Morrissey A-Z: "(The) Secret of Music"

[NealCassidy]

What is the secret then?

 

[That's Enough For Me]

'Play the flute for love or loot, that's really up to you'

No, no, Moz has still got plenty to say.

Suffering Chri.....I'd forgotten how bad this was.

 

[Flibberty]

Many here see IANADOAC as a kind of improvement. Many also praise Morrissey's willingness to musically leave the comfort zone. Partly it succeeded, but partly it didn't. Personally, I don't need a late Depeche Mode beat under Morrissey's unique voice, I just want to hear songs, hooks, bridges and refrains that give me goosebumps. He got that with his musicians in the last 10 too rarely. TSOM dares a lot but unfortunately loses everything. It is the hopeless plea for relevance and meaning. There was already something like that by other artists 30-40 years ago, only better. Maybe you also have to admit that Morrissey just can't do everything musically. Improvisation is also not his strength. An outlier like "Sorrow will come in the end" was much more elegant in 1997. A crude mini-musical melody to which Morrissey conjures up pure hatred in a hate-filled (but still gentle) voice.

I've seen many words used to describe Sorrow Will Come in the End, but "elegant" isn't one of them.

I'm sure that will be another one to divide opinion in a week or two...

 

[Famous when dead]

'On a wet day, dry day, great to be alive day, brother takes the stand'

Took an age to discern which ONJ sample (that was suggested prior to the song ever being heard), was used in it - got it eventually.
Not my bag really, but I don't skip it.
Regards,
FWD.

 

[T. H. Auden]

Imagine this being played in one of the opium dens in New York City in the 1950's

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit .888]

Moz masterpiece, very exciting and experimental Moz masterpiece

 

[Trans]

I’m love the subject of this song and it obvious but often missed point that music is about communication of feelings. I dont find the song that experimental compared to other things I listen to, it’s still has a lot of pop appeal, but it’s sure not abstract noise or Morrisseys typical song structure either. It’s funny to me how surprised I am at people talking about this song in a positive light when thirty seconds of twinkly noise before I’m not a man nearly broke the forum

 

[gordyboy9]

i mentioned earlier about the music being hypnotic,iv only ever had this before and that was with the ritual scene in eyes wide shut,that music nearly put me in a trance.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

God bless you for promoting Scott. One of my all time favorites, especially 1984 and onwards. No music on earth can be compared to the stuff Scott made. He’s in a dark and twisted universe of his very own. I’m happy every time someone praises his later stuff.

Me too. Love love love Scott’s later work, from Climate of Hunter onwards, especially Tilt, etc.

Not sure, however, that Moz with tSoM was trying to emulate Blackstar Bowie. I don’t hear it.

Agree, he isn’t. Nor was Bowie trying to emulate Scott Walkers later work on Blackstar. If the anon would just read interviews about the making of Blackstar, Tony Visconti talks about Bowie listening to modern hip hop mostly, artists like Death Grips to Kendrick Lamar, and the album of course leans towards Bowies own love of jazz.

To say that Bowie was trying to emulate Walker on Blackstar, is like saying he was trying to emulate Anthony Newley. These artists are of course a part of Bowie’s creative DNA, but there doesn’t seem to be much that points to their direct influence on Blackstar in particular.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Me too. Love love love Scott’s later work, from Climate of Hunter onwards, especially Tilt, etc.



Agree, he isn’t. Nor was Bowie trying to emulate Scott Walkers later work on Blackstar. If the anon would just read interviews about the making of Blackstar, Tony Visconti talks about Bowie listening to modern hip hop mostly, artists like Death Grips to
Kendrick Lamar, and the album of course leans towards Bowies own love of jazz.

To say that Bowie was trying to emulate Walker on Blackstar, is like saying he was trying to emulate Anthony Newley. These artists are of course a part of Bowie’s creative DNA, but there doesn’t seem to be much that points to their direct influences on Blackstar in particular.

Damn, Ket! A shared love of Scott! A big thing in my book!

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Imagine this being played in one of the opium dens in New York City in the 1950's

Lol. actually I posted before that it reminded me of this Talking Heads song in someways with its repetitive bass line and effects ...

 

[Phranc & Open]

I've seen many words used to describe Sorrow Will Come in the End, but "elegant" isn't one of them.

I'm sure that will be another one to divide opinion in a week or two...

No sleep till...

 

[Private Widdle]

I got the Dog album, I listened to "Darling... Pillow" and "Secret of Music" and thought "What the hell is this?"
After a few more listens I thought "Darling... Pillow" was almost a masterpiece, whereas regarding "Secret of Music", I
thought "What the hell is this?"

 

[This Charming Bowie]

Me too. Love love love Scott’s later work, from Climate of Hunter onwards, especially Tilt, etc.



Agree, he isn’t. Nor was Bowie trying to emulate Scott Walkers later work on Blackstar. If the anon would just read interviews about the making of Blackstar, Tony Visconti talks about Bowie listening to modern hip hop mostly, artists like Death Grips to Kendrick Lamar, and the album of course leans towards Bowies own love of jazz.

To say that Bowie was trying to emulate Walker on Blackstar, is like saying he was trying to emulate Anthony Newley. These artists are of course a part of Bowie’s creative DNA, but there doesn’t seem to be much that points to their direct influence on Blackstar in particular.

Can you imagine a Moz/Death Grips crossover?
“I’ve Seen Footage Happen In Other People’s Lives”?

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Can you imagine a Moz/Death Grips crossover?
“I’ve Seen Footage Happen In Other People’s Lives”?

I can see Zach being into working with Morrissey simply because it would be weird, but not Mc Ride.

 

[Mayfly]

I'd love to know more about how this song came about. Did Mando present Morrissey with an early version of this backing music and Morrissey then did his thing over the top of it? (Just seems unlikely, in this case.) Or did Morrissey have these lyrics and then ask someone in the band to come up with something he could sing it over? Or were they all just sitting around in the studio, jamming, completely off their tits?

Even if that’s the impression they would like to giv, I doubt that Morrissey and band are good at jamming off their tirs.
But I too would like to know how this song came about and which references Morrissey had in mind. I noted the Scott Walker references below, but I don’t see them as a source of inspiration.

 

[Verso]

This is actually the only song on IANADOAC that I come close to liking. I think Morrissey should spend more time working on tracks like this and less time worrying about hooks and choruses which seem to be somewhat unnatural and out of reach for him these days. As Ket wisely mentioned above, it's almost certainly inspired by "Drugs." Also reminds me of this Grizzly Bear song, who perhaps Mando is a fan of.

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

Deleted this from all my devices do I don’t have to go to bother of skipping it when listening to the album. Utter shit.

 

[Mayfly]

I am finding this one entertaining. It is just a word game of finding a rhyme for each musical instrument, and it is not taking itself too seriously. In a way, the music is playful too.
The best thing is the high pitched tone of his voice here, something we hadn’t heard sincère Lifeguard sleeping, girl drawning.

 

[skull]

Was it at least 2 minutes shorter, it could be bearable. It's not that bad, but not that good either. It seems to point nowhere.