"The Queen's Speech": Morrissey on 2009, TTY

But I can't agree with the rest. I generally leave the debates over musicianship to others but imho there was a vitality to YOR that grabbed me instantly. As for lyrical content the album resonated with me on a very deep level. SISMS, AYNIM and YWGIYT to name just three are tracks that conveyed despair, poignancy and beauty on levels irrascible for the likes of Lily Allen.

AYNIM is a brilliant song, no two ways about it. Trouble is I loved it when I got the Greatest Hits album, so was sorta bored of it by the time I got to YoR. Still one of my faves though.

SISMS is a very good example of what I'm talking about though. There is nothing bad about it, it's a good track with a nice set of lyrics, however that's all it is. There is nothing special about it as far as I can see. A nice set of lyrics sung over a guitar and some drums - absolutely nothing to excite me. However, Allen's "Everyones At It" is, to my mind, a nice little spin on a similar, if not the same, theme - both opening the album with a track about drugs and their place in society.

YWGIT is a song that doesn't sit right with me - perhaps if I saw it live then I'd change my mind, like Pigsty, but as it stands it's a bit plodding. Someone on here described it as "what I imagine other people who don't like Morrissey hear when they listen to other Morrissey songs" and I think that's my problem with it.

Meh, I think people are getting the wrong impression of me on here, as I said above I love Morrissey - but I really, REALLY think this album has been much below par (and for the record I loved 'AYNIM' and '...Carol' and even quite liked the rest of it - but just didn't find it on the whole a very rewarding listen).
 
I love you Morrissey. I can picture you typing this all warm and cozy while drinking some tea in a dark room.

Love you always
Chris

That's what I imagined him doing too. :) I must again say how nice I think it was that he took the time to write that for us.

I think we all got a lovely (pre-)christmas present today! Let's celebrate! :love:

Agreed. Virtual Grey Goose all round! :D
 
Re: Morrissey on 2009, TTY

we are talking about darkness, you is a black cloud

you say dat as it it was a bad ting.

Whoopeedoo. :) I have decided I shall be spending the whole of 2010 in the Shalbourne Suite getting paw massages and whatnot to restore my faith in humanity. In fact the NHS should make that a National Priority.

For 2010 I wish people not money (hard to come by these days), not love (same), but two equally rare things, health and fun.

Bright sunshiny 2010 everyone.
Having just learned that the sun is a record contract, I shall be spending the last days of 2009 wondering if Anaxagoras was a rapper. (As if that terrible cold didn't make me sleepy enough... :rolleyes:)
 
Is this Morrissey's equivalent of the dreaded Christmas round robin letter? I might print a copy of and stick it inside a pretend Christmas card from mozzer!!!!

An enjoyable read all the same.
 
I find it unlikely that Morrissey gave this statement to TTY as a written piece. The spelling of 'favorites' and 'honor' are the American spelling. Therefore he probably gave the statement verbally, which makes me wonder whether it was over the phone or in person? I know this isn't relevant or even that interesting, just something I noticed.
 
Wot, no Vauxhall???

I guess most people agree that Vauxhall is his best solo album. But that's from my (or our) point of view, which is merely playing the record.

Maybe for him it's more of what that album or that period represented to him. Maybe he had better experiences while recording Ringleader as opposed to when he recorded Vauxhall.

I think that when he says his favorites albums are his last three, he's probably not taking into consideration only the quality of the music, but also how he felt when he was recording them.
 
Thanks for the statement Morrissey, and set aside the doubts and head down under! :thumb:.
 
Re: Morrissey on 2009, TTY

I absolutely believe that YoR is one of the worst albums of Morrissey's career - not because there is anything that bad on there, but because it is absolutely tired and uninspiring. The songs are nice enough to listen to, but they don't mean anything much to me.

I think the YoR lyrics are the funniest thing we've heard since the day we were born in 1975. Never ceases to make me chuckle. Admittedly a lot more private jokes than public word twists and double entendres twists this time around... I'd say YoR is my third favorite, with Quarry at #2 and ROTT at #1. I know almost everyone disagrees with me on this, except for Moz, which is validating. The last three albums rock and must surely be fun to play.

listen to them instead?

LOL! Indeed!

Going through a very commercial (Gaga, Lily Allen, PSB) pop phase at the moment

Well, if you think Lada Gagag is better than YoR...

