Morrissey A-Z: "Jack the Ripper"

The version at Royal Albert Hall, Sept 2002...my goodness, the hairs on the back of my neck are still standing.
 
Great song . Of course live versions are stunning . This song ranks between 11th and 20th place in my personal ranking of Morrissey's best songs. This is my favourite live version ( from 3:15 :hearteyes: )

 
You know how there are songs that grow on you and then there are songs that you instantly liked and your view has never changed?

This one is in the latter category for me.
 
One of his very best, increasingly becoming the centrepiece of his live show. The hammer-horror laughing on the latest couple of tours during the solo/bridge was spectacular. Studio version has a completely different atmosphere.
 
I like the studio version, but agree that it didn't fully capture the quality of the song. I believe Mick Ronson acknowledged as much, and it's also a shame that the Allen Toussaint recording session failed.

As a composition, it was the first real hint of what Boz was capable of.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 5th from 264 solo songs.
 
I am probably the only one to prefer to studio version and I still don’t understand why he never sung the last lines in concert.

I have to admit though that the 2019 performances of the song were fantastic, especially because of the lights and smoke that oddly worked perfectly well.
Yeah I've been listening to the studio version quite a bit lately with the CD of the This Is Morrissey compilation. It's growing on me. I used to not give it much attention because the vocal when compared to the live rendition felt a little weak in delivery. But the more mellow vocal kinda works after a while. I like the extra verse too.
 
Some like the sinister howling/cackling, some don't. I witnessed it 13 months ago - complete with dry ice overload - and thought it was stunning, true theatre.
 

Aaaand.... He's gone.
 
The dry ice has become slightly ridiculous in recent shows, to the extent that you can barely see Morrissey at all. He might as well sing it from backstage.
 
The dry ice has become slightly ridiculous in recent shows, to the extent that you can barely see Morrissey at all. He might as well sing it from backstage.
I know what you mean, but you do get spooky images like this, which I love:

smoke.jpg
 
I don’t think I have the love for it that others do but it’s a great song. I love the way the guitar sounds like a closing hole when he says I’m gonna get you. The crash into part is a great release as well. It was cool to see it live with all the smoke and red lights
 
One of his very best. Love the studio version, love the Beethoven Was Deaf version, but the one from Who Put The M... is probably my favourite.
Perhaps a bit overboard with the smoke machine in recent years, though.
 
Ive loved this song since my lugs first heard it, and still remains played even now ...
Your face is as mean as your life has been !!!
Classic line .....
 
I can't overstate how much I love this song.

Wouldn't be the first or last time that Morrissey likened desire to murder. I'm a little surprised to see how much love the 2004 version is getting, I thought it was consensus opinion that 1992/1995's outing was the definitive version. The Quarry-era is a little stiff for my tastes.

This song always felt sort of rare and mysterious to me, from its relatively lo-fi origins on the b-side of "Certain People I Know" to the dropped final verse to Morrissey's quiet obsession with it. This song is clearly a favorite of his.

Was this Boz's first writing credit? Or was that "You've Had Her"?
 
It's hard to put into words what it was like hearing this live for the first time in 1992. I had heard about this new song he was playing without of course hearing any of it until the show. As soon as the guitar chords started I instantly knew this was the new song. I was transfixed. I clung to each word as he sang and was mesmerized by the word picture he created. I was only 4-5 rows back and made eye contact several times... I almost felt like I was part of the song. Very strange I know - never really felt anything like that at a live show before then or since.

Anyway, I thought for sure he had a hit single on his hands. Later I was surprised to see it relegated to a b-side instead of an a-side.
 
Last edited:
Am I the only one who finds this song repulsive? Yes, I've seen it live. It turns my stomach.
 
I like the studio version, but agree that it didn't fully capture the quality of the song. I believe Mick Ronson acknowledged as much, and it's also a shame that the Allen Toussaint recording session failed.

As a composition, it was the first real hint of what Boz was capable of.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 5th from 264 solo songs.
I mean, the studio version doesn't even sound like like Mick Ronson had anything to do with it. Definitely sounds more like a demo than a legitimate attempt. I'd be extremely curious to hear whatever survived the Toussaint session. They obviously felt like they were getting it right on the Arsenal tour and wanted to commit that version to tape.
 
It's hard to put into words what it was like hearing this live for the first time in 1992. I had heard about this new song he was playing without of course hearing any of it until the show. As soon as the guitar chords started I instantly knew this was the new song. I was transfixed. I clung to each word as he sang and was almost mesmerized by the word picture he created. I was only 4-5 rows back and made eye contact several times... I almost felt like I was part of the song. Very strange I know - never really felt anything like that at a live show before then or since.

Anyway, I thought for sure he had a hit song on his hands. Later I was surprised to see it relegated to a b-side instead of an a-side.
Yes! I remember being transfixed by it, too, in Orlando in November 92. Just completely mesmerising.
 
Tags
morrissey a-z
Back
Top Bottom