Morrissey A-Z: "No One Can Hold a Candle To You"

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member






Today's song is Morrissey's cover of this Maker/Huish composition, a B-side of "I Have Forgiven Jesus" and which Morrissey performed regularly in 2004, appearing on the Who Put the M in Manchester? DVD.

What do we think? (Original version by Raymonde posted above, too.)
 
Always liked it. Think it’s great fun on the dvd. That said, it’s not a song I seek out to listen to on its own.
 
It's a pretty good song and suits Morrissey perfectly. He was doing some really interesting covers in that era. This was a natural choice. The original almost sounds like a lost Morrissey song. I think it's better live than on the record.
7/10
 
this was a real favourite of mine,love the these are nervous times line.first time hearing in a while and it still sounds great.
9 einsteins/10 frankensteins.
 






Today's song is Morrissey's cover of this Maker/Huish composition, a B-side of "I Have Forgiven Jesus" and which Morrissey performed regularly in 2004, appearing on the Who Put the M in Manchester? DVD.

What do we think? (Original version by Raymonde posted above, too.)

bookish no one can hold a candle to you when it comes to putting these songs up every morning,yer a star.
 
It's a pretty good song and suits Morrissey perfectly. He was doing some really interesting covers in that era. This was a natural choice. The original almost sounds like a lost Morrissey song. I think it's better live than on the record.
7/10
Absolutely could be one of his. Quite enjoyable. And now after a quick listen - I am uplifted for my day!
 
Excellent cover by Moz here; I actually like both versions but Moz just edges it for me.
Great job! :thumb:
 
Up there with his best cover versions. It obviously means something special for Moz and the emotion he invested in the live performances lifted it into something very splendid indeed.
 
Morrissey's vocal means that his cover is superior to the original for me (James Maker sounds like Harry Hill when he attempts to mimic Morrissey! :) ).

I really enjoy the studio version, but the song being included in the Manchester homecoming show was typical of Morrissey's contrary nature. It wasn't exactly a crowd pleaser, but the set lists have never been what other performers would select.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 96th from 264 solo songs.
 
Great gay (Raymonde) song and also a great version by Morrissey. His own second voice during the refrain sends shivers down my spine. I want to believe, the released version contains parts, recorded (but shelved) in 1997.
 
Not sure why this particular song gets a 'live' in the thread title - the version posted is a studio recording? Anyway - great cover, full of energy and passion. Love it.
 
TTY, June, 2007:
Extract from "Questions Answered".

How and why do you choose to cover such diverse and intriguing songs as No One Can Hold A Candle To You, Redondo Beach, etc.?

Adele

Blackpool, England

Everything has its place and its reason. Certainly, the early Smiths covers, for example 'Work is a four-letter word' and 'Golden lights' were done as acts of playful perversity - they weren't meant to be groundbreaking miracles of sound. And that's usually how it is, just a matter of throwing something unexpected into the mix. 'No One Can Hold a Candle to You' was originally written and sung by James Maker, and we've been good friends now for 30 years. He released 'Born that Way' a couple of years back and that's one of my favorite recordings of all time. As for 'Redondo beach', I've always said how Patti Smith's 'Horses' album changed my life. When I told Patti I had released it as a single she said it wouldn't chart because of the 'Patti Smith curse', but we just missed the top ten by a few copies, even though, as always, zero airplay. I also had it in my mind that the opening line was "let it be known," which it isn't, it's "late afternoon." I have often planned a covers album, but I always scrap the idea because it seems to be such a standard maneuver now.

Regards,
FWD.
 
No melody line in the Moz version because his cack-handed cohorts struggled so much to play. Why pick out a riff when you can just go THRANG!!!! through it instead.

Raymonde version is better for that reason.
 
TTY, June, 2007:
Extract from "Questions Answered".

How and why do you choose to cover such diverse and intriguing songs as No One Can Hold A Candle To You, Redondo Beach, etc.?

Adele
Blackpool, England

Everything has its place and its reason. Certainly, the early Smiths covers, for example 'Work is a four-letter word' and 'Golden lights' were done as acts of playful perversity - they weren't meant to be groundbreaking miracles of sound. And that's usually how it is, just a matter of throwing something unexpected into the mix. 'No One Can Hold a Candle to You' was originally written and sung by James Maker, and we've been good friends now for 30 years. He released 'Born that Way' a couple of years back and that's one of my favorite recordings of all time. As for 'Redondo beach', I've always said how Patti Smith's 'Horses' album changed my life. When I told Patti I had released it as a single she said it wouldn't chart because of the 'Patti Smith curse', but we just missed the top ten by a few copies, even though, as always, zero airplay. I also had it in my mind that the opening line was "let it be known," which it isn't, it's "late afternoon." I have often planned a covers album, but I always scrap the idea because it seems to be such a standard maneuver now.

Regards,
FWD.

I always thought it was “let it be known” as well. Now I know. Learn something new every day!
 
The sound of the original reminds me of early Smiths (What difference does it make, or These things take time), which isn't a bad thing. I can't help but notice that Jesse didn't reproduce the jangling guitar sound of the original and that the production is very polished here. On the upside, Morrissey's voice certainly lifts the song to a higher level, and gives it a positive vibe. As others already said, the song suits him entirely.
 
The sound of the original reminds me of early Smiths (What difference does it make, or These things take time), which isn't a bad thing. I can't help but notice that Jesse didn't reproduce the jangling guitar sound of the original and that the production is very polished here. On the upside, Morrissey's voice certainly lifts the song to a higher level, and gives it a positive vibe. As others already said, the song suits him entirely.
Jesse was probably following the approach taken by Alain as the Peel session version also loses the jangling guitar sound:

 
The sound of the original reminds me of early Smiths (What difference does it make, or These things take time), which isn't a bad thing. I can't help but notice that Jesse didn't reproduce the jangling guitar sound of the original and that the production is very polished here. On the upside, Morrissey's voice certainly lifts the song to a higher level, and gives it a positive vibe. As others already said, the song suits him entirely.

I think Boz is the one playing the main jangle riff.
 
Tags
morrissey a-z
Back
Top Bottom