Morrissey A-Z: ‘Action Is My Middle Name’

I suppose so. They're definitely not the greatest songs - but preferable to 'Scandinavia' at least.
Not really. People Are The Same Everywhere is his worst song imo. The Kid's A Looker is in the same category.
Noise Is The Best Revenge (played alongside I'm Playing Easy To Get in the 2004 sessions) would fit in there nicely as well because 👎.

Quite astonishing that those songs are from the same sessions as Action and Playing Easy...
 
I think that had it been from a different era (88-90 or 2004-06) and given a proper studio production, Action is My Middle Name had the potential to be a moderate hit single.

It is far and away the best of the 3 songs that were added to the live set at that time, has a nice vocal melody and the piano intro (added at Morrissey's behest) is a good way to kick things off.

A shame that it is a bit of a 'lost' track.
 
I think that had it been from a different era (88-90 or 2004-06) and given a proper studio production, Action is My Middle Name had the potential to be a moderate hit single.

It is far and away the best of the 3 songs that were added to the live set at that time, has a nice vocal melody and the piano intro (added at Morrissey's behest) is a good way to kick things off.

A shame that it is a bit of a 'lost' track.
Yes, it’s not anything different, but - in my opinion - isn’t trying to be, really. I do like each of the Maida Vale tracks, just not as much as many of his other ventures.
Being unreleased and with many versions being of a lower audio quality probably impacts my decision.
All in all, I don’t despise them as much as some people, but I’m not sure I would be reaching to play them all the time as opposed to something else.
 
This one's one of my favourite later day Moz songs, I really have a soft spot for it.

Musically I also like the piano intro, but the vocal melody is what makes the song special for me.
I like the lyrics for the exact reason you've mentioned, it's a complete inversion of earlier themes - this time he's the one who's "too rough" and his partner might be "too delicate".

Interesting thought regarding the tattoos. I don't think his "obsession" was that brief at all. I think he's always been fascinated by the aesthetic. It goes back to The Smiths, be it eye-opening experiences with a tattooed boy from Birkenhead or- and this is the thing that the opening line from Action always reminded me of - the scratching of a lover's name on an arm with a fountain pen.
He's been photographed with fake tattoos in The Smiths a couple of times as well and again later in the 90s and one could argue that the glittery decals he loved to wear around Refusal (as seen on the cover) served a similar purpose.

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You're right that there was a surge in the mid-90s of course, possibly sparked by the arrival of Jake and his infamous inner lip BATTERSEA ink?
Johnny Marr also mentioned that Morrissey noticed and liked his tattoos when they met again in 2008.

I digress. Anyway, I love the song and the 25 Live version is a fantastic live recording of it. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be on YouTube, so this fan recording will have to do (sound quality is rather bad though).


25 Live is available in full here:
 
25 Live is available in full here:

Embedding doesn't seem to work, but thanks anyway.

I mean, I have the Blu Ray and a digital rip and everything, I'm good. I just wanted to post a link to that one performance...
 
This is an appalling latter-day paint-by-numbers remake of I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris. The choruses are identical.
 
This is an appalling latter-day paint-by-numbers remake of I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris. The choruses are identical.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s appalling...but I do think that 'Paris' is leagues better.
I suppose the cadences and melody of the choruses are in the same ballpark, too.
 
This is an appalling latter-day paint-by-numbers remake of I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris. The choruses are identical.
Shall we go take a walk back to Feb 09, when you were banging your leg to Paris? Once again, your own hypocrisy and stupidity rises to the core.
 
Shall we go take a walk back to Feb 09, when you were banging your leg to Paris? Once again, your own hypocrisy and stupidity rises to the core.
Well yes, because opinions are etched in time aren't they? Subsequent events can never change that, can they? The emergence of your far-right racist mate must go unchallenged, right?

c***.
 
Well yes, because opinions are etched in time aren't they? Subsequent events can never change that, can they? The emergence of your far-right racist mate must go unchallenged, right?

c***.
Awwww, just look at you. You really are a weasel, aren’t you!
Calling folk names again, eh. But, you wouldn’t do it down your local Timmy Taylor’s PH would you? Noooo, course you wouldn’t. Nazi chaser :lbf: :lbf:
 
As soon as it appeared on youtube or on the gigs , I liked it immediately. Nice lyrics, good melody. Should be officially released on something like Swords 2 .
 
Underrated song, this. Sweet, witty and melodic.
 
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