Yeah I've been listening to the studio version quite a bit lately with the CD of the This Is Morrissey compilation. It's growing on me. I used to not give it much attention because the vocal when compared to the live rendition felt a little weak in delivery. But the more mellow vocal kinda works after a while. I like the extra verse too.I am probably the only one to prefer to studio version and I still don’t understand why he never sung the last lines in concert.
I have to admit though that the 2019 performances of the song were fantastic, especially because of the lights and smoke that oddly worked perfectly well.
I know what you mean, but you do get spooky images like this, which I love:The dry ice has become slightly ridiculous in recent shows, to the extent that you can barely see Morrissey at all. He might as well sing it from backstage.
I mean, the studio version doesn't even sound like like Mick Ronson had anything to do with it. Definitely sounds more like a demo than a legitimate attempt. I'd be extremely curious to hear whatever survived the Toussaint session. They obviously felt like they were getting it right on the Arsenal tour and wanted to commit that version to tape.I like the studio version, but agree that it didn't fully capture the quality of the song. I believe Mick Ronson acknowledged as much, and it's also a shame that the Allen Toussaint recording session failed.
As a composition, it was the first real hint of what Boz was capable of.
In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 5th from 264 solo songs.
Yes! I remember being transfixed by it, too, in Orlando in November 92. Just completely mesmerising.It's hard to put into words what it was like hearing this live for the first time in 1992. I had heard about this new song he was playing without of course hearing any of it until the show. As soon as the guitar chords started I instantly knew this was the new song. I was transfixed. I clung to each word as he sang and was almost mesmerized by the word picture he created. I was only 4-5 rows back and made eye contact several times... I almost felt like I was part of the song. Very strange I know - never really felt anything like that at a live show before then or since.
Anyway, I thought for sure he had a hit song on his hands. Later I was surprised to see it relegated to a b-side instead of an a-side.