One year on: Has anyone changed his or her mind about YATQ?

[Chill]

I haven't. I'm curious about what some of my friends and acquaintances here now think.

 

[Theo van Gogh Martyrs Brigade]

> I haven't. I'm curious about what some of my friends and acquaintances
> here now think.

One year on and the album keeps getting better, although it can't touch "Vauxhall."

Certainly you've finally grasped the loveliness that is "All the Lazy Dykes," no?

Although "I'm Not Sorry" is one I skip a lot.

I was particulrly happy with the A and B side, 1-2 punch of "I Have Forgiven Jesus"/"No One Can Hold A Candle To You" with the lovely cover of Morrissey the priest.

Also, in the more recent batch, "The Public Image" is one that pleases with a fine lyric.

What you see is what you get
And what you get may well be worth seeing
But just be careful when you walk
on those old broken stones
Because they are my feelings
Scrape beneath the surface and
You will find more Public Image
I used to have a childish dream
Until I had it kicked from me
I tried to pass myself off as a human being
But the truth soon exposed me
I had a love and she was very kind
But she was no match for the Public Image

Wish I could say the same for "The Slum Mums."

 

[Chill]

I've not bought any of the singles apart from IBEH. They were difficult to find abroad and when I did find them, they were ridiculously overpriced (often imports). Then there was the terrible exchange rate. I was like, forget it. So I can't yet remark on the recent b-sides. I see that when I track them down I'm in for more boring whingefests about the pitfalls of fame though. Can't wait. (That being said, I look forward to hearing a recording of "NOCHACTY," which was gorgeous live -- a concert highlight.)

I still find Quarry -- all of it -- cringeworthy. "All The Lazy Dykes" actually remains one of the tracks I like the least. Musically boring. Lyrically ridiculous. Mitigating factor: it actually has a melody (however weak) unlike most of Quarry's tracks.

 

[Theo van Gogh Martyrs Brigade]

> I've not bought any of the singles apart from IBEH. They were difficult to
> find abroad and when I did find them, they were ridiculously overpriced
> (often imports). Then there was the terrible exchange rate. I was like,
> forget it. So I can't yet remark on the recent b-sides. I see that when I
> track them down I'm in for more boring whingefests about the pitfalls of
> fame though. Can't wait. (That being said, I look forward to hearing a
> recording of "NOCHACTY," which was gorgeous live -- a concert
> highlight.)

You can get most of them on the deluxe edition of the album, although Sanctuary made sure to release that before the final single so they could claim it contained "all the b-sides" even though it didn't.

I can understand your gripe about whining over fame. But I find that one witty, and it's the only one with that theme. And he's gotta sing his life.

Here's how I rank the b-sides

THE BEST
It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small
No One Can Hold A Candle To You
My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye
The Public Image
The Never-Played Symphonies

THE ALSO GOOD
Teenage Dad On His Estate
Friday Mourning
I Am Two People
Munich Air Disaster*

THE JUST "OK"
Mexico
Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
Slum Mums

*Much better on "Live At Earl's Court."

> I still find Quarry -- all of it -- cringeworthy. "All The Lazy
> Dykes" actually remains one of the tracks I like the least. Musically
> boring. Lyrically ridiculous. Mitigating factor: it actually has a melody
> (however weak) unlike most of Quarry's tracks.

IMO "Dykes" has the most Smithsy feel on the album! Maybe it's just me.

I guess if you haven't taken a liking to the album by now, you never will.
I hope someday you'll dust it off and hear it how some of us hear it, though.

 

[please]

> I still find Quarry -- all of it -- cringeworthy. "All The Lazy
> Dykes" actually remains one of the tracks I like the least. Musically
> boring. Lyrically ridiculous. Mitigating factor: it actually has a melody
> (however weak) unlike most of Quarry's tracks.

what's so ridiculous about the lyrics, they are quite simple yet clever.

 

[Chill]

I addressed my gripes with this songs themes and lyrics ad nauseum a year ago. I doubt anyone cares to see me rehash them.

 

[Chill]

> You can get most of them on the deluxe edition of the album, although
> Sanctuary made sure to release that before the final single so they could
> claim it contained "all the b-sides" even though it didn't.

Paint a vulgar picture...

> I can understand your gripe about whining over fame. But I find that one
> witty, and it's the only one with that theme. And he's gotta sing his
> life.

I suppose, but all of this talk about journalists and "evil legal eagles" and so forth says nothing to me about my life.

> I guess if you haven't taken a liking to the album by now, you never will.
> I hope someday you'll dust it off and hear it how some of us hear it,
> though.

We'll see! I do listen to it periodically.

 

[Theo van Gogh Martyrs Brigade]

> I addressed my gripes with this songs themes and lyrics ad nauseum a year
> ago. I doubt anyone cares to see me rehash them.

We like to rehash a lot around here, so don't let that stop ya.

 

[Theo van Gogh Martyrs Brigade]

> We'll see! I do listen to it periodically.

What is your favorite album of 2005, so far? I find it hard to find one this year that is anywhere near as good as Moz's last year.

I'm quite taken with Regina Spektor "Soviet Kitsch" though. I'll be checking out the Dears soon.

 

[Chill]

I was unable to follow music very closely while I was away. Not only was I busy with the language, life experience and loads of schoolwork, but Paris just is not a great city for people who are into my kind of music. Few artists I'm interested in toured there during my stay (apart from Morrissey, who I did go see). Availability of new non-French artists I would be interested in is limited (especially at affordable prices). Music television and radio there are even more abysmal than they are in the States.

That being said, my favorite albums of this year (or of late 2004 -- I could be a bit shaky on the timing) are Patrick Wolf's sophomore album "Wind in the Wires" and French chanteuse Camille's "Le fil." My favorite single of the year is the Gorillaz's "Feel Good, Inc."

