Granted, This Is A Minor Quibble, But Nevertheless...

Comtesse

Comtesse

Starved Of Mirth
It's hard to explain why, but I get really irritated when Morrissey uses "we" instead of "I" in songs. Like, "You were good in your time and WE thank you". And, "WE love them/WE mourn for them... WE miss them/Every night WE kiss them". It just sounds weird to me - like he's trying to be spokesperson for a group or something. "WE represent the Mopey Pop Guild, the Mopey Pop Guild, the Mopey Pop Guild."

He's always represented himself as such a loner, an outcast, an individual, that to hear him use "we" just sounds wrong to me. (I know he did it on "We'll Let You Know" but he was singing from an alternate perspective of a football hooligan, so it didn't grate so much. And "Nobody Loves Us" is sheer perfection so it doesn't count.) I just think that the chorus of "You Were Good In Your Time" would work much better if he kept it personal: "You were good in your time and I thank you". It would be more touching because he wasn't trying to speak for someone else - it would be from his own heart which is hurt. As it is, I get this image of him as a lawyer representing the Estate of Morrissey or something: "On behalf of Morrissey, we would like to thank you for your achievements in being good in your time."

Does anybody feel the same way I do?

Oh, and I've decided I shouldn't post when I'm in the midst of a bout of depression as I was the other day. It leads to uncouth behavior, unsound judgement, and uncharacteristic rudeness. Though Sorry won't bring my teen years back to me, I'd like to say it anyway.
 
Comtesse said:
It's hard to explain why, but I get really irritated when Morrissey uses "we" instead of "I" in songs. Like, "You were good in your time and WE thank you". And, "WE love them/WE mourn for them... WE miss them/Every night WE kiss them". It just sounds weird to me - like he's trying to be spokesperson for a group or something. "WE represent the Mopey Pop Guild, the Mopey Pop Guild, the Mopey Pop Guild."

He's always represented himself as such a loner, an outcast, an individual, that to hear him use "we" just sounds wrong to me. (I know he did it on "We'll Let You Know" but he was singing from an alternate perspective of a football hooligan, so it didn't grate so much. And "Nobody Loves Us" is sheer perfection so it doesn't count.) I just think that the chorus of "You Were Good In Your Time" would work much better if he kept it personal: "You were good in your time and I thank you". It would be more touching because he wasn't trying to speak for someone else - it would be from his own heart which is hurt. As it is, I get this image of him as a lawyer representing the Estate of Morrissey or something: "On behalf of Morrissey, we would like to thank you for your achievements in being good in your time."

Does anybody feel the same way I do?

Oh, and I've decided I shouldn't post when I'm in the midst of a bout of depression as I was the other day. It leads to uncouth behavior, unsound judgement, and uncharacteristic rudeness. Though Sorry won't bring my teen years back to me, I'd like to say it anyway.
Click to expand...

We think you have too much time on your hands.
 
It's a song written about Manchester City fans to Robbie Fowler.....

Robbie..... you were good in your time.... but by the time you came to us.... you were shit:D

Jukebox Jury
 
the 'we' is a form of hiding. i guess that's what annoys you? it mildly irks me. but i'm so used to him hiding himself inside various ambiguities (half of the reason for blurred gender lines?) that i suppose i've just come to accept it.

'you were good in your time' confuses me at the moment. i'm not sure who he is referring or what their relation is to him. i can't help think he may be singing about himself? i haven't worked it out yet.
 
or "give US a drink and make it quick"

there is no "US"... he wants it or else he's gonna be sick.


this reminds me of the way smeagol speaks from LOTR.
 
Abrahan said:
or "give US a drink and make it quick"

there is no "US"... he wants it or else he's gonna be sick.


this reminds me of the way smeagol speaks from LOTR.
Click to expand...

The "us" in this context is deliberate - a lot of people in the UK say 'us' instead of 'me'. Granted, most of them are fairly uneducated, but this fits in with Our Frank.

E.g. "Give us a copy of The Sun please, mate"
"Give us a pint of Tennents"
"Give us a minute"
 
You were Good in Your Time is obviously about a musical hero. By the fact that they are famous means there would be more than one person feeling the way Morrissey does about him/her, so the "we" is accurate.

"Give us a drink", is just a common expression to mean "Give me a drink". I'd never thought of it specific to the UK before. That's quite interesting. Do people in America never use "us" to mean "me"?
 
