BookishBoy
Well-Known Member
Today's song is Morrissey's live cover of this Anderson/Butler composition, a B-side to their debut single of 1992.
What do we think? (And on a side note, has anyone ever actually shat Paracetamol?)
Morrissey A-Z: "My Insatiable One"
- Thread starter BookishBoy
- Start date
Today's song is Morrissey's live cover of this Anderson/Butler composition, a B-side to their debut single of 1992.
What do we think? (And on a side note, has anyone ever actually shat Paracetamol?)
BookishBoy
Well-Known Member
I would humbly disagree. That debut release of The Drowners / My Insatiable One / To the Birds is up there with some of the great Smiths 12-inch singles and seeing Suede play these songs right at the start of their career was genuinely thrilling, especially with Butler (and his hair!) in full flow.
From my previous post about Brett's Afternoons With The Blinds Drawn as relevant:
"To be honest, ‘My Insatiable One’ was a bit of an afterthought. It wasn’t until the record was released and the song started gathering attention in the press and cover versions by Morrissey that we belatedly realised what a gem it was. I had been aware that he had been to a couple of early shows and someone had even muttered that they thought they had seen him scribbling notes into a jotter at the back of the Camden Palace during our set. Whether he was learning the words to the song or not is debatable but it made it no less of a shock when one day while shuffling my way around Portobello Market one of the stall-holders selling boot-leg cassettes sidled up to me and pressed a tape recording from a Swiss gig of his into my sweaty palm. It was an odd experience listening to his version of the song when I got back to the flat. I seem to remember he’d taken out the swear-words and the band were obviously confused about how to translate our E-flat drop-tuning but to hear the voice that had been part of the very furniture of my youth singing my own words back to me of course cast an undeniable spell. More than anything though I think I perceived my early musical heroes as so much more than mere musicians. They were people who had helped me navigate my way through life, influencing my politics, suggesting how I should dress and even telling me what not to eat and so to hear such an unequivocal validation of my work by one of them was a wonderful but in some ways slightly confusing moment, like when the teacher is finally bested by his pupil, and I remember lying on my fusty purple bedspread in Moorhouse Road listening to it one drizzly afternoon overcome with a strange blend of triumph and melancholy. With hindsight relegating ‘My Insatiable One’ to the status of a B-side was the first in a long line of bad judgements that we made, exiling classics to the wastelands of the flip side, limiting their audience and so rendering the albums weaker by their absence but at the same time this profligacy was conscious and deliberate; we wanted every moment of our output to be notable, even, and in some ways especially the B-sides. I suppose appropriately it was very much something we had taken from The Smiths whose flip sides for a period were superlative. It made being a fan feel so thrilling, like the band were honouring your devotion with a gift, and it was this sense of breathless discovery that we wanted to continue with our work. Nonetheless if ‘My Insatiable One’ and ‘To The Birds’ and ‘He’s Dead’ and ‘The Big Time’ had been on the debut it simply would have been a better record."
Morrissey seemed intent on covering this and it was a nice nod to Suede (prior to Brett suddenly 'not liking' Morrissey thereafter).
The various live incarnations won't win any quality awards, but it is what it is.
Regards,
FWD.
(Whilst we're on the topic, the Joyce/drummer advert story is gold too).
