Morrissey's "Vauxhall and I" at 20 - The Mouth Magazine

That is a really excellent article. Thanks for the link.

P.

 

[Anonymous]

... either the author is reading this page, or someone else has been emailing them to inform them of the mistake.

... or worked it out for him / her self?

America is not the world.

 

[Young And Alive]

It's very tidy, but the song was written at latest in early 1993 and recorded that summer. By that timeline, we're back to 1981 which predated JM's first visit to Morrissey's house.

It may not refer to anyone real for all we know. The Melville reference could be a red herring.

True but I imagine it would have been written and recorded in the knowledge that V&I wasn't to be released until '94.

The song to me is like the "bury the hatchet" conversation Morrissey wishes he could have with Marr, but of course is too stubborn to (although according to Autobiography they did patch things up, of sorts, at some point between the V&I era and the court case).

"I would lose both of my legs
Oh, if it meant you could be free"

It's like saying he would do anything to make peace with Marr and allow them both to shake off the bad blood between them.

"Don't leave us in the dark" - included as a direct message to Marr - "come and talk to me".

Morrissey of course has said that his songs are very personal to him and if Billy Budd isn't about Marr then I would be surprised.

 

[King Leer]

Interesting.
Billy Budd isn't in that collection (because it's not a poem) -- my guess is that Morrissey saw this particular book of collected works in which "John Marr" and "Billy Budd" are side by side and thought Budd's liked-by-everyone character was a fitting avatar.

Yes. There's a Melville collection called John Marr and Other Sailors. I told this to Johnny Rogan about twenty years ago and I'm pretty sure he mentioned it in one of his books.

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Was going to write the same thing. Morrissey is very aware of all details around a release.

True but I imagine it would have been written and recorded in the knowledge that V&I wasn't to be released until '94.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Don't leave us in the dark...

 

[Bluebirds]

What a great read. They were giddy times to be sure for a young, impressionable Morrissey fan (well I was 19, what could I know)

And it remains one of my favourite albums of all time, probably one I return to more than any of The Smiths albums. Hence I can forgive Morrissey almost anything

 

[Jamie]

True but I imagine it would have been written and recorded in the knowledge that V&I wasn't to be released until '94.

The song to me is like the "bury the hatchet" conversation Morrissey wishes he could have with Marr, but of course is too stubborn to (although according to Autobiography they did patch things up, of sorts, at some point between the V&I era and the court case).

"I would lose both of my legs
Oh, if it meant you could be free"

It's like saying he would do anything to make peace with Marr and allow them both to shake off the bad blood between them.

"Don't leave us in the dark" - included as a direct message to Marr - "come and talk to me".

Morrissey of course has said that his songs are very personal to him and if Billy Budd isn't about Marr then I would be surprised.

Alas, V&I was originally slated for release in the latter part of 1993 but got pushed back.

"If it meant you could be free" doesn't very well apply to Marr, does it? What was he entrapped by at the time? Besides, since basically the court case, Morrissey has felt the need to point out that Johnny's departure from the Smiths left HIM holding the bag with EMI. Wouldn't it follow that his freedom is the issue at hand? Bear in mind: just a year or so later, he featured a character in a video smashing a gold record from Parlophone (EMI's label).

All this said, I have no strong attachment as to whether "Billy Budd" is about Johnny Marr or not. My intention is to point out the received wisdom that it DEFINITELY is is based on rather blurry "facts." Really, I think it all started with Rogan's supposition - and he usually has an agenda.

 

[The Bicycle Tragedy]

I can't see anywhere on that article where it says it tells the story of the sessions. It does say that Bridgwood and Taylor offer their memories and Boorer offers additional comment.

Try reading the article; you might see it then. If that's too much of a chore; then let me distill it for you: a story is a retelling of events that depict a circumstance or moment in time as pertains to a specific event; i.e. in this case the recording of an album, what went into it as far as personnel, song development, and external but contextual nuances/personal nostalgia were concerned, and the environment surrounding the overall process.

But by all means, please go on trying to sound intelligent.

 

[Anonymous]

I prefer the gutsy and edgy songs on Southpaw Grammar. Vauxhall is wonderful but it would not wake up the lazy sunbathers. A menacing Mick Ronsonish guitar riff would have given Speedway a monumental lift that it needs. Like some cat from Japan.