Thanks for writing this Morrissey. I love watching your interviews and reading your words, you're like one of my favorite stand up comics. And I think your autobiography is going to rival Nabokov's Speak Memory. You should write more often.
 
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I find it unlikely that Morrissey gave this statement to TTY as a written piece. The spelling of 'favorites' and 'honor' are the American spelling. Therefore he probably gave the statement verbally, which makes me wonder whether it was over the phone or in person?

I disagree. It's way too long to dictate verbally. Plus with all his past pains at having people misquote him, the importance of grammar etc., I doubt he would leave even spelling to anyone's interpretation. I suppose it's possible that he could have hand written it onto paper or fax, but that seems to have the same issues of being inefficient and prone to human error.

It's possible that a spell checker or a human changed the spelling. Or, since he's been living in America for so long and uses a lot of American colloquialisms (e.g. "welfare house"), it's possible he himself chose the spelling. My vote is for one of these two, especially the latter.
 
That was very touching.

The landscape of familiar faces who have replaced the Irregular Regulars, and who attend as many of the concerts as possible, continue to astound me. I don't know how – or even why – they attend so many. It is remarkable, and the financial costs must wipe them out for good. I am repeatedly honored and speechless by their dedication.
 
That was very touching.

The landscape of familiar faces who have replaced the Irregular Regulars, and who attend as many of the concerts as possible, continue to astound me. I don't know how – or even why – they attend so many. It is remarkable, and the financial costs must wipe them out for good. I am repeatedly honored and speechless by their dedication.

It was. I got a little choked up.
 
What a great statement from Morrissey!
As for Dublin being the number one gig, glad he loved it as much as we did.
Thanks for sharing and clarifying. One in the eye for the moaners and nay-sayers.
 
YOR and ROTT are, for me, pinnacles of Morrissey's solo output, along with YA and Maladjusted. As always, these things are completely subjective.

And Dublin was indeed one hell of a gig. :thumb:

Great minds think alike:thumb:
 
Re: Morrissey on 2009, TTY

I was about to write my own response and then read this and thought "Yes!"

I understand what you are trying to say, but it's not 1992 anymore... Nor is he writing songs from the 33 year old Morrissey pov. What people don't seem to take into account is the fact that if an artist were to try and recreate some moment in the past, they would usually get slated to the bone, probably lose a bit of integrity, and look a bit stupid along the way. The songs that he writes are about him, not us... I would feel personally a bit cheated if he had set out to produce another Your Arsenal or a Vauxhall & I, just because they were critical successes and to try and please people like you and I. Morrissey is 50 now, not 33, and while his current music might mean less to you than it did back then, it means everything to me because he is still here, and he is staying true to himself, rather than worrying about whether some of the long-time fans are going to accept it or not. People's lives change directions all of the time, so obviously an artist's craft and outlook changes as well. If you don't like his current direction, maybe you should have a word with yourself and see if there's maybe someone else that can feel your needs (this isn't just to dizzywhore, it's to anyone that feels this way). I didn't think Loaded was as much of a masterpiece as White Light/White Heat, but I didn't take that too personally, nor would I tell another Velvet fan that they are insane for thinking that loaded was the best thing they had ever done. I for one am grateful that he is still here, and still making music, and I can appreciate the fact that I can listen to something like It's Not Your Birthday Anymore and still feel just as much emotion and joy as I did when I was 17 and listened to Now My Heart is Full for the first time. That is what makes him so special to me personally, and the reason why I am so elated that he is still making music today. I have been a die-hard Morrissey/Smiths fan since 1987, and I think Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbed is one of the best songs he has ever, ever done. Am I crazy? I guess so...
 
Re: Morrissey on 2009, TTY

you say dat as it it was a bad ting.

Whoopeedoo. :) I have decided I shall be spending the whole of 2010 in the Shalbourne Suite getting paw massages and whatnot to restore my faith in humanity. In fact the NHS should make that a National Priority.

For 2010 I wish people not money (hard to come by these days), not love (same), but two equally rare things, health and fun.

Bright sunshiny 2010 everyone.
Having just learned that the sun is a record contract, I shall be spending the last days of 2009 wondering if Anaxagoras was a rapper. (As if that terrible cold didn't make me sleepy enough... :rolleyes:)

you do not use me for her cheap commentaries, I wish long vacations for morrissey, I like more when his fans are desperate, determination has not price , it has not feelings.
 
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