Morrissey A-Z: "(The) Youngest Was the Most Loved"

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member






Our song for today is this Morrissey/Tobias composition, released as the second single from Ringleader of the Tormentors and reaching #14 on the UK chart.

What do we think?
 
Bit of a throwaway, but still an impassioned pop rocker. I enjoy it immensely.
 
A good olde pop /Rock sing along this tune is.
A classic single from a classic album
The video leaves a lot to be desired but the song has wonderful guitars and production, with a heavy rock sound.
A great way to start a dreary Monday morning
 
A fine rocker that suffers from many of the same problems as the other tracks from the album. The tune is barely there, a few chord thrash and bash that has little dynamic shifts, although I chalk that down to the weak production, another drawback here. The lyrics and vocal melody are entertaining: what other song uses the word “retroussé”? The story about shielding a child from the outside world leading to their stint as a killer has probably some truth in it, and the addition of the children’s choir (while grating by the end) is an ironic touch that elevates the craft of the piece a little.
6/10
 
A fine song and a fine single, but only a mid-table one for Moz. Why he himself expected this to do better than You Have Killed Me and potentially to be his first UK number 1 remains a mystery.

7,5
 
good song,voice is in good form here,lyrics are dark and funny at the same time.this was a great time to be an M fan,touring non-stop,£32 a ticket you could fill yer boots with the number of shows you could go to.
8 cherubs/10 youngest.
 
Probably my favourite of the singles on this album.

There are one or two nice lyrical ideas and it's the kind of song that is typical Morrissey (in a good way). It would be good to see it back in the live shows.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 91st from 264 solo songs.
 
I like the children choir and I love the "There is no such thing in life as normal" line, but the song is average.
 
It's a great thumping, upbeat, rocking track. Especially love the drums on this, played with such gusto on that Jools Holland Live version. Looks like Matt W on drums to me, but if it's 2006 guess it was Matt Chamberlain.
Regardless, wonderful track. Rocktastic.
 
It's a great thumping, upbeat, rocking track. Especially love the drums on this, played with such gusto on that Jools Holland Live version. Looks like Matt W on drums to me, but if it's 2006 guess it was Matt Chamberlain.
Regardless, wonderful track. Rocktastic.
I could be mistaking, but I think Walker played on the live shows, and Chamberlain in the studio?
 
Morrissey was NOT happy with the promotion of this, cf. this mail from 2006:

From: Ed Mendoza
Reply-To:
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 06:57:56 -0400
To: Merck Mercuriadis
hello Merck
I'm printing this on Eddie's pc - mine's still a mess.
Hope you are well.
1/I'm satisfied with the Daily Mail reply - given their nature I think it's a success, and I wasn't looking for an Apology, but a Correction.
2/The situation with "the Youngest" is grave and somewhat deadly. It has set a new low for all of our spirits. The single was launched and then received by the media like a release from a complete nobody. I am less than nothing. This is appalling given the combined efforts of:
A-30 date sell-out UK tour, B-on the heels of a #1 album, C-powerful B-side package, D-great video, E-great sleeve artwork, F-Jonathan Ross and Jools Holland shows, G-enormous tabloid coverage of my animal rights comments, H-week of NME Smiths cover (my face foremost) ;
but the welcome is censorian. It is a flop.
As far as airplay is concerned, it was classically ignored. Also, no national airplay throughout 30-date tour, and no airplay for the #1 album. CJ and Tony are absolute rubbish. The excuse of the football songs is the same as the excuse for You Have Killed Me and Irish Blood - all halted by gimmick releases, yet no one is affected except me - Keane storm on, etc.
By common consent, Sanctuary has stalled and have no muscle. This is what I am told and this is what I see. Jennifer says The Youngest suffered because "certain people would not spend digital dosh"; Jennifer put the single back one week and then left the country for that week of release. I ask Toby H three times for a list of possible Euro TV shows and, two months down the line, still no list. Ringleader zooms from #1 becoming the fastest fall from the top 100 in pop history.
In truth, the Youngest is an unavoidable #1 single - as was You Have Killed Me. By my very presence alone (music apart), my time is Now. The band are flying high. Where the BBC and radio 1 and the press are concerned, Jennifer and CJ are afraid to even whisper.
I understand that your instinct is to flee from the scene of the carnage and move on quickly. but "the Youngest" is a dream of a gift for any label, and if you can't make this fly then I can't see how you can do it with anything else.
The disaster of "the Youngest" is Sanctuary's 2nd major failure
- the first being releasing Quarry on day 2 of a 7 days sales week, thus no #1 position.
Meanwhile, Jed continues to have the time of his life - at my expense - but also, at yours.
Merck, the fate of "the Youngest" is appalling. Sanctuary have blown the whistle on themselves and there is no excuse.
MORRISSEY.
E. Mendoza
Security Director, Morrissey
+1 310 497 5498 Blackberry
+44 (0) 792 023 8631 UK Mobile
+1 801 439 6359 efax
 