I always believed he thought he was being clever or humorous. At least, that was the way I took them, so no it doesn't really bother me.:)

Comtesse said:
It's hard to explain why, but I get really irritated when Morrissey uses "we" instead of "I" in songs. Like, "You were good in your time and WE thank you". And, "WE love them/WE mourn for them... WE miss them/Every night WE kiss them". It just sounds weird to me - like he's trying to be spokesperson for a group or something. "WE represent the Mopey Pop Guild, the Mopey Pop Guild, the Mopey Pop Guild."

He's always represented himself as such a loner, an outcast, an individual, that to hear him use "we" just sounds wrong to me. (I know he did it on "We'll Let You Know" but he was singing from an alternate perspective of a football hooligan, so it didn't grate so much. And "Nobody Loves Us" is sheer perfection so it doesn't count.) I just think that the chorus of "You Were Good In Your Time" would work much better if he kept it personal: "You were good in your time and I thank you". It would be more touching because he wasn't trying to speak for someone else - it would be from his own heart which is hurt. As it is, I get this image of him as a lawyer representing the Estate of Morrissey or something: "On behalf of Morrissey, we would like to thank you for your achievements in being good in your time."

Does anybody feel the same way I do?

Oh, and I've decided I shouldn't post when I'm in the midst of a bout of depression as I was the other day. It leads to uncouth behavior, unsound judgement, and uncharacteristic rudeness. Though Sorry won't bring my teen years back to me, I'd like to say it anyway.
Click to expand...
 
Jukebox Jury said:
It's a song written about Manchester City fans to Robbie Fowler.....

Robbie..... you were good in your time.... but by the time you came to us.... you were shit:D

Jukebox Jury
Click to expand...

and blackburn rovers fans:confused:
 
Comtesse said:
It's hard to explain why, but I get really irritated when Morrissey uses "we" instead of "I" in songs. Like, "You were good in your time and WE thank you". And, "WE love them/WE mourn for them... WE miss them/Every night WE kiss them". It just sounds weird to me - like he's trying to be spokesperson for a group or something. "WE represent the Mopey Pop Guild, the Mopey Pop Guild, the Mopey Pop Guild."

He's always represented himself as such a loner, an outcast, an individual, that to hear him use "we" just sounds wrong to me. (I know he did it on "We'll Let You Know" but he was singing from an alternate perspective of a football hooligan, so it didn't grate so much. And "Nobody Loves Us" is sheer perfection so it doesn't count.) I just think that the chorus of "You Were Good In Your Time" would work much better if he kept it personal: "You were good in your time and I thank you". It would be more touching because he wasn't trying to speak for someone else - it would be from his own heart which is hurt. As it is, I get this image of him as a lawyer representing the Estate of Morrissey or something: "On behalf of Morrissey, we would like to thank you for your achievements in being good in your time."

Does anybody feel the same way I do?

Oh, and I've decided I shouldn't post when I'm in the midst of a bout of depression as I was the other day. It leads to uncouth behavior, unsound judgement, and uncharacteristic rudeness. Though Sorry won't bring my teen years back to me, I'd like to say it anyway.
Click to expand...

Post away to your heart's content Comtesse...

One of the reasons I come here is to study the minutiae of Morrissey so, to me, this is an interesting point.

Sorry to be confrontational but comments like 'you have too much spare time' or whatever, are a little insensitive, given that this is exactly the sort of thing Morrissey would obsess about with Oscar Wilde, Jobriath etc.

Anyway, I think that Moz is using the 'royal' we when he writes in this way... just my theory
 
Comtesse said:
I just think that the chorus of "You Were Good In Your Time" would work much better if he kept it personal: "You were good in your time and I thank you". It would be more touching because he wasn't trying to speak for someone else - it would be from his own heart which is hurt.
Click to expand...

I hear this song and I think the person who was good in his time is himself and the message is coming from the fans.

Same thing with We Hate It...
It's about him.. not by him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
This is a long shot
2
Replies
24
Views
3K
PUNKturedBIKE
PUNKturedBIKE
Kewpie
Minor link between Morrissey and Beck
Replies
0
Views
917
Kewpie
Kewpie
King Leer
YOR Lyrics -- I can't help but noticing that...
Replies
11
Views
2K
Velvis
Velvis
CeciDeMorrissey
Is this Natalie Portman with a Morrissey inspired hair?
2
Replies
20
Views
4K
dom
dom
Chileiceman
Minor Moz reference on ESPN.com
Replies
7
Views
2K
JLA75
J
Tags
lyrics
Back
Top Bottom