Morrissey A-Z: "Mountjoy"

A revelatory, amazing piece that revels in its musical simplicity. Framed like a 60s protest song, with lashings of acoustic guitar and intrusions from audio verité screeches and mournful violin. A tour de force of phantasmagorical insights into the titular prison all culminating in a grim, resigned sigh: “we all lose, rich or poor” Moz declares. In effect, it could be interpreted as another takedown of class structures: I.e. through the lens of Mountjoy, everyone is equally disadvantaged, due to the cruel and unforgiving nature of its system. Of course, it’s also a criticism, surely, of treatment in Irish, and most likely all, prisons, a premonition of his - less successful, though I like it more than others - “Who Will Protect Us From The Police?”. So then, a multilayered epic; the second of which to appear after the crowning jewel that is “I’m Not A Man”. These two songs provide the pillars to which the rest of World Peace should be judged.
10/10
 
my least favourite song from world peace,i think its a great album although it gets a kicking on here from time to time.
6 halfwits/10 wigs.
 
I’m with gordy on this one , my least fave song on WP.
It sounded even more tragic in the live arena ......
It made meat is murder feel like I’m walking on sunshine ....
 
Lacks melody and really has to rely on the lyrics for interest. It does make me want to know more of what he's singing about and possibly that could help form a stronger connection but just as a song there isn't a lot here to bring you back to listen again.
 
For a brief moment, WPINOB forgets that it wants to be a world music record with latin american, folkloristic influences and is 100% genuine and real. By far the track that suits Morrissey best. Could have been a coda to Southpaw.
 
Ultimately, I find it slightly boring. No melody, droning chords. Lyrics alone aren't enough to save this. This has me yawning and reaching for the skip button [3 out of 10]
 
My favourite track on the regular edition of World Peace and the one on which Morrissey's attempts to write about new subjects works best. An understated but lovely track with a great lyric.
 
World Peace is a very varied and generally impressive album. There needed to be a musical change and the eclecticism is a plus.

I wouldn't class this as either the best or worst track, and (again) Morrissey's vocal and lyrical contributions are the most interesting aspects.

The little production touches boost an unspectacular tune.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 165th from 264 solo songs.
 
World Peace is a very varied and generally impressive album. There needed to be a musical change and the eclecticism is a plus.
Since just few days ago we were reintroduced to the horror of Kid's a Looker, the development from the complacent garbage of 2011 to the adventurous World Peace is indeed staggering. What happened? Did Morrissey for once in his career take note of how peope reacted to those tracks and realized that he had to do something different?
 
Love this song. The steady echoey strum makes you feel like your inside of something. I actually think the melody is pretty good. It’s subdued and a bit awe’s but it vaults at times and holds nicely. It’s about tension like parts are spoke through gritted teeth. I live the line about humans hating each other’s gut and how they’ll show it give a chance. I would imagine the truth of that statement is evident all over the place here
 
Stunning song. A shame it hasn’t been performed more regularly live.
 
Terribly cynical and depressing (and does he really equate the inmates with sewage?), but still one of the very best tracks off of the album.
 
I love a lament.

I didn't notice at first - but it seems to be another one of his character songs - the narrator is in Mountjoy prison.

The joy brings many things
It cannot bring you joy
Sons of mothers huddle here
Men and boys
1850 swung the doors
And human sewage swept inside
Where victims speak in whines
And where the hardened cried
I was sent here by a 3 foot half-wit in a wig
I took his insults on the chin, and never did I flinch
A swagger hides the fear in here
By this rule we breathe
And there is no one on this earth
Who I'd feel sad to leave
You see we all lose
We all lose
What those in power do to you
Reminds us at a glance
How humans hate each others guts
And show it given a chance
We never say aloud the things
That we say in our prayers
Cause no one cares
Many executed here
By the awful lawfully good
But the only thing that makes me cry
Is when I see the sky
Brendan Behan's laughter rings
For what he had or hadn't done
For he knew then as I know now
That for each and every one of us
We all lose
Rich or poor, we all lose
Rich or poor, they all lose
 
“I was sent here by a 3 foot half-wit in a wig
I took his insults on the chin, and never did I flinch”


Surely he thought of judge John Weaks, when he wrote that.
 
This is probably the closest thing to a protest song that Morrissey has ever written.
It is a very bleak picture of the prison system, and society by extension. For me it is one of the best lyrics on that album.
I also appreciate the sparse musical arrangement, I think it is trying to make you feel the cold and harsh atmosphere inside a prison cell.

Remember: Kick the bride down the aisle comes right before this song, and the contrast is quite startling.
 
World Peace is a very varied and generally impressive album. There needed to be a musical change and the eclecticism is a plus.

From memory, Morrissey wanted this album to be more experimental and adventurous. I think Joe C. did a good job overall in helping to bring out this vision. Gustavo also brought some different instruments and sounds to the studio.
 
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