Morrissey was NOT happy with the promotion of this, cf. this mail from 2006:

From: Ed Mendoza
Reply-To:
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 06:57:56 -0400
To: Merck Mercuriadis
hello Merck
I'm printing this on Eddie's pc - mine's still a mess.
Hope you are well.
1/I'm satisfied with the Daily Mail reply - given their nature I think it's a success, and I wasn't looking for an Apology, but a Correction.
2/The situation with "the Youngest" is grave and somewhat deadly. It has set a new low for all of our spirits. The single was launched and then received by the media like a release from a complete nobody. I am less than nothing. This is appalling given the combined efforts of:
A-30 date sell-out UK tour, B-on the heels of a #1 album, C-powerful B-side package, D-great video, E-great sleeve artwork, F-Jonathan Ross and Jools Holland shows, G-enormous tabloid coverage of my animal rights comments, H-week of NME Smiths cover (my face foremost) ;
but the welcome is censorian. It is a flop.
As far as airplay is concerned, it was classically ignored. Also, no national airplay throughout 30-date tour, and no airplay for the #1 album. CJ and Tony are absolute rubbish. The excuse of the football songs is the same as the excuse for You Have Killed Me and Irish Blood - all halted by gimmick releases, yet no one is affected except me - Keane storm on, etc.
By common consent, Sanctuary has stalled and have no muscle. This is what I am told and this is what I see. Jennifer says The Youngest suffered because "certain people would not spend digital dosh"; Jennifer put the single back one week and then left the country for that week of release. I ask Toby H three times for a list of possible Euro TV shows and, two months down the line, still no list. Ringleader zooms from #1 becoming the fastest fall from the top 100 in pop history.
In truth, the Youngest is an unavoidable #1 single - as was You Have Killed Me. By my very presence alone (music apart), my time is Now. The band are flying high. Where the BBC and radio 1 and the press are concerned, Jennifer and CJ are afraid to even whisper.
I understand that your instinct is to flee from the scene of the carnage and move on quickly. but "the Youngest" is a dream of a gift for any label, and if you can't make this fly then I can't see how you can do it with anything else.
The disaster of "the Youngest" is Sanctuary's 2nd major failure
- the first being releasing Quarry on day 2 of a 7 days sales week, thus no #1 position.
Meanwhile, Jed continues to have the time of his life - at my expense - but also, at yours.
Merck, the fate of "the Youngest" is appalling. Sanctuary have blown the whistle on themselves and there is no excuse.
MORRISSEY.
E. Mendoza
Security Director, Morrissey
+1 310 497 5498 Blackberry
+44 (0) 792 023 8631 UK Mobile
+1 801 439 6359 efax
God. Not ‘that’ email ☺️
 
I've always considered this one of the worst songs on Ringleader. It is not that bad, but it is very weak.
 
Last edited:
I could be mistaking, but I think Walker played on the live shows, and Chamberlain in the studio?
This is correct.
Matt Chamberlain really did an amazing job on that album.
 
"enormous tabloid coverage of my animal rights comments"

Enough said.

I see how some can see that, but I
never saw it as a negative statement.


yeah, I know.. of course I wouldn’t, blah,blah,blah.
 
A fine song and a fine single, but only a mid-table one for Moz.

Why he himself expected this to do better than You Have Killed Me and potentially to be his first UK number 1 remains a mystery.

7,5

makes one wonder if he actually sat down and listened to it. I mean it’s
plainly not catchy, no dynamic, and the effort of the children’s choir (which I love) doesn’t help.


Having said that, it’s a good album song, interesting. it’s aggressive in a way, not radio hit material really.
 
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