I Wanted to Believe in Morrissey (Or His Music, at Least) - Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu (2017)

I Wanted to Believe in Morrissey (Or His Music, at Least) - Talkhouse
With Low in High School, Moz commits sacrilege against himself.
By Jamie Stewart | December 13, 2017

Excerpt:

This review of Morrissey’s Low in High School was very challenging. On alpha-and-omega personal levels, Morrissey is hands-down my favorite lyricist, the one from whom I have learned and stolen the most. Though Morrissey might not approve of the religious association here, to me, he is the Father. The albums he made with the Smiths and His solo records will forever be in my lifelong top 10: The first time I ever had sex in an appropriate way was while listening to Hatful of Hollow. I had a Smiths poster on bedroom wall until I was 32. I have seen Morrissey in concert more than any other artist. My brother, barber, and first boyfriend all have Morrissey tattoos. He is very important to me, and I feel unworthy of critiquing the man who essentially raised me musically. Essentially, I want to believe in Him. I have, since I was a teenager, needed to believe.

It was also challenging because His last record was unlistenable. 2009’s Years of Refusal is one of His best ever ever ever, but I couldn’t even get through 2014’s World Peace is None of Your Business. I was shocked—maybe I just hate dogs? Either way, because of it, I nervously entered into writing this nervously.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes. It is. Now f*** off.

Ok, I prefer Years of Refusal. And on the subject of f*** Off, you f*** Off you little Cock Sucking Mother f***er!!

 

[Anonymous]

"I nervously entered into writing this nervously"

Am I the only one who is worried about this sentence? Anyway, this guy's entitled to his opinion, but I quite liked most of LIHS.

I thought it was just sloppy writing w/no proof reading...
Is proof reading a concept still?
& ur comment on his level of writing surprised a laff outta me.
Thnx...I needed that.

 

[Anonymous]

It might sound daft but I think people think twice before buying or wearing a Moz tshirt in case it sparks a row with skumbags. Being a Moz fan was never easy but his bigmouth doesn't help. Didn't someone here say a fan wearing a Moz tshirt at Hyde Park got some grief? I could be wrong.

Try wearing a Leeds shirt in Bermondsey,

 

[Deleted member 1074]

Ok, I prefer Years of Refusal. And on the subject of f*** Off, you f*** Off you little Cock Sucking Mother f***er!!

Your opinion is shit. Your taste is shit. You are shit. Your world is shit. Inside and outside. Shit your house with a shit little window and a shit Corvette and everything is shit for you and yourself and everybody around cause you ain't got nobody to listen.

 

[Anonymous]

View attachment 47494

His review of Low in High School is spot on!

Couldn’t agree with your more. It’s an embarrassing record that says more about Morrissey’s dulled wits than anything else.

 

[butley]

Light a candle, pull the handle
You are erased
Light a candle
You are erased

It would be twice as good
If you lay down on the track
Half for the trash and half for the hornets
It could be four times as good
If you lie down there again
A quarter for the gooseberry bush
A quarter for the gooseberry bug
It was the clarinet that made you deaf
Not the coming train, Connie


I picked a random selection of Xiu Xiu lyrics. This kills his argument stone-dead. Those that do are judged by those who tried and found they couldn’t do.

 

[Peppermint]

Light a candle, pull the handle
You are erased
Light a candle
You are erased

It would be twice as good
If you lay down on the track
Half for the trash and half for the hornets
It could be four times as good
If you lie down there again
A quarter for the gooseberry bush
A quarter for the gooseberry bug
It was the clarinet that made you deaf
Not the coming train, Connie


I picked a random selection of Xiu Xiu lyrics. This kills his argument stone-dead. Those that do are judged by those who tried and found they couldn’t do.

Blimey

 

[gordyboy9]

I go to work and come back to cocksucker this and cocksucker that,motherf***er this and motherf***er that.wash your mouth out with soap the lot of you,you wouldn't catch me using language like that.

 

[Anonymous]

Every single Morrissey album is great because they are all from the same great artist, who is the same person. Every Smiths album is great too, but they are less evolved artistically than a Morrissey album. The "fans" who purportedly hate certain Morrissey albums, but love others probably don't understand any of the material, even the stuff they like. They are probably the same people who try to copy Morrissey's style of dress. The music goes over their heads.

#MeatIsMurder

How can you love YOR and hate LIHS? They're hardly miles apart sonically.

 

[Peppermint]

Every single Morrissey album is great because they are all from the same great artist, who is the same person. Every Smiths album is great too, but they are less evolved artistically than a Morrissey album. The "fans" who purportedly hate certain Morrissey albums, but love others probably don't understand any of the material, even the stuff they like. They are probably the same people who try to copy Morrissey's style of dress. The music goes over their heads.

