Morrissey Central "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DARLING" (November 7, 2023)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DARLING

You Are The Quarry will be 20 years old in 2024.

The album sold over 1 million copies.
Sweden #1
England #1*
Ireland #3
Norway #5
Finland #8
Portugal #10
USA #11

As usual, the album was not well received by the UK press, where it was certified as Platinum.
You Are The Quarry was the only album of 2004 that managed four top ten hit singles.
Irish Blood, English Heart #3
First Of The Gang To Die #6
Let me Kiss You #8
I Have Forgiven Jesus #10

There is no commemorative issue planned for You Are the Quarry, which was licensed to BMG UK in 2017 for new release.
BMG did not re-issue You Are the Quarry and have no plans to.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DARLING - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DARLING

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY on MORRISSEY CENTRAL

www.morrisseycentral.com

* = edited by Central to #2 after initial posting.
FWD.

 

[Morrisays]

I always liked the YATQ tracks live best. The production on that album was awful then and now. As a whole, the record is fine but nothing special. Aside from First of the Gang - that one is still great. I much preferred Ringleader and still do. That was the last of his I liked all the way through and the production was so much better IMO. But it's all subjective, of course.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I always liked the YATQ tracks live best. The production on that album was awful then and now. As a whole, the record is fine but nothing special. Aside from First of the Gang - that one is still great. I much preferred Ringleader and still do. That was the last of his I liked all the way through and the production was so much better IMO. But it's all subjective, of course.

Yep, wish Visconti mixed YATQ.

 

[Jacob Grease-Smog]

He writes about himself like he's some independent observer. Self absorbed to the point of near combustion. the self pity has really reached unbearable levels. Bar an ever dwindling fan base, people really don't care and have far greater concerns in the world that his woe is me drivel. He leads a privileged existence and hasn't a clue about most people's reality, similar to a Tory MP.

 

[goinghome]

faded annual

Thanks Erik. I was about to log off when this thread was started and rushed a comment but in fear of misremembering, googled the song quote. So much for t'internet. Is solo the most accurate place for lyrics, or where do people find best?

 

[goinghome]

I know this is controversial - but I've always thought Moz's voice would sound great on a proper dance track - à la John Lydon on Open Up. The dark gloom of his voice would sound amazing against a booming drum beat I think. Talk about point / counterpoint. Just do it once, of course. The very sound of his voice has always been his most remarkable of talents - even more so than his lyrics.

There was an effort made with This Charming Man in 1983:

In December 1983, DJ François Kevorkian released a "New York" mix of the single on Megadisc records.[23] Kevorkian geared the song for nightclub dancefloors, and the track was intended to be pressed in limited numbers for New York club DJs. However, Rough Trade boss Geoff Travis liked the mix and gave the release wide distribution in the UK. Morrissey publicly disowned the mix, and urged fans not to purchase copies. Travis later claimed, "it was my idea, but they agreed. They said 'Go ahead', then didn't like it so it was withdrawn." He also said, "Nothing that ever happened in The Smiths occurred without Morrissey's guidance; there's not one Smiths record that went out that Morrissey didn't ask to do, so there's nothing on my conscience."

This version goes much farther

 

[yesnowinlose]

This is a great album, but, in my opinion, it has a significant drawback – a 'rattley' sound. Perhaps this is Jerry Finn's thing as a producer; some of the albums by other artists under his leadership also seem really deafening to me. I would really like to hear YATQ in a more refined form.

In addition to powerful hits and b-sides, even lackluster songs are somehow catchy. I really like Let Me Kiss You: everything about it is beautiful.
Perhaps the release of YATQ at that time was the most successful way to remind oneself, and Morrissey succeeded.

 

[Anonymous]

For me, the production is just too sterile. Everything sounds very plastic and 'safe', when I would have preferred something with a bit more character and bite. Most of the live versions around this period sounds superior.

But, at the time, after years in the wilderness, this was Morrissey big make-or-break comeback album, so I do understand why he played it safe. It achieved all he wanted at the time, which was radio play and big mainstream hits, so in its own way - it worked.

 

[Erik]

Thanks Erik. I was about to log off when this thread was started and rushed a comment but in fear of misremembering, googled the song quote. So much for t'internet. Is solo the most accurate place for lyrics, or where do people find best?

When I read “teenage” something jumped out at me like “have been hearing wrong all these years??” So I went back and listened again to make certain
Teenage could work tho

 

[Dead Girl]

Glad you got one, if you've got Swords LP all the enhanced tracks are on there. Its a very under appreciated LP i think, full of great tunes.

Swords is a must have album, in my humble opinion, but then again I'm a fanatic who wants to own everything he's ever done.