11 song lyrics you probably won't understand if you're under 30 - BBC Music

11 song lyrics you probably won't understand if you're under 30 - BBC Music

Excerpt:

3. Morrissey - America Is Not the World

When Morrissey returned from seven years in the recording wilderness with album You Are the Quarry in 2004, fans must have been slightly disconcerted that the normally incisive poet's first lyric on the new record was "America, your head's too big". A verse in and Moz got to work repudiating the claim America is the land of the free, suggesting it could not be the case in a country where "the president is never black, female or gay". President Barack Obama invalidated a third of this assertion when he took office in 2008, while Hillary Clinton gets the chance to nullify another third if she becomes the first female president in 2016's United States presidential election.

 

[gordyboy9]

hey you, big fat pig.

 

[AztecCamera]

Will you people ever get over 1776? He wrote the song because he was basically touring the USA for seven years and then all the anti-American fans got mad because they found out he had been living in L.A. since 1996 (and still does) and he needed to do something to get money again from all the Brits, Euros, Austria Lians, Serbs, Nazis, Den Mark, Argentinianlinans, etc, also "far off places" there is the line "if the USA doesn't bomb you" where the current drummer (whomever it is) will bash his bass drum along with the lyric and all the anti-Americans will get excited and start stabbing each other and kicking things. He needs your money when he has saturated the USA market with constant touring. Once I saw him 10 times in 1 year and didn't have to travel more than 500 miles. So, don't forget to buy your tickets all you people in Manchester, Nazis, and Asia/Australia (he will cancel this part of the tour) because he needs to pay lil' Sammy's tuition at USC and Nancy's spending sprees at the Beverly Center.

 

[Calamine Lotion]

I love that song. It's very funny.

 

[Anonymous]

I brought this up in the concert announcement thread. He has a show in Irvine CA the day after the election. Seeing as Buchanan was gay, if Hillary wins it will complete the trifecta. That or it will be November Spawned a Monster....

 

[evennow]

America may not be the world, but it is his own private ATM. Morrissey has always been one to ignore the motto "don't bite the hand that feeds you". The fact that he continues to do it makes me .

 

[Anonymous]

I didn't even know, lol, the title was based on a Wilde quote until like a month ago

 

[ACTON]

America may not be the world, but it is his own private ATM. Morrissey has always been one to ignore the motto "don't bite the hand that feeds you". The fact that he continues to do it makes me .

He makes shitloads of cash from the US but he was a multi millionaire long before cracking the US market.

 

[ACTON]

That BBC story is much ado about nothing. Not knowing about payphones or cassettes is indicative of someone who doesn't read books or ever watch films or tv shows made before their date of birth. In this self obsessed age of selfies and monosyllabic cretins soldered to their phones I shouldn't be all that surprised if people think the world began when they did.

 

[Anonymous]

But Morrissey has said in interviews that he doesn't believe Obama is black. He'll also probably start complaining that Hilary is a man if she wins.

 

[Anonymous]

Allen is funny (or the title is ironic and I did not step too far into it). This is one of the easiest songs by Moz to understand the sense. Compare this with "Late night maudlin street", "Don't make fun of daddy's voice" or even (well, yes) "Come back to Camden" from the same album...

 

[Anonymous]

A couple years ago he would say in concert if he had a choice he would choose nobody, referencing Obama V. Republicans. I find this weird considering Obama got rid of Don't Ask Don't Tell and gay marriage became legal in all states under Obama. Obama's track record on gay rights is good, and on the other side it is not.

 

[Anonymous]

At the time of writing was Morrissey was right. This was also the era of George Bush who was one of the worst presidents America ever had. And the only people who can't get over 1776 are Americans - nobody else in the world gives a rat's arse about it now...

 

[Anonymous]

A couple years ago he would say in concert if he had a choice he would choose nobody, referencing Obama V. Republicans. I find this weird considering Obama got rid of Don't Ask Don't Tell and gay marriage became legal in all states under Obama. Obama's track record on gay rights is good, and on the other side it is not.

Obama has accomplished a lot for a president facing a republican house, for a short time a split senate and then a republican one and a conservative majority supreme court. An unprecidentedly obstructive congress at that. The blocking of the Supreme Court nominee is ridiculous as well as the senates refusal to even hear his budget agenda. For a branch of government that doesn't write or introduce laws he managed fairly well

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

I always regarded America Is Not The World as something of a bitter love letter to the US rather than an unmitigated attack. We've all been in love with people who are sometimes hard to love, so why not a nation? To lead with it on an album as important to his future prospects as Quarry was very brave.

Quarry was his last album worth repeat listens so it holds a special place in his history. It's a genuinely great album.

 

[evennow]

But Morrissey has said in interviews that he doesn't believe Obama is black. He'll also probably start complaining that Hilary is a man if she wins.

 

[Anonymous]

I always regarded America Is Not The World as something of a bitter love letter to the US rather than an unmitigated attack. We've all been in love with people who are sometimes hard to love, so why not a nation? To lead with it on an album as important to his future prospects as Quarry was very brave.

Quarry was his last album worth repeat listens so it holds a special place in his history. It's a genuinely great album.

Agree it seems like a song of conflict because we know he love us if we stay where we belong etc. America does a lot of good for the world and it also has a lot of issues. Quarry was great but to me world peace is also a great album worth repeated plays though I agree yor was just alright and a bit on the surface

 

[Anonymous]

Obama has accomplished a lot for a president facing a republican house, for a short time a split senate and then a republican one and a conservative majority supreme court. An unprecidentedly obstructive congress at that. The blocking of the Supreme Court nominee is ridiculous as well as the senates refusal to even hear his budget agenda. For a branch of government that doesn't write or introduce laws he managed fairly well

The supreme will get fast tracked in November if Hillary wins. They would rather have a moderate that is known than more liberal minded ones who will be nominated down the line.

 

[Anonymous]

The supreme will get fast tracked in November if Hillary wins. They would rather have a moderate that is known than more liberal minded ones who will be nominated down the line.

Its possible but he could Also withdraw at that point as well. Still the act of stonewalling just shows the extreme opposition to his presidency. It's amazing he's accomplished as much as he has

 

[Anonymous]

Obama has accomplished a lot for a president facing a republican house, for a short time a split senate and then a republican one and a conservative majority supreme court. An unprecidentedly obstructive congress at that. The blocking of the Supreme Court nominee is ridiculous as well as the senates refusal to even hear his budget agenda. For a branch of government that doesn't write or introduce laws he managed fairly well

yes, exactly! This is why i'm surprised he lumps Obama in with all politicians in his "vote for nobody" decree.