Morrissey’s vocal melodies
- Thread starter brody
- Start date
Lucifer Sam
الموت لأمريكا
And one of his best album covers too, in my opinion. Everything really comes together perfectly on Refusal.
A lot of people don't seem to like I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris, but I think it's fine. As a single it's not outstanding, but it nests nicely on the album, a pop confection that tempers the more chug-rock material, just as the velvety You Were Good In Your Time is well-placed after Birthday and before the two raucous closers.
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gordyboy9
He Punched The Highlights Out Of Her Hair.
yeah sam i dont mind paris,gets a bit of hate but its a decent catchy song.
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goinghome
you must not tamper with arrangements
I love Paris. It was played on national radio 8/3, followed by, In the Future When All's Well
Christian Dior is perfectly formed, like a mini-play, both ballad and biographical sketches capturing the attention every time. Not unlike Istanbul.
Thanks for this thread
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brody
Well-Known Member
Christian Dior’s gotta be in my top 5 Morrissey songs. An elegant waltz with intrigue, drama, sadness, self-loathing. To this day I think Christian Dior and Sweetie Pie should’ve been on Ringleader
gordyboy9
He Punched The Highlights Out Of Her Hair.
yip christian is very good,this was a very good period for M.I love Paris.
Christian Dior is perfectly formed, like a mini-play, both ballad and biographical sketches capturing the attention every time. Not unlike Istanbul.
Thanks for this thread
It’s in my top 5 as well. A crime it was never done live.
The Alchemist
How many times I've saved myself
What I find intriguing is how Morrissey decides to sing certain songs. From taking the lines he's written on the page, to melding them with the music, it's quite fascinating; the way the notes are stretched high and low, and the words elongated in certain places etc. He finds a way to synthesise the lyrical and musical components which usually results in perfection.
Then when you hear the song, it all sounds wonderful, and like it just couldn't be any other way.
Does anyone have any insight into this process?
I was listening to 'hold on to your friends' this morning as an example, and thinking about whether he had adjusted the music to suit how he wanted to sing it, or whether he had adjusted the singing to suit a particularly good sound that the band had produced.
Then when you hear the song, it all sounds wonderful, and like it just couldn't be any other way.
Does anyone have any insight into this process?
I was listening to 'hold on to your friends' this morning as an example, and thinking about whether he had adjusted the music to suit how he wanted to sing it, or whether he had adjusted the singing to suit a particularly good sound that the band had produced.
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Ashley_TakeABow
Well-Known Member
Maudlin Street. 
I can hear the pain in his voice the whole song, that just hits me so hard. That first "smack" sound as the track starts feels like a literal smack on my sternum which rattles into my heart. This song makes me cry 80% of the time. No other song does that to me. (Well, except for H. Hawkline's song "Denver"... but I digress.)
"Your gran died... and your mother died on Maudlin Street.. in pain and ashamed... with never time to say special things!"
He sounds lovely in this song. It's sad and yet I could fall asleep to it.
I can hear the pain in his voice the whole song, that just hits me so hard. That first "smack" sound as the track starts feels like a literal smack on my sternum which rattles into my heart. This song makes me cry 80% of the time. No other song does that to me. (Well, except for H. Hawkline's song "Denver"... but I digress.)"Your gran died... and your mother died on Maudlin Street.. in pain and ashamed... with never time to say special things!"
He sounds lovely in this song. It's sad and yet I could fall asleep to it.
The Alchemist
How many times I've saved myself
Maudlin Street.
"Your gran died... and your mother died on Maudlin Street.. in pain and ashamed... with never time to say special things!"
He sounds lovely in this song. It's sad and yet I could fall asleep to it.
Only 80% of the time?
Ashley_TakeABow
Well-Known Member
Yes, sometimes I'm in a happy headspace when I listen to it and it doesn't fully grasp me and pull me into sadness.
The Alchemist
How many times I've saved myself
I was just being Morrissey flippant
I can just imagine him saying in his wonderful voice:
'Ohhh, only 80% of the time? I cry every time I hear it'
'A happy headspace, what is that?'
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Gregor Samsa
I straighten up, and my position is one of hope.
If you haven’t already, you should seek out the original, unedited version. Far superior to the one that’s on Spotify.
brody
Well-Known Member
“Whenever you are, I hope you’re singing now…”
Moz has always made questionable choices while reissuing his albums. Including YA tracks on the reissues of Southpaw Grammar and Bona Drag, editing songs, shortening them, changing track lists.
An original Viva Hate LP is one of my most coveted
Ashley_TakeABow
Well-Known Member
I have the *remastered* Viva Hate vinyl... It sounds great on there. Is it different on the original version?
A
Anonymous
Guest
That "What have I done?!" phrasing in 'Istanbul' - a magnificent moment.
His soulful vocal exertions on the 'Rank' live version of 'I Know It's Over' knock Mick Hucknell out the park. Not literally, sadly.
That brooding, sombre baritone on 'Suffer Little Children'.
And, by contrast, the vocal dynamics of 'Bigmouth Strikes Again', a measure of just how far and fast he had developed as a singer in the space of about 4 years.
Just to name a few.
His soulful vocal exertions on the 'Rank' live version of 'I Know It's Over' knock Mick Hucknell out the park. Not literally, sadly.
That brooding, sombre baritone on 'Suffer Little Children'.
And, by contrast, the vocal dynamics of 'Bigmouth Strikes Again', a measure of just how far and fast he had developed as a singer in the space of about 4 years.
Just to name a few.
Gregor Samsa
I straighten up, and my position is one of hope.
It is shorter. He edited it for the reissue. Here’s the original version:
And here’s ’The Ordinary Boys’, a fantastic song that was omitted from said reissue:
Gregor Samsa
I straighten up, and my position is one of hope.
Yes, some of these choices are quite bizarre. So unnecessary.
But YA tracks on the reissued BD?
The Alchemist
How many times I've saved myself
Inspector, don't you know?
Don't you care?
Don't you know about love?
Inspired and sublime.
