Swearing in Smiths & Morrissey songs

[Uncleskinny]

Hello - I was going to suggest a poll asking about the best example of swearing in a Smiths or Morrissey song, but having thought about it a little more, I can only come up with three songs:

"Spineless bastards all" (The Headmaster Ritual)

"There's a free ride on f***ed-up Tony" (Tony The Pony)

"I've had my face dragged in fifteen miles of shit" (How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel)

So, not really enough for a poll. Are there any other examples?

Peter

 

[++++++]

The only other one I could think of off-hand would be from Death At One's Elbow: Stay home, be bored / (It's crap, I know)

 

[Math Tinder]

Does 'hell' count? I believe it's in a few songs; the line that comes to mind is 'What the hell have they stuck into you' from The Operation.

Good thread, Uncleskinny.

love, math+

 

[Tbevie]

What about "thicker than pig shit"

The word is full of crashing bores.

 

[Laika]

What about "You are a flatulent pain in the arse"?

 

[Uncleskinny]

What about "thicker than pig shit"

The word is full of crashing bores.

Of course - cheers!

Peter

 

[sid james]

Does 'hell' count?

No - 'hell' isn't a swear word in England, only the USA.

 

[Uncleskinny]

What about "You are a flatulent pain in the arse"?

Cheers - there might be enough for a poll anyway!

Peter

 

[Tbevie]

"There's a free ride on f***ed-up Tony" (Tony The Pony)

I had know idea that "f***ed-up Tony" was a line in Tony the Pony.

I think I need to go and have another listen.

 

[sonandheir]

"The sycophantic slags all say"

 

[Uncleskinny]

I had know idea that he sang "f***ed-up Tony" in Tony the Pony.

I think I need to go and have another listen.

Towards the back end of the song, a little muffled, probably because of the f-bomb. At about 2:51.

Peter

 

[deathfornoreason]

Do "World tour media whore" (from Paint A Vulgar Picture) or "Dizzy whore" count (from Cemetry Gates)?

 

[Please]

i don;t think whore is a swearing word just a rude one

 

[*R*]

Towards the back end of the song, a little muffled, probably because of the f-bomb. At about 2:51.

Peter

If you listen carefully, I think you'll find that there is no F word here.
What he actually sings is "There's a free ride on SOFT TOUCH Tony" - which makes a lot more sense in terms of the rest of the song.

 

[draize_train]

If you listen carefully, I think you'll find that there is no F word here.
What he actually sings is "There's a free ride on SOFT TOUCH Tony" - which makes a lot more sense in terms of the rest of the song.

How does it make more sense? And could you back this up?

 

[*R*]

I think the 'f***ed up' misconception was the result of a US (or other non-British/Irish) listener trying to decipher the lyrics and not knowing the English phrase "soft touch" - meaning gullible.
Earlier in the song Morrissey sings "free ride on gullible Tony" and this later becomes "There's a free ride on SOFT TOUCH Tony".

 

[spectral hand]

I think the 'f***ed up' misconception was the result of a US (or other non-British/Irish) listener trying to decipher the lyrics and not knowing the English phrase "soft touch" - meaning gullible.
Earlier in the song Morrissey sings "free ride on gullible Tony" and this later becomes "There's a free ride on SOFT TOUCH Tony".

Exactly. I always thought it was "soft touch" too ... I just went back and listened to it again, loud on headphones, and yes, it is. It does make perfect sense in the context - it's easy to get whatever you want out of Tony.

It's interesting when people from other countries misinterpret lyrics because they don't know a particular British word or phrase. I remember an American user of this site thinking the line in Reader Meet Author was "books aren't standing eyes", (even though that makes no sense whatsoever) rather than the correct "books aren't Stanley Knives", as he/she had obviously never heard of a Stanley Knife. Whereas the line would have made immediate sense to most British listeners.

 

[dallow_bg]

I think the 'f***ed up' misconception was the result of a US (or other non-British/Irish) listener trying to decipher the lyrics and not knowing the English phrase "soft touch" - meaning gullible.
Earlier in the song Morrissey sings "free ride on gullible Tony" and this later becomes "There's a free ride on SOFT TOUCH Tony".

VERY interesting!
I need to have another listen, but this makes perfect sense.

 

[poprenaissance]

No - 'hell' isn't a swear word in England, only the USA.

good lord, i nearly spat out my coke - this is genius. LOL

 

[Rupert]

'uniformed whore'
Also from Crashing Bores.