#MeatIsMurder

Note to self: must buy enormous baggy-arsed jeans and huge late-Elvis-period blingy sunglasses to compensate for everything going over my head.

 

[Amy]

Every single Morrissey album is great

Even Morrissey himself doesn't think that.

 

[ACTON]

I'm quite surprised this article slipped through the cracks at the time.

Regards,
FWD.

Some things that slip through the crack are better left in the bowl.

 

[ACTON]

Every single Morrissey album is great because they are all from the same great artist, who is the same person.

#MeatIsMurder

Ok but what about his double albums?

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Light a candle, pull the handle
You are erased
Light a candle
You are erased

It would be twice as good
If you lay down on the track
Half for the trash and half for the hornets
It could be four times as good
If you lie down there again
A quarter for the gooseberry bush
A quarter for the gooseberry bug
It was the clarinet that made you deaf
Not the coming train, Connie


I picked a random selection of Xiu Xiu lyrics. This kills his argument stone-dead. Those that do are judged by those who tried and found they couldn’t do.

Sounds personal.

 

[Eric Hartman]

Couldn’t agree with your more. It’s an embarrassing record that says more about Morrissey’s dulled wits than anything else.

It’s the lyrics of Low in High School that drag the album down. They are the worst he has ever written. Half self-pitty, half Trumpisms.

Absolute shite.

 

[Anonymous]

There was a noticeable drop in the quality of Morrissey's lyrics in the 5 year gap between 'Years of Refusal' to 'World Peace'. There is still the odd decent tune, but where once the lyrics were a highlight, now it's often the weakest link on each song. I'm not sure if it's declining powers due to age, or he just doesn't care anymore.

 

[Famous when dead]

I'm paraphrasing, but I recall a gig around the time of his birthday in B'ham (2006?) where he stated (regarding his birthday) something along the lines of:
Did you expect me to be blonder and younger?
The Morrissey of his teens/twenties poaching prose to use in songs clearly isn't the same person/process 30 years later. The amount of source-able inspirations for lyrics in his later years is dramatically less than The Smiths era and despite the continual subjectivity concept that is lost on people who must be right about which albums are 'best' or 'worst' - he still sells and people still buy.
Given some of today's music, I'm quite happy with 'autopilot' Morrissey thanks.
Again, what would I know?
FWD.

 

[Anonymous]

There was a noticeable drop in the quality of Morrissey's lyrics in the 5 year gap between 'Years of Refusal' to 'World Peace'. There is still the odd decent tune, but where once the lyrics were a highlight, now it's often the weakest link on each song. I'm not sure if it's declining powers due to age, or he just doesn't care anymore.

Nah.

The truth is that Morrissey's lyrics became patchy early on in his solo career. There are still some pearlers, but others to make you cringe.

Years of Refusal and World Peace are both solid albums hence the positive reviews they received. There is little to choose between them (though the bonus tracks probably give the latter's deluxe edition the edge).

 

[Eldritch]

In some World Peace interview Morrissey said that he felt he had overused some words and themes in his previous lyrics, so he wanted to tackle new subjects. I think this is obvious on last two albums -- and the reason for the partial drop in quality, because he is operating outside his comfort zone. Writing pop lyrics about politics is something very few have managed to do well, and in my opinion Morrissey doesn't have the needed knowledge and temperament to succeed. Hence the Trumpisms of My Love, I'd Do Anything For You, the nonsensical World Peace (the song) and the detestable I Bury The Living (clearly written by a pampered man who has never had to fight for anything in his life). It's hard to take seriously the insights about Arab spring by someone who also advises us to stop watching the news and reading the mainstream media.

 

[vegan cro spirit 111]

In some World Peace interview Morrissey said that he felt he had overused some words and themes in his previous lyrics, so he wanted to tackle new subjects. I think this is obvious on last two albums -- and the reason for the partial drop in quality, because he is operating outside his comfort zone. Writing pop lyrics about politics is something very few have managed to do well, and in my opinion Morrissey doesn't have the needed knowledge and temperament to succeed. Hence the Trumpisms of My Love, I'd Do Anything For You, the nonsensical World Peace (the song) and the detestable I Bury The Living (clearly written by a pampered man who has never had to fight for anything in his life). It's hard to take seriously the insights about Arab spring by someone who also advises us to stop watching the news and reading the mainstream media.

OK Skinny so there is no Mosque talk on there dont freak
Moz albums have never have had any Salaam sock puppet lyrics and never will.

If you want that type of twat song get the new Pet Shop c***s song
those twats do know about world events