The Moz/Smiths Top 100, Part 262: PEOPLE ARE THE SAME EVERYWHERE

[Houdini]

In 2007, and early 2008, I put up polls for all 234 then released Morrissey and The Smiths-songs. More than 40,000 votes were cast and this resulted in The Morrissey/Smiths Top 100, or indeed, The Morrissey/The Smiths Top 234. In 2009/2010 we updated this chart with the 25 new songs that were released in 2008-2010. The final results of 2010, the 'Top 259', can be viewed here. Now, 4 years on, many people have asked me to continue with the polls as since the last one 25 new Morrissey-songs have been released.
So we'll start with the songs that were released in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and we'll end with the 18 songs from World Peace Is None of Your Business.

So here it goes. Let's hope for as big a turn-out as in 2007 and 2010 and, once again, vote with your heart, not with your mind.

Song 262: People Are the Same Everywhere (Morrissey/Jesse Tobias)





Set me aside
You'll find people are the same everywhere
Hoist me from the herd
And people are the same everywhere
Then our Creator had to
Stumble and stall
And our Creator had to make
The biggest mistake of all
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Set me aside
And find people are the same everywhere
Scoop me from the group
And brutes are the same everywhere

Then our Creator had to
Stumble and stall
And our Creator had to make
The biggest mistake of all
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah
It's a shame, it's a shame
But people are the same everywhere
The land of the free and the home of the brave
Exist nowhere

Here in our loveless nation
We're all in a rush
To find a lover's touch
And when it's found
You wonder why it meant so much
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah
It's a shame, it's a shame
But people are the same

Previous polls:
Part 261: Safe, Warm Lancashire Home
Part 260: Treat Me Like a Human Being
Polls 259-1

EACH TIME YOU VOTE, YOU SUPPORT THE PROCESS!

 

[Jamie]

The self-deprecation is passable, but this is hands down the worst music Jesse Tobias has given Morrissey. No amount of prog rock keyboards and pointless sound effects can save it. Or my ears.

Frankly, I voted too fast - this is more a 2 or 3. I would vote it further down because of Morrissey's obstinate pride in it. We were subjected to it far too much.

 

[Abrahan]

Frankly, I voted too fast - this is more a 2 or 3.

I agree.
My initial vote was a 4 but then its a song that I can't stand and ends up stuck in my head.
The "Yeah, yeah, yeah" parts ring for days.

 

[Chickpea]

I gave it a 3. This may be my least favorite Morrissey song.

 

[Hornyssey]

I like the chorus:

Then our creator had to stumble and stall
And our creator had to make
The biggest mistake of all
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Moz really rocks the nobel prize concert with this tune

It's a 7 for me

 

[Detritus]

3.

Dull, plodding music and the lyrics are laughably trite. This song is everything I feared WPINOYB would be (thankfully, I was wrong).

I gave it a 3. This may be my least favorite Morrissey song.

Have you heard The Kid's a Looker?

 

[hand in glove]

I'm discovering that my song choices have changed greatly in four/five years...That's a good thing, I hope. Meaning, I must be voting on how I'm feeling at the moment. With PATSE, I'd have to put it in the middle somewhere. I like the upbeat swing and the jumpy pace of the song. I can identify with "The biggest mistake of all" part on any given day, so...

I'll give it a 5.

 

[Chickpea]

Have you heard The Kid's a Looker?

I have, but PATSE gets the lower vote because I saw him do it live so many times…and it just didn't improve. I never had to endure TKAL live.

At least that's my reasoning.

 

[Jamie]

I gave it a 3. This may be my least favorite Morrissey song.

I'd rather listen to Journalists Who Lie, The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye, or Get Off The Stage first - and, for me, that's saying something.

 

[Dothatagain?]

Wasn't sure whether this was uninspired or just plain rubbish, so I listened to it again today. It's rubbish. 3.

 

[fredkocherpepsi]

I gave it a "5".

 

[Anonymous]

The self-deprecation is passable

What self-depreciation? Did you miss the whole 'set me aside and find...' lyrics of the verses? It's actually one of his smuggest set of lyrics, by trying to state that everyone else in the world is boring and the same - expect for the genius of Morrissey, who stands apart from the rest of Creation. The only worthwhile lyrics in the whole mess, is the "Here in our loveless nation, we're all in a rush, to find a lover's touch, and when it's found you wonder why it meant so much" bit.
Otherwise the song is lyrically and musically boring, trite and repetitive, and one of the low points of his career. At best this should have slipped out as a quickly forgotten B side, instead he was hawking around as a song to try and get a record deal for about two years. I love Morrissey, and even I wouldn't sign him to release crap like this.

 

[Jamie]

What self-depreciation? Did you miss the whole 'set me aside and find...' lyrics of the verses? It's actually one of his smuggest set of lyrics, by trying to state that everyone else in the world is boring and the same - expect for the genius of Morrissey, who stands apart from the rest of Creation. The only worthwhile lyrics in the whole mess, is the "Here in our loveless nation, we're all in a rush, to find a lover's touch, and when it's found you wonder why it meant so much" bit.

You do realize he is using the smugness in the verse as set-up for the punch line: that HE is the biggest mistake of all? I read him as saying that he, too, is searching for the lover's touch so he is no better than anyone else. No argument on the banality of the music - or the general aridity of the theme.

 

[Eraserhead]

I will admit to giving it a 6. I've never really had a problem with this song, and I think the outrage has been over-the-top. There are some clever lyrics in there, and I like the general misanthropy. I like the energy of the music, also.

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

so not a fave of many of us what a surprise

 

[fredkocherpepsi]

I know I’ve said it before, but of those four “new” songs from the 25Live DVD, “Scandinavia” is definitely the best of the bunch, followed by “Action is my Middle Name” IMO. I can’t hear The Kids A Looker in my head right now at all. I’ll have to revisit in order to further rank.

 

[Maurice E Maher]

Good news folks.
This song is currently suffering the fate it so richly deserves.
Last place out of every single Morrissey/Smiths song ever written!

 

[Lionsy]

It's so tough to vote on a track that never had a real studio recording (Or perhaps it did and it'll be released some time), to give some real world comparison - I disliked the live version of Art Hounds and World Peace but I think the studio versions are incredible (In comparison). Either way, out of people are the same everywhere, the kids a looker and Action is my middle name, this was my least favourite of the tracks he did a few years back. (Rated 4)

 

[mattisek]

It's so tough to vote on a track that never had a real studio recording (Or perhaps it did and it'll be released some time), to give some real world comparison - I disliked the live version of Art Hounds and World Peace but I think the studio versions are incredible (In comparison). Either way, out of people are the same everywhere, the kids a looker and Action is my middle name, this was my least favourite of the tracks he did a few years back. (Rated 4)

Completely agree, voted 4 too.

 

[herzeleid]

A 2. The epitome of lyrically lethargic, curmudgeonly, god-as-a-crutch 21st century Mozzer.