Is YOR a grower for you?

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

It's occurred to me recently that YOR really has grown on me. When I first heard it (or at least the songs from it) I didn't dislike it, but wasn't particularly crazy about it either. However recently I've started to really like it quite a lot. There's only one song I actively don't enjoy- 'One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell'- and only one that I'm ambivalent towards- 'I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris'. Apart from those two I genuinely really like it. Anyone else? Vote above if possible.

 

[JulieDurham]

I loved it since the beginning. His voice is amazing on this album...so powerful.

 

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

I loved it since the beginning. His voice is amazing on this album...so powerful.

Vocally I loved it the first time I heard it, but musically and melodically I wasn't that keen initially.

 

[gretchenraine]

There's only one song I actively don't enjoy- 'One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell'- and only one that I'm ambivalent towards- 'I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris'.

I don't like Mama or Carol. But I've gotten to the point where I can let them go in the cd player without skipping over them, so I guess in that sense they've grown on me. The first time I listened to it I wasn't sure I liked Black Cloud but now I really do.

 

[dicartwright]

I like it now a bit less than the first times Just a little.

 

[Maurice E]

the one song which continues to grow is the majestic 'Black Cloud'.
I was walking up north in the Peak Dales last weekend and I couldn't get the flipping song out of my head.
darn!

 

[echobay]

I really loved Years Of Refusal from the moment I heard it. The only song that hasn't grown on me is You Were Good In Your Time. I think Shame Is The Name or Because Of My Poor Education should have been on the album.
I am a big fan of That's How People Grow Up, the negativity surrounding it puzzled me. And for me, I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris is one of the best pop songs ever.

 

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

I really loved Years Of Refusal from the moment I heard it. The only song that hasn't grown on me is You Were Good In Your Time. I think Shame Is The Name or Because Of My Poor Education should have been on the album.
I am a big fan of That's How People Grow Up, the negativity surrounding it puzzled me. And for me, I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris is one of the best pop songs ever.

Completely agree. I don't get the THPGU hate. I don't have anything against 'Paris' but it doesn't really do anything momentous for me.

 

[Maurice E]

Completely agree. I don't get the THPGU hate. I don't have anything against 'Paris' but it doesn't really do anything momentous for me.

the horrible chugging guitar sound,
the ghastly operatic intro,
and in "I was driving my car. I crashed and broke my spine. So yes there are things worse in life than never being someone's sweetie", quite possibly the worst lyric of all time.

actually, when I first heard the song being played live on the You Tube, it sounded pretty good. the accordion was much higher in the mix, and I thankfully couldn't make out that lyric.

 

[CrookedLittleVein]

I really loved Years Of Refusal from the moment I heard it. The only song that hasn't grown on me is You Were Good In Your Time. I think Shame Is The Name or Because Of My Poor Education should have been on the album.
I am a big fan of That's How People Grow Up, the negativity surrounding it puzzled me. And for me, I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris is one of the best pop songs ever.

Agree with you regarding You Were Good in Your Time. Either of the b-sides you mention would have been much better on the album.

Paris is a great pop song. I loved it from the moment I heard a bootleg of one of the early live performances (it was never off my mp3 player - likewise All you Need is Me: fantastic).

But That's How People Grow Up... it's the first Morrissey song I've genuinely disliked since This is Not Your Country. I mean, there have been a few I haven't been very keen on, but never really disliked.

In fact, both THPGU and YWGIYT have been summarily evicted from my version of Years of Refusal, to be replaced with the infinitely superior Shame is the Name and Because of My Poor Education.

That being said, I think it's actually a wonderful thing that people united in their love of Morrissey records can be utterly divided when it comes to the songs themselves. It seems to me to indicate an artist who is only interested in his own response to the songs he writes and records. Evinced by Morrissey's 'soldiering on' with the recording of I'm Okay By Myself in the face of Jerry's disapproval.

 

[dizzywhore_1804]

For me, it started off average and has stayed about there. All the songs are nice enough, but I don't think that in years to come anything off Refusal will be considered classic Moz - the only two possible exceptions being 'Carol' and 'All You Need Is Me'.

For me there is nothing lyrically exciting - yes, I agree his voice is fantastic, but if that's the case do me an accoustic album of your better songs rather than churning out blah tracks for the sake of it.

All in all, don't hate the album, but there's little to love either.

EDIT: As for all the 'You Were Good...' dislike, hunt down the edited version with the interminable over-long outro removed and the song is actually pretty damn good.

 

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

For me, it started off average and has stayed about there. All the songs are nice enough, but I don't think that in years to come anything off Refusal will be considered classic Moz - the only two possible exceptions being 'Carol' and 'All You Need Is Me'.

For me there is nothing lyrically exciting - yes, I agree his voice is fantastic, but if that's the case do me an accoustic album of your better songs rather than churning out blah tracks for the sake of it.

All in all, don't hate the album, but there's little to love either.

EDIT: As for all the 'You Were Good...' dislike, hunt down the edited version with the interminable over-long outro removed and the song is actually pretty damn good.

It isn't lyrically brilliant all the way through I have to admit, but it has got some great moments.

And I haven't heard the edited version of 'You Were Good In Your Time', but I always move onto the next track as soon as that outro starts, which is much better than sitting through the atmospherics.

 

[ray_afraid]

I only dislike two tracks from YOR, Mamma and THPG.
And as for You Were Good In Your Time, it all sounds fantastic going into Shame Is The Name. When the atmospherics fade into the intro of SITN it's really quite powerful.

 

[Maurice E]

It isn't lyrically brilliant all the way through I have to admit.

ignore previous pre-edited version!

 

[kyleleonard]

it was my favourite Moz album from day one of release

 

[EPbabe]

Why is this a secret poll?

I liked YOR from the first time I heard it.

 

[sweetness522]

Black Cloud was definitely the biggest grower for me. Especially after hearing the performance on Jimmy Fallon. I was hoping for it to be a single.

Sorry and Carol are my least favorites, but I still like every song on YoR.

 

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

Why is this a secret poll?

I didn't realise their was an option to make the results public. Silly me...Ah well, people's responses are usually pretty self-explanatory, so it's not hard to guess what they voted for.

 

[lainey]

oops....I should have voted No, I've liked it since the beginning
A classic!!!!!!!!

 

[kyleleonard]

better than Ringleader