 

[Chill]

that should read "availability of albums by non-French artists..."

 

[please]

> We like to rehash a lot around here, so don't let that stop ya.

I agree, i would love to hear your take on the song, and what the lyrics mean.

 

[Seriously Flawed not right in the head]

one year on? what about ten years gone?

 

[Chill]

Okay, if you insist. I'll try to summarize my problems with it (I'll be drawing on old posts of mine -- after a year away, my English ain't what it used to be).

I found it annoying how lesbianism is portrayed as a liberating choice for all or most women when lesbian culture is stratified just as heterosexual culture is. Removing men from the equation does not, for instance, necessarily guarantee a full escape from traditional masculine/feminine gender roles, objectification or abuse. It's almost like Morrissey is saying the only choices one has as a woman are either to be just "somebody's wife" or to be a lesbian. Of course, the song can also be interpreted as a call to closeted lesbians who have chosen to live as straight women to accept themselves and their true orientation, which is fine. However, it seems a bit odd for somebody who would not seem to have come to grips with his own sexuality to be telling others to get their act together.

I will concede that "legs astride their bikes, indigo burns on their arms" does constitute some stunning imagery. Other lines from the song are very cheesy ("one sweet day, an emotional whirl," "never felt so alive," "at last your life begins").

 

[Seriously Flawed not right in the head]

> Okay, if you insist. I'll try to summarize my problems with it (I'll be
> drawing on old posts of mine -- after a year away, my English ain't what
> it used to be).

> I found it annoying how lesbianism is portrayed as a liberating choice for
> all or most women when lesbian culture is stratified just as heterosexual
> culture is. Removing men from the equation does not, for instance,
> necessarily guarantee a full escape from traditional masculine/feminine
> gender roles, objectification or abuse. It's almost like Morrissey is
> saying the only choices one has as a woman are either to be just
> "somebody's wife" or to be a lesbian. Of course, the song can
> also be interpreted as a call to closeted lesbians who have chosen to live
> as straight women to accept themselves and their true orientation, which
> is fine. However, it seems a bit odd for somebody who would not seem to
> have come to grips with his own sexuality to be telling others to get
> their act together.

> I will concede that "legs astride their bikes, indigo burns on their
> arms" does constitute some stunning imagery. Other lines from the
> song are very cheesy ("one sweet day, an emotional whirl,"
> "never felt so alive," "at last your life begins").

I must agree I felt exactly the same.
The messaage was you are either subservient or a lesbian?

Eh? Sorry!

He'a missed the whole plot with this one.

If liberation equals lesbianism...well ..I ask you.
Obviously, I don't have to ask you but...you get the drift.

 

[Theo van Gogh Martyrs Brigade]

> I found it annoying how lesbianism is portrayed as a liberating choice for
> all or most women when lesbian culture is stratified just as heterosexual
> culture is. Removing men from the equation does not, for instance,
> necessarily guarantee a full escape from traditional masculine/feminine
> gender roles, objectification or abuse. It's almost like Morrissey is
> saying the only choices one has as a woman are either to be just
> "somebody's wife" or to be a lesbian. Of course, the song can
> also be interpreted as a call to closeted lesbians who have chosen to live
> as straight women to accept themselves and their true orientation, which
> is fine.

I take the latter interpretation. I don't see why anyone would think he'd be suggesting that heterosexual women would be "freeing themselves" by NOT being themselves.

Perhaps the line "They pity how you live, just 'somebody's wife', you give, and you give" could be seen as them looking down on ALL wives everywhere, but that would only be because they're so happy themselves, and in truth all they really mean is that perhaps they've been down the road of living a lie before they found their new lives.

"Free yourself, Be yourself, Come to the Palms and see yourself, and at last your life begins" is the key line. Specific to the scene, it's saying there are others out there who would see themselves if they saw these dykes. More universally, it's saying that everyone should free themselves and be themselves if they want to be happy and really live. It doesn't have to apply just to the context of homosexuality.

>However, it seems a bit odd for somebody who would not seem to
> have come to grips with his own sexuality to be telling others to get
> their act together.

I wonder how confused Morrissey is about his sexuality, and how much he just wants to keep his private life private and his music not filed under a "music for gay people" category.

But assuming that he hasn't come to grips fully with his sexuality, did you ever think that he observed a scene at the Palms and admired and even envied the people he saw, wishing HE could be more like them? Maybe he's telling HIMSELF he wishes he could free himself, too?

 

[lutewhine]

Opinion? No change. And not in a good way.

> I haven't. I'm curious about what some of my friends and acquaintances
> here now think.

Until I transferred it to my MP3 player a couple of weeks ago, it hadn't been on the hifi since the runup to the Earls Court gig.

I don't think it's a particularly great album, if I'm honest. There's a lot of very ordinary stuff on there.

Highlights:

America Is Not The World
Irish Blood English Heart
Come Back To Camden
Let Me Kiss You
I Like You
You Know I Couldn't Last

The rest I can see skipping past on a regular basis. I know it's a controversial stance, but I even First Of The Gang... underwhelming on record - it's so much better live it's scary.

Have to say that I was hugely disappointed with almost all of the B-sides. Other than Hard To Walk Tall, Munich and the Never Played Symphonies, I can't see myself digging any of the others out for a relisten in a hurry.

In the overall scheme of solo albums, it lags way behind Vauxhall, Your Arsenal and Viva Hate for me.

I wouldn't have changed the experience of being a Moz fan in 2004 for anything though, so even if I struggle to love the record, I've got so many fantastic memories from the year that surrounded it (the five shows I went to, listening to the charts for the first time in about a decade, the umpteen TV appearances) that picking it up off the shelf will never fail to make me smile.