"To be honest, ‘My Insatiable One’ was a bit of an afterthought. It wasn’t until the record was released and the song started gathering attention in the press and cover versions by Morrissey that we belatedly realised what a gem it was. I had been aware that he had been to a couple of early shows and someone had even muttered that they thought they had seen him scribbling notes into a jotter at the back of the Camden Palace during our set. Whether he was learning the words to the song or not is debatable but it made it no less of a shock when one day while shuffling my way around Portobello Market one of the stall-holders selling boot-leg cassettes sidled up to me and pressed a tape recording from a Swiss gig of his into my sweaty palm. It was an odd experience listening to his version of the song when I got back to the flat. I seem to remember he’d taken out the swear-words and the band were obviously confused about how to translate our E-flat drop-tuning but to hear the voice that had been part of the very furniture of my youth singing my own words back to me of course cast an undeniable spell. More than anything though I think I perceived my early musical heroes as so much more than mere musicians. They were people who had helped me navigate my way through life, influencing my politics, suggesting how I should dress and even telling me what not to eat and so to hear such an unequivocal validation of my work by one of them was a wonderful but in some ways slightly confusing moment, like when the teacher is finally bested by his pupil, and I remember lying on my fusty purple bedspread in Moorhouse Road listening to it one drizzly afternoon overcome with a strange blend of triumph and melancholy. With hindsight relegating ‘My Insatiable One’ to the status of a B-side was the first in a long line of bad judgements that we made, exiling classics to the wastelands of the flip side, limiting their audience and so rendering the albums weaker by their absence but at the same time this profligacy was conscious and deliberate; we wanted every moment of our output to be notable, even, and in some ways especially the B-sides. I suppose appropriately it was very much something we had taken from The Smiths whose flip sides for a period were superlative. It made being a fan feel so thrilling, like the band were honouring your devotion with a gift, and it was this sense of breathless discovery that we wanted to continue with our work. Nonetheless if ‘My Insatiable One’ and ‘To The Birds’ and ‘He’s Dead’ and ‘The Big Time’ had been on the debut it simply would have been a better record."
Morrissey seemed intent on covering this and it was a nice nod to Suede (prior to Brett suddenly 'not liking' Morrissey thereafter).
The various live incarnations won't win any quality awards, but it is what it is.
Regards,
FWD.
(Whilst we're on the topic, the Joyce/drummer advert story is gold too).
This Charming Bowie
Welcome to this knockabout world
I like Suede, especially Dog Man Star and the self-titled. I enjoy Moz’s cover version, but it’s very close to the original: he’s in good voice and utilises the harmonies between him and Alain well. The quality isn’t great, but you can hear everything. Not one I’m sure I’ve ever listened to: the Suede one will do me fine, but this version isn’t anything to frown at.
6/10
6/10
A
Anonymous
Guest
The guitarist in Morrissey's band is butchering the guitar. They should have gone the "This Charming Man" route and played power chords. Bernard Butler, like Johnny Marr, is inimitable.
this is worse than any vegan cro or AztecCamera post
Carlisle baz
Cock of the north
gordyboy9
Celtic,champions again.
i know baz,anything lower would be an insult.P
very generous with 5 gordy
Good vocals from Moz on this one, which is the track's only saving grace.
To use the vernacular, I think the track itself is a pile o' shite...& I actually hate the guitar 'strangulation' on both versions, which Alain Whyte seems to make a complete mess of in places.
To use the vernacular, I think the track itself is a pile o' shite...& I actually hate the guitar 'strangulation' on both versions, which Alain Whyte seems to make a complete mess of in places.
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Phranc & Open
I've known no war
Love SUEDE or hate 'em, extremely cool move by Morrissey in 1992 to cover the B-side of a British newcomer who was on the verge of a worldwide breakthrough, which I think became definitive with Animal Nitrate in early 1993. The glam sound fits like a glove to the "Your Arsenal" reverb and the track sounds 100% like Morrissey in 1992. "Oh, he is gone. He's my insastible one" pours more fuel on the fire regarding the sexual orientation of the star, who in the years 89-92 made it increasingly clear to the outside world, that he was humasexual. I've owned the "I'm a poet" bootleg since the 90s with the perfect soundboard recording from Colorado in October 1992. Great song and great interpretation. SUEDE were a very exciting band for 4-5 singles during the years 92-94.
GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn
Well-Known Member
I adore his vocal on this, play it very often despite its musical shortcomings.
Easy to see why he chose to cover it.
Easy to see why he chose to cover it.
Phranc & Open
I've known no war
P&O -- Wasn't this show the only time Moz performed that cover, or am I confusing this bootleg as the only recording of the cover?
Carlisle baz
Cock of the north
Great post Frank
Phranc & Open
I've known no war
Thanks from the heart of my bottom, Baz.Great post Frank
I thought, he played it regularly on the YA tour. For example in Switzerland on the 9th of July 92 during the Leysin Rock festival. Saw this on MTV, back in the glory days.
That's Enough For Me
Member
Suede have many highlights of which this is one, which is massacred by some pub band on that Moz recording.
GirlAfraidWillNeverLearn
Well-Known Member
They played it 17 times on that tour. This is from New York.
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