remember which is which! :'(

 

[sid james]

Oh lord - I think it's beyond me to do a full list of all Morrissey songs and who co-wrote them - that would take me all afternoon!

A very quick overview though:

Stephen Street: All the early solo stuff: everything on Viva Hate plus Playboys, Interesting Drug, Ouija Board etc.
Andy Rourke:Yes I am Blind, Girl Least Likely To (which is a rip-off of another song but whatever), Get Off the Stage
Clive Langer: November Spawned a Monster, Mute Witness, Found Found Found
Kevein Armstrong: He Knows I'd Love to See Him, Piccaddilly Palare
Mark E Nevin: Most of Kill Uncle + Pregnant For the Last Time, My Love Life (rip-off again though) I Know Its Gonna Happen Someday, You're Gonna Need Someone on YOur Side, etc
Alain Whyte: Most of everything from Your Arsenal on! No Im not listing it all!
Boz Boorer: Jack the Ripper,Now My Heart is Full, The More You Ignore Me, Speedway, Satan Rejected My Soul, The World is Full of Crashing Bores etc etc etc
Gary Day/Alain Whyte: You Know I Couldnt Last, Let the Right One Slip In, Pashernate Love.
Spencer Cobrin: Wide to Receive
Jessie Tobias: Half of Ringleader of the Tormentors.
Michael Farrell: At Last I Am Born

 

[The Youngest]

Andy Rourke wrote LOTFIP didn't he

 

[vicarinatutugal]

Alain wrote my two fav songs ever, Southpaw and life is a pigsty, he wins hands down in my view

 

[bauer24]

Just to clarify, when we say co-wrote, these guys were responsible for the music is that right? or do some of them actually have input into the lyrics?

I have always assumed that Moz wrote ALL the lyrics. Have I been deceived all this time?

 

[vicarinatutugal]

I have always assumed that Moz wrote ALL the lyrics.

thats the correct assumption

 

[sid james]

As far as we know Morrissey writes all the lyrics and none of the music, which is all down to the co-writer (though there have been several instances where the so-called 'original' music is blatantly lifted from another song, so we can assume Moz prods them in the right direction)

 

[bauer24]

Well in that case I would vote for Alain.

another thing I often wonder is whether Moz comes up with the melody for the lyrics?

I think with the Smiths the boys generally had a track down and Moz dug deep into his notebook to fit words to the tune?

Is this the case now? Facinating stuff non the less.

 

[vicarinatutugal]

Is this the case now? Facinating stuff non the less.

I cant recall where, but i read recently that matt walker said that they put down the music and they dont know how its all going to come together till morrissey comes in to lay his vocal down. The way i understand it, with Ringleader and Quarry he was in the studio more than he ever was, however someone may contradict.

 

[bauer24]

I would be inclined to believe that is the case Tutu.

 

[sid james]

Some of his co-authors have look on this process favourably, with Morrissey unexpectedly singing in completely different places from where they had planned the verses and chorus to great effect, but apparently Mark Nevin ultimately thought that this process was to the detriment of Kill Uncle, as he hadn't a clue what Morrissey was planning so the band just recorded backing tracks 'blind' and hoped for the best...

 

[totalester]

You'd better include Vini Reilly seeing as he reckons he wrote Viva Hate!

 

[sid james]

Vini Reilly probably thinks he wrote 'The Queen Is Dead' too!

 

[Reggie Kray]

Stephen Street and Alain...tough to pick which one for me...

Early in Morrissey's solo career, it was Street who gave him the platform to prove his detractors wrong with Viva Hate, etc.

Alain kept him in the ranks...

i think both have done alot.

 

[charlie tango]

Well in that case I would vote for Alain.

another thing I often wonder is whether Moz comes up with the melody for the lyrics?

I think with the Smiths the boys generally had a track down and Moz dug deep into his notebook to fit words to the tune?

Is this the case now? Facinating stuff non the less.

my pet subject,this. i write songs. words and vocal melodies. i don't write music
and don't play any instruments. but i do come up with vocal melodies- songs. my songwriting partner (also the band's musical director) then strums the guitar chords to fit around my song.
its too easy and its lazy thinking to assume that lyricists only write words and are then told what melody to sing. moz deserves to be known as a songwriter.

 

[Maradona]

Not a difficult choice - it's Alain all the way, for me.

 

[Patrick McGoohan]

Long Live Alain!

Great job he's done over the years; he and his work are more than worthy of winning this Moz-solo poll!

 

[Patrick McGoohan]

Any chance of an example of songs each of them co-wrote? I can't remember which is which! :'(

I'd look it up if I were you. I pretty much know all of the writing credits myself, but it's much too large a body of work to write out here. Do some research, love.

 

[bauer24]

my pet subject,this. i write songs. words and vocal melodies. i don't write music
and don't play any instruments. but i do come up with vocal melodies- songs. my songwriting partner (also the band's musical director) then strums the guitar chords to fit around my song.
its too easy and its lazy thinking to assume that lyricists only write words and are then told what melody to sing. moz deserves to be known as a songwriter.

I also write songs and play the guitar. Sometimes I come up with a vocal melody first sometimes I come up with a guitar rhythm.

I dont think it is lazy thinking to assume that Morrissey doesnt come up with the melody. Sometimes it can be the hardest part.

One trick I do find useful and a lot of songwriters use it, especially the Motown boys is hum an already recorded melody and change it ever so slightly as you are doing so. Oftentimes a whole new melody can be born from this. Much the same as playing a guitar riff and then altering it slightly as you go. The Beatles were renknowned for this as are many other bands.