Worst piece of music Morrissey’s been given?
- Thread starter brody
- Start date
To be precise, some music has not "been given" to Morrissey. It might be that way because he himself truncated the music to some loop or just took a part of it. Like Maladjusted (the song) was just a bit of a longer song written by Boz Boorer. If you listen to just the music, it goes nowhere, it's just like a long intro. The song is of course brilliant because of the lyrics and the vocals and the whole song works fine, but if you think that the music is too monotonous, that's not Boz's fault.
Jamie
Bluff, Ardour & Assoc.
By co-author, some with multiple clangers:
Street: Journalists Who Lie
Langer: Found, Found, Found
Nevin: Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye
Whyte: Sorrow Will Come In The End, The Father Who Must Be Killed
Boorer: You've Had Her, That's How People Grow Up, World Peace Is None Of Your Business, All The Young People Must Fall In Love
Tobias: I Just Want to See The Boy Happy, Kiss Me A Lot, I Bury The Living
Farrell: At Last I Am Born
Manzur: Earth Is The Loneliest Planet, Spent The Day In Bed, The Girl From Israel Who Wouldn't Kneel
Street: Journalists Who Lie
Langer: Found, Found, Found
Nevin: Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye
Whyte: Sorrow Will Come In The End, The Father Who Must Be Killed
Boorer: You've Had Her, That's How People Grow Up, World Peace Is None Of Your Business, All The Young People Must Fall In Love
Tobias: I Just Want to See The Boy Happy, Kiss Me A Lot, I Bury The Living
Farrell: At Last I Am Born
Manzur: Earth Is The Loneliest Planet, Spent The Day In Bed, The Girl From Israel Who Wouldn't Kneel
Jamie
Bluff, Ardour & Assoc.
I don't know - I think that's in "your mileage may vary" territory. The intro is a bit of a non-sequitur but it builds up the tension nicely, like a Broadway vamp or lead in to a musical number. And it's nice to have Boz's (probably) Telecaster front and center for once in the Tobias years.
The issue to my ears is the tatty synth strings, which plague a number of songs from Maladjusted forward. There have been murmurs over the years that Morrissey frowned on the use of animal products to string the stringed instruments - which is suspect logic considering the double-bass used prominently over the years. (And "fun fact": "cat gut strings" is a misnomer - they are typically made from cow or sheep intestines. No better but...) I honestly believe it's a cost-saving measure - especially since he had no problem with a maestro like Leone and a master arranger like Tony Visconti involved on Ringleader.
Imagine the vastly improved results with real strings on, say, "Lost." Or "My Life Is An Endless Succession of People Saying Goodbye." To name just two. The synth strings have been undercutting the live version of "Everyday Is Like Sunday" for over twenty years now - the studio version would be a shade of itself without the real strings.
ZOOM FROM GLOOM
LASCIATE OGNI SPERANZA!
Some are making suggestions that we may not all agree on, such as Found Found Found, which I think is a brilliant little number that’s strangely needed on KU.
If we can mentally separate the music from Morrissey’s contribution, then maybe I can see their choices. But most of the music is elevated by Morrissey’s touch.
But not all the time. I agree with @Amy that Children In Pieces is one of those songs that even Morrissey couldn’t help.
If we can mentally separate the music from Morrissey’s contribution, then maybe I can see their choices. But most of the music is elevated by Morrissey’s touch.
But not all the time. I agree with @Amy that Children In Pieces is one of those songs that even Morrissey couldn’t help.
Gregor Samsa
I straighten up, and my position is one of hope.
Yeah, I’ve always loved Found x3.
And how could I forget WPINOYB? Awful, awful song in every possible sense, not least musically.
And how could I forget WPINOYB? Awful, awful song in every possible sense, not least musically.
Lucifer Sam
الموت لأمريكا
Found, Found, Found is definitely one of the worst musically, and I don't know how he managed it, but Morrissey's vocal lines and vocalizing on it are actually worse than the music.
A
Anonymous
Guest
I don't get the hate for the music of Found Found Found - it's fab. I love the sleazy feel of the guitars, the subtle high hat groove on the drums and that immense fuzz bass sliding all over the place. If there's a slightly weaker aspect to it, it's Morrissey's lyric, which is not one of his strongest, but musically it's fire. 
its not for me but each to their own. If we all liked the same stuff and had the same opinion the world would be a very boring place.I don't get the hate for the music of Found Found Found - it's fab. I love the sleazy feel of the guitars, the subtle high hat groove on the drums and that immense fuzz bass sliding all over the place. If there's a slightly weaker aspect to it, it's Morrissey's lyric, which is not one of his strongest, but musically it's fire.
you enjoy it.
By the way, it’s a drum machine tapping those hi-hat grooves and not a real drummer……
A
Anonymous
Guest
'Rusholme Ruffians' - sure, it's a nice 'His Latest Flame' groove, but it's the same short chord sequence repeated over and over and over. It doesn't musically progress, or change, or go anywhere, just stays locked in the same mode throughout the entire song. Boring. In similar 'one idea repeated 250 times' territory, see 'The Hand That Rocks The Cradle'.
All of which raises the larger question - how much does any of this matter, when the ultimate value of the song is how the music and vocals work together? You can have the most basic musical backing turn into an absolutely great song once the vocals compliment it. On the other hand some great instrumental backing tracks have not led to good songs. Check out 'He Cried' - it's got a killer guitar line hidden behind all that murky production, but the song as a whole is no great shakes.
All of which raises the larger question - how much does any of this matter, when the ultimate value of the song is how the music and vocals work together? You can have the most basic musical backing turn into an absolutely great song once the vocals compliment it. On the other hand some great instrumental backing tracks have not led to good songs. Check out 'He Cried' - it's got a killer guitar line hidden behind all that murky production, but the song as a whole is no great shakes.
ZOOM FROM GLOOM
LASCIATE OGNI SPERANZA!
omg! I’ll never enjoy that song again!
JoeSellMozza
Well-Known Member
Sweetie Pie by a mile!
TheSmiths_1985
Hello, honky tonks 💋
At Last I Am Born. Every second of it is absolute dogshit.
And World Peace…, Israel, Mountjoy, Throwing My Arms Around Paris are a few more that spring to mind.
But maybe I’ve just been brainwashed by all you racists and haters on here.
And World Peace…, Israel, Mountjoy, Throwing My Arms Around Paris are a few more that spring to mind.
But maybe I’ve just been brainwashed by all you racists and haters on here.
ZOOM FROM GLOOM
LASCIATE OGNI SPERANZA!
Totally agree. One of my favorite b-sides. Boz I believe.
brody
Well-Known Member
The melody and chords as illustrated by Farrel’s remix are actually quite pleasant imo. Certainly not earth-shattering but not bad by any means
