If Bona Drag had been released?

[Anonymous]

As I`m sure we all know, Morrissey cancelled the Bona Drag album in the middle of recording after Ouija Board was murdered by the critics. But based on the finished songs, how do people think it would have fared if it had been completed?

I guess along with the three singles Ouija Board, November and Piccadilly Palare that Striptease, Oh Phoney, He Knows I`d Love to See Him and Girl Least Likely To would have been likely inclusions. Would this album have done Morrissey`s career untold damage? Or did it have the potential to be better than Kill Uncle?

 

[Jamie]

As I`m sure we all know, Morrissey cancelled the Bona Drag album in the middle of recording after Ouija Board was murdered by the critics. But based on the finished songs, how do people think it would have fared if it had been completed?

I guess along with the three singles Ouija Board, November and Piccadilly Palare that Striptease, Oh Phoney, He Knows I`d Love to See Him and Girl Least Likely To would have been likely inclusions. Would this album have done Morrissey`s career untold damage? Or did it have the potential to be better than Kill Uncle?

I suspect it would have been patchy, at best. Assume that he would follow the trend of the time and exclude Yes, I Am Blind and East West as previously released B-sides. The available material recorded at Hook End in 1989 would have included:

Released Songs:
Ouija Board, Ouija Board
November Spawned a Monster
He Knows I'd Love To See Him
Girl Least Likely To
Piccadilly Palare
Get Off The Stage

Unreleased Songs from Same Session:
Striptease With a Difference
Oh Phoney

Assuming At Amber / The Bed Took Fire added as a cleanup and the recording of Journalists Who Lie (co-written by Street) one session earlier instead of during the Kill Uncle sessions, you're at 10 songs. Add the Ouija Board B-sides and you have a 12 song album. BUT then the cupboard is bare for non-album B-sides. Frankly, those 12 songs do not add up to an impressive album. I think he inadvertently chose the right course, even if it did shipwreck some of the finer B-sides from the era. Get Off The Stage and Journalists Who Lie would not fit well on an album - and likely would not have been well-received.

 

[Musician]

As I`m sure we all know, Morrissey cancelled the Bona Drag album in the middle of recording after Ouija Board was murdered by the critics. But based on the finished songs, how do people think it would have fared if it had been completed?

I guess along with the three singles Ouija Board, November and Piccadilly Palare that Striptease, Oh Phoney, He Knows I`d Love to See Him and Girl Least Likely To would have been likely inclusions. Would this album have done Morrissey`s career untold damage? Or did it have the potential to be better than Kill Uncle?

Listen, I totally love all the singles form that period, and i think scrapping ''Striptease'' is a shame. Love Oh Phoney (the full instrumental version, not the released one). Like all the B-sides that made onto the actual Bona Drag, but....I think it would have been the same disappointment as Kill Uncle was. An album needs cohesion, and there wasn't any until ''Your Arsenal'' then, of course ''Vauxhall'', his masterpiece. Those songs are great, but not album material.

 

[Tynamuna]

I don't know what you guys are on. The songs on bona drag the comp was great I would have loved a full album. Maybe some more songs needed adding but the album was like a bowl of different colured pop candies. Not the strongest lyrics(still very strong) but the melodies absolutely amazing. Bona is top notch. Critics be damned !

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not a fan of Bona Drag. It's too pop-sounding. Give me YA or Vauxhall any day.

 

[sander]

I suspect it would have been patchy, at best. Assume that he would follow the trend of the time and exclude Yes, I Am Blind and East West as previously released B-sides. The available material recorded at Hook End in 1989 would have included:

Released Songs:
Ouija Board, Ouija Board
November Spawned a Monster
He Knows I'd Love To See Him
Girl Least Likely To
Piccadilly Palare
Get Off The Stage

Unreleased Songs from Same Session:
Striptease With a Difference
Oh Phoney

Assuming At Amber / The Bed Took Fire added as a cleanup and the recording of Journalists Who Lie (co-written by Street) one session earlier instead of during the Kill Uncle sessions, you're at 10 songs. Add the Ouija Board B-sides and you have a 12 song album. BUT then the cupboard is bare for non-album B-sides. Frankly, those 12 songs do not add up to an impressive album. I think he inadvertently chose the right course, even if it did shipwreck some of the finer B-sides from the era. Get Off The Stage and Journalists Who Lie would not fit well on an album - and likely would not have been well-received.

As far as I know the Bona Drag sessions have to be seperated form the Ouija Board recording sessions.
7 tracks were completed for the planned "original Bona Drag" - Piccadilly Palare, Get off the stage (different to the released version), Striptease, November, He knows, Girl least likely and Oh Phony (full band version)- before plans were scrapped.....

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses guys.

My feeling is that the album had the potential to be better than Kill Uncle perhaps (With November certainly being a bigger high) but that it also would have been a lot weaker than Viva Hate.

Morrissey in this period was writing his “themed songs” and the lyrics seem more throwaway than heartfelt.

 

[Anonymouswithapologies]

As I`m sure we all know, Morrissey cancelled the Bona Drag album in the middle of recording after Ouija Board was murdered by the critics. But based on the finished songs, how do people think it would have fared if it had been completed?

I guess along with the three singles Ouija Board, November and Piccadilly Palare that Striptease, Oh Phoney, He Knows I`d Love to See Him and Girl Least Likely To would have been likely inclusions. Would this album have done Morrissey`s career untold damage? Or did it have the potential to be better than Kill Uncle?

what is exactly the point of this thread?

read this: http://www.morrissey-solo.com/threads/135086-Favorite-solo-albums-in-order

many say it might would have been his best album.


p.s. when we speak about music 'critic' and 'critique' - when i was very, very young i believed there were authorities in what is good and what is better than good BUT NOW I KNOW I AM (for myself) premium authority and the best critique.

 

[JDW]

It would have been a major success. For who? The true fans who love Morrissey for his lyrics and emotion, it probably would have faired about the same as kill uncle and if your wondering how bins drag would have been received the kill uncle is a good representation. Who cares about critics?

 

[Anonymous]

what is exactly the point of this thread?

read this: http://www.morrissey-solo.com/threads/135086-Favorite-solo-albums-in-order

many say it might would have been his best album.

They are talking about the compilation surely.

I think these songs also confirm how important Stephen Street was. His production was superb on those early songs.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree about streets production skills, it was very tight but I have an iffyer opinion on his songwriting side. girl least likely to really really should have been on an album. also its always hard to talk about things until you nail down the actual dates the songs were written and separate them from release dates which I'm not great at as I don't pay it that much attention. gives a clearer picture and waves a lot and f arguing. I will say thoguh that bona drag is my favorite moz album

 

[Anonymouswithapologies]

They are talking about the compilation surely.

I think these songs also confirm how important Stephen Street was. His production was superb on those early songs.

i agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! per-fection!




p.s. joe chiccarelli is excellent. 'world peace' is genuine beauty.