Morrissey A-Z: "Treat Me Like a Human Being"

[BookishBoy]

Our song for today is this Morrissey/Street composition, recorded during the Viva Hate sessions but not released until the "Glamourous Glue" single of 2011 and then included on the reissue of Viva Hate the following year.

What do we think?

 

[Light Housework]

Exquisite voice

 

[This Charming Bowie]

An unfinished, early demo that should have had no place on the reissue of Viva Hate. “Ordinary Boys” isn’t a great song either, but at least it sounded complete, with the typically studio quality production from Stephen Street. This still has the drum machine, cheap keyboard sounds and muffled vocals and hasn’t developed into a more intricate or at least catchy tune.
The one thing I will say for it is that the vocal performance is pretty good in parts: but that should be an expectation, not a surprise coming from the master of top melodies.
Not the best, as I’m sure you can tell...
4/10

 

[The.Truth.]

If I bought Viva Hate again and got this instead of Ordinary Boys I would not be happy.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

This song goes nowhere and does nothing , no melody, tune it’s just rather pointless really

 

[Janice]

Nah. Best forgotten again .

 

[gordyboy9]

i like it,have for a while.if it was cleaned up a bit then i think we have an entirely different song.
for all the people above who dont like it,theres another one tomorrow,no spoilers,it begins with a T.
7 being human/10 human being.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Sure, it’s an unfinished demo and sounds accordingly. But my lord, it’s gorgeous. Warm, comforting and melodic. Would have fit perfectly on VH, had it been finished.

 

[Mozmar]

Oh, I see a lot of negativity for this ...
Yes, it may need the rough edges taking off, but I've always loved it. A wonderfully melancholic, slow, plodding number.
Great vocals from Moz, together with a heart wrenching message.

'For once
Just for once
Just for once
Leave all your hate behind you'

Fabulous, son.

 

[Mozmar]

Couple of minor notes from PJLM:
"This song was written and recorded early into the "Viva Hate" sessions (although it did not make it onto the album) which stretched from October to December 1987 at Wool Hall Studios in Bath, with producer Stephen Street. Musicians on the recording were Vini Reilly (guitar, piano), Stephen Street (bass) and Andrew Paresi (drums)."

 

[Flibberty]

Musically and lyrically this feels about 25% finished.

Morrissey and Stephen Street wrote some very fine songs together, but part of the success of the original Viva Hate was Morrissey's decision to jettison substandard fluff like this.

It should never have been included on the reissue and, probably largely down to that decision, on the Hoffman board it ranked 264th from 264 solo songs.

 

[That's Enough For Me]

This could be licensed to a funeral home to play as Musak in the chapel of rest.

 

[Mozmar]

Musically and lyrically this feels about 25% finished.

Morrissey and Stephen Street wrote some very fine songs together, but part of the success of the original Viva Hate was Morrissey's decision to jettison substandard fluff like this.

It should never have been included on the reissue and, probably largely down to that decision, on the Hoffman board it ranked 264th from 264 solo songs.

Wow, 264th!
So we have both ends of the scale, can you remind us @Flibberty which song was rated No.1 as per the Hoff Board? I seem to recall it was something from Vauxhall.

 

[Flibberty]

Wow, 264th!
So we have both ends of the scale, can you remind us @Flibberty which song was rated No.1 as per the Hoff Board? I seem to recall it was something from Vauxhall.

Now My Heart is Full. I think Speedway and Everyday is Like Sunday came next.

They were probably the top three when a poll was done on this board, too. Though perhaps in a slightly different order.

Not that it matters in the great scheme of things, of course.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Musically and lyrically this feels about 25% finished.

Morrissey and Stephen Street wrote some very fine songs together, but part of the success of the original Viva Hate was Morrissey's decision to jettison substandard fluff like this.

It should never have been included on the reissue and, probably largely down to that decision, on the Hoffman board it ranked 264th from 264 solo songs.

Absolutely shocking that this came in last, behind the absolute dreck that makes up so much of WPINOYB and LIHS, demo or not.

 

[Ben Budd]

unfinished dog shit

 

[Trans]

But humans hate each other’s guts. Now I’m confused

 

[SuedeMoz]

Admittedly I'm biased in that I have a fondness for anything Morrissey/Street. I'd not heard this one before. I feel like I can faintly hear the potential... but it's a ways off (with a few listens it's even grown a bit more). I really think had it been fully developed and reworked a bit including lyrically, it could have been a solid album track if not a good b-side (either on VH or for later use). In any case, as-is, I don't agree that it's his worst solo song.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

i like it,have for a while.if it was cleaned up a bit then i think we have an entirely different song.
for all the people above who dont like it,theres another one tomorrow,no spoilers,it begins with a T.
7 being human/10 human being.

Your enthusiasm throughout the A-Z has been very infectious and a pleasure to read of a morning whilst gnoring on my bran flakes.
Your like a kid at Christmas full of excitement.....
Don’t know what yer gonna do when it’s all over GB ?
Anyhow a big well done to Bookish boy and your good self for making it interesting and fun 👍👍👍👍

 

[gordyboy9]

Your enthusiasm throughout the A-Z has been very infectious and a pleasure to read of a morning whilst gnoring on my bran flakes.
Your like a kid at Christmas full of excitement.....
Don’t know what yer gonna do when it’s all over GB ?
Anyhow a big well done to Bookish boy and your good self for making it interesting and fun 👍👍👍👍

cheers baz,always been a morning person.