Morrissey A-Z: "Once Upon a Woman's Body"

[BookishBoy]

The second of the three lost demos posted by SER on YouTube is this Morrissey/Tobias composition. (From when - do we know for sure?)

What do we think of this one?

 

[gordyboy9]

not the best of the three but a decent song none the less.these three demos are real growers and im loving them the more i play them.8 wigwams/10 igloos.
to the people who called me racist for using the word wigwam,get a life.

 

[This Charming Bowie]

My personal favourite of the lost demos.
I especially love the synths here, which, under the excess distortion, sound like Boards of Canada (an excellent group if you haven’t heard them already). This mixed with the guitar flourishes and the drum loops makes for an interesting blend of styles, further proving that Moz isn’t shying away from some of the more out there (for him) tendencies of the previous albums.
The lyrics are quite oblique just because there isn’t many of them: something perhaps about finding yourself unattractive to women in the worst possible moment; or maybe it’s another admission of veiled “Catholic guilt”, as indicated by the spiel spiraling from Moz’s mouth at the end, which seems to have Christian (or at least religious) connotations.
The excess distortion is, well, excessive and spoils some enjoyment of it, but I think because of the softer dynamic textures implemented here, it doesn’t grate against the skull as often as, say, “Saturday”’s louder original mix.
I would like to see all of these tracks released sans distortion, but this one especially would grow to be a minor gem in his recent catalogue.
8/10

 

[Flibberty]

Not a bad track again, but I agree that the distortion is really unnecessary.

For that reason, I wouldn't really ever sit down and choose to listen to it in this form.

I don't have a problem with the music at all and certainly preferable to the leaden guitar tracks that Jesse was once renowned for.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

.


‘.... oh, you ran back to ma ....”


Yeah this one’s very good, especially lyrically far more interesting than ‘If Saturday’ though it’s melody reminds me of a couple other past songs of his. With some work on the music, this one should have been released.


Very nice.


Lyrically, of the 3, it’s something to sink one’s teeth into. Someone called it ‘misogynistic’, I could understand their surface reading of it, but it’s a little more complicated than that, or maybe simpler than that. Though, we must admit who else in popular music would put it the way he has and here again does?

We could only assume he still feels (ill) that it’s necessary and of importance that these words, this experience, should exist in the form of a song, and a song like this should exist in this world. Before it was hidden behind poesy, now, he doesn’t give a f**ck and is just laying it out, with no one getting laid.



So long ago, and yet ....

 

[SuedeMoz]

I'm liking these demos more on a 2nd listen. This one feels a bit more formed than "Saturday." If this is what's being discarded... I hope it's a sign of the quality to come (if we ever get another album that is). There are parts of this song that remind me of another solo song... but can't quite put my finger on it... anyone else hearing it? Right now, it's my fave of the Lost demos. I agree with @This Charming Bowie - a proper recording of this would be a nice addition to the solo catalog.

 

[gordyboy9]

I'm liking these demos more on a 2nd listen. This one feels a bit more formed than "Saturday." If this is what's being discarded... I hope it's a sign of the quality to come (if we ever get another album that is). There are parts of this song that remind me of another solo song... but can't quite put my finger on it... anyone else hearing it? Right now, it's my fave of the Lost demos. I agree with @This Charming Bowie - a proper recording of this would be a nice addition to the solo catalog.

theres two or three songs in there,cant quite place them.

 

[SuedeMoz]

theres two or three songs in there,cant quite place them.

So, going to go way out on a limb here... there are parts that remind me of a sped-up "Yes, I Am Blind"... but there may be more in there as well.

 

[Mayfly]

It always reminds me of « When you close your eyes « with which it shares the same dreamy atmosphere and light electronic touches. Or perhaps « At Amber » if one has to pick one of his own songs.

It always makes me wonder why this song was abandone. Lets hope that the ones that made it to the album, are even better.

 

[Who Rattled Your Cage]

.


‘.... oh, you ran back to ma ....”


Yeah this one’s very good, especially lyrically far more interesting than ‘If Saturday’ though it’s melody reminds me of a couple other past songs of his. With some work on the music, this one should have been released.


Very nice.


Lyrically, of the 3, it’s something to sink one’s teeth into. Someone called it ‘misogynistic’, I could understand their surface reading of it, but it’s a little more complicated than that, or maybe simpler than that. Though, we must admit who else in popular music would put it the way he has and here again does?

We could only assume he still feels (ill) that it’s necessary and of importance that these words, this experience, should exist in the form of a song, and a song like this should exist in this world. Before it was hidden behind poesy, now, he doesn’t give a f**ck and is just laying it out, with no one getting laid.



So long ago, and yet ....

Why did Moz keep slopping his tongue round his mouth in that interview, like a cow chewing a cud? It's creepy and off-putting.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

Why did Moz keep slopping his tongue round his mouth in that interview, like a cow chewing a cud? It's creepy and off-putting.

Nerves.

 

[T. H. Auden]

Very frank and open. Few pop artists would write such a song or be so personal and genuine in an interview, I think.

 

[Amy]

Why did Moz keep slopping his tongue round his mouth in that interview, like a cow chewing a cud? It's creepy and off-putting.

He was nervous & didn't expect such direct questions, he says (at the end) the interview was "sweaty." He still does it or pushes his tongue to his cheeks etc when he is uncomfortable.