"Anyway Vauxhall is a good LP but I think and have always thought that it is too soft. I don't feel it has the legendary, great-for-eternity feel that You Arsenal does. There are a couple of weak songs, let's be honest. And overall the production is too fuzzy and timid and quiet....oh, sorry, I mean "gentle and nuanced."[/QUOTE]

 

[modrevolve]

Boz is the king of the one sentence answer

 

[celibate]

Sorry to say but totally ignoring Alain Whyte , about Vauxhall makes me sad, Alain deserves more credit

Seems in camp Morrissey , as Gary and Spencer he's an avoid issue .

'and they say he's mentall' ... Whyteside and I ...

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry to say but totally ignoring Alain Whyte , about Vauxhall makes me sad, Alain deserves more crtedit

Perhaps he wasn't available, or was unwilling to talk?
I don't think he was ignored, it just focused more on Boz's songwriting for the album.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe Alain just declined to be interviewed about it?

 

[Hornyssey]

"Come back to Candem" belongs to Vauxhall and I, VAI is a beautiful album, Hold on to your friends, Used to be a sweet boy, Now my heart is full, such a touching songs!

 

[Anaesthesine]

Thanks for the link - very interesting although (as others have mentioned) I would have loved to have heard from Alain Whyte.

Vauxhall is the only Morrissey or Smiths album that I still regularly listen to from beginning to end. It's a great work of alchemy (as all the best albums are).

 

[Anonymous]

Vauxhall is the only Morrissey or Smiths album that I still regularly listen to from beginning to end.

It's the only album in the entire Smiths or Moz canon that works as a complete piece like that, I think.

 

[pluck]

I just can say "Vauxhall and I = Masterpiece"

 

[bhops]

Interesting.
Billy Budd isn't in that collection (because it's not a poem) -- my guess is that Morrissey saw this particular book of collected works in which "John Marr" and "Billy Budd" are side by side and thought Budd's liked-by-everyone character was a fitting avatar.



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Was going to write the same thing. Morrissey is very aware of all details around a release.

I agree I think it was about Marr. I have heard Morrissey change the lyric "12 years on" to various other years when he has done this live and it coincides with around the time he and Marr met or at least released their first single. Lyrically this does sound like (to me) a sequel to 'Hand in Glove.'

 

[King Leer]

Had forgotten about the year changes in live renditions -- good point!
And never thought of it as a spiritual successor to Hand in Glove. Nice.

I agree I think it was about Marr. I have heard Morrissey change the lyric "12 years on" to various other years when he has done this live and it coincides with around the time he and Marr met or at least released their first single. Lyrically this does sound like (to me) a sequel to 'Hand in Glove.'

 

[celibate]

Perhaps he wasn't available, or was unwilling to talk?
I don't think he was ignored, it just focused more on Boz's songwriting for the album.

Alain wrote songs for Vauxhall & I, he was also there , how can the 3 ignoring him?

I can understand that the inteviewer just talked with Boz, Bridgewood and Taylor about their
point of vieuw and own story about the masterpiece album,you're right about that

let's say, Alain's name will never disapear on lots of albums as co writer.

'and they say he's mentall' .... no one can hold a candle, but I do...

 

[LizSK2]

Wonderful Moz article but I must say something about the whole Madstock incident that never gets said.

A fairly decent amount of the Madness audience, historically, have been skinheads. And I mean in those days, in the 80s, the real ones - NF supporters, and worse. I know this because a friend of mine is a former neo-Nazi skinhead and he considered the NF to be not extreme enough! (That's another story, he turned his back on it a long time ago)

Anyway, far-right supporters, including the NF, thought Moz was a pansy Commie. They hated him. They did not cheer him or appreciate what he was doing. Which was, in essence, adding a homoerotic subtext to their lives. When Moz played Madstock and waved that flag he was wearing a gold lame shirt! The skinheads went crazy and tried to storm the stage, pelting him with bottles.

This idea that somehow he was expressing interest, at best, or solidarity, at worst, with the far-right is utter, utter, utter guff. What he did on that day was a queer provocative act, if you ask me. He was baiting the Madness audience and they hated him for it.

I feel better getting that out!