What's the big deal with "Not Your Birthday"?

[dom]

change them! change them! replace them with his healthiest lyrics before the next tour haha

HAHA! Ok .. i shall see what lyrical witchcraft i can wangle

 

[Ugly Devil]

soapbox


I am a very devoted, long time fan. I am not hard to please. But I also do not worship everything Morrissey does, just because he did it. It is possible for him to write a song I don't like as much as others. Been happenin' since Kill Uncle (I will never like Asian Rut).

All that the people in this thread said is they don't understand why people like it so much while they don't. Morrissey could record 3 minutes of making fart noises with his armpit and some of you would find it flawless and fabulous, because it's Morrissey.

Just because we don't all love this song doesn't make us hard to please.

/soapbox

If you're insinuating I worship everything Morrissey does you're sadly mistaken. Asian Rut is a turkey, as is Journalists who lie, Papa Jack etc. Your armpit analogy is a cringing attempt at humour - which doesn't bode well for your general overall idea of good taste.

Well you're either hard to please or cloth-eyed, take your pick. The song is highly melodic with some truly succulent hooks - with varied dynamics. It's a sweeping epic much in the same vain as his Vauxhall period. To deny this just shows your over all ignorance.

 

[Dave]

I have to laugh at the snobbery, so many insecurities about that people will hear a song and automatically wright it off and compare it to music they're not supposed to like for the sake of turning their noses up just that little bit more.

Pffft, some of you are no better than the bleeting masses.

You are right.

 

[bored]

I love it. His voice is beautiful and, well, who can recoil at the thought of Moz love on the floor or anywhere else? Fascinating as Moz would say...

Well.. that's not really a vision I personally care for but I do agree many of the people here would love to see that or be part of it.

I love this one.

I agree that I have yet to figure out some of the lyrical meaning, but a lot of it is pretty beautiful.

And his vocals, like much of the album, are to die for.

I was really anticipating this track, and I wasn't disappointed. As I've said elsewhere, it really feels like Speedway's brother.

I don't really see the ties to Speedway but I like the passion in your response.

I have to laugh at the snobbery, so many insecurities about that people will hear a song and automatically wright it off and compare it to music they're not supposed to like for the sake of turning their noses up just that little bit more.

Pffft, some of you are no better than the bleeting masses.

If I'm reading this right you are saying people are turning away from the song because it doesn't fit the norm. I would think that might be true if Morrissey wrote a slew of normal songs but all of his songs make my friends go, "What the hell is this?"

If I were to give credit for this song, it would be that it is unique. I can even understand people saying they like it. I'm just confused by this being the song getting the most votes for favourite on the album. Reminds me a lot of First of the Gang to Die. I never understood its popularity

 

[nocturn0wl]

Everyone loves this song. I think it is the worst song on the album.

I skip it the most and that includes Grow Up and All You Need which are dated.

Is the part about "the love right here right now on the floor" about rape?

"All of the gifts that they gave can't compare in any way
To the love I am now giving to you
Right here, right now on the floor"

Or is this him saying he loves the person but the other's don't? If so, then why does he say:

"Did you really think we meant
All those syrupy, sentimental things
That we said?"

Wouldn't that also be a they if the song was the difference between him and them?

The music is just not that good either. Alain's masterpiece is Pigsty. This song isn't even close to that.

So what's so special about this song?

Oh my gosh!! Are you kidding?? It's my favorite song on the album! It was the one track that immediately stood out to me above all the others. The music is just so lovely and beautiful. I don't know much about instruments specifically to be able to talk technically about which sounds I liked, but it definitely had some magical qualities for me. And the way Morrissey sings the lyrics is lovely too.

 

[bored]

I rarely take technical aspects of a song into consideration. A song either feels right or not.

I am just interested in why this song feels so right for so many people. I do appreciate all the very passionate answers. I do wish people would speak a bit more on the lyrics.

 

[AllYouNeedIsMoz]

Is the part about "the love right here right now on the floor" about rape?

"All of the gifts that they gave can't compare in any way
To the love I am now giving to you
Right here, right now on the floor"

For some reason, this line has always conjured up the sort of "begging" imagery of kneeling on the floor. I find it very desperate and very moving.

 

[Anaesthesine]

So what's so special about this song?

To paraphrase the great Satchmo, "Man, if you gotta ask, you'll never know."

 

[EPbabe]

I love it. His voice is beautiful and, well, who can recoil at the thought of Moz love on the floor or anywhere else? Fascinating as Moz would say...

I love that part too.

 

[chelsea_steve]

I love the gentle vocal & resonance in his voice at the start of "Birthday". It reminds me a lot of "Now My Heart Is Full", which in my favourite Moz track. Admittedly the instrumentation comes nowhere close, though. The current band just seem a bunch of thrashers with very little subtlety, as displayed with that awful new live incarnation of "This Charming Man".

 

[Luxo]

'It's Not Your Birthday Anymore' is a beautiful song. The music and the lyrics fit so well together, and Morrissey just sounds really emotional and every word sounds really heartfelt.

 

[Dothatagain?]

Is the part about "the love right here right now on the floor" about rape?

"All of the gifts that they gave can't compare in any way
To the love I am now giving to you
Right here, right now on the floor"

The whole song is about rape. "Your voice might say no", "It cannot be given / And so it must be taken" ...

I think it's a comment on the emptiness of kindness, that people often don't mean their kind words. One minute people are being nice to each other, the next they're not. He's just using two extremes to illustrate it - birthday celebration one day, rape the next. Another of his Modern Life rants.

The use of "all the syrupy things WE said" implies either that the whole family/friends group don't care, or that this is a group sex attack, depending on quite how dark you think he's going with the song.

Then there's the twisted comparison of rape to gift-giving, and using the word "love" to describe it too.

And on top of that a great vocal performance. Given the nature of the song, the wailing at the end reminds me of the "yes yes yes" from Whatever Happens.

Great song. Not quite Pigsty, but certainly this album's Camden.

 

[bm20950]

If I'm reading this right you are saying people are turning away from the song because it doesn't fit the norm. I would think that might be true if Morrissey wrote a slew of normal songs but all of his songs make my friends go, "What the hell is this?"

Not quite what I meant, while it's true I find the musical style a departure from what i've heard Morrissey do in the past, I can't stand all this talk of it being poor "becasue it sounds like ..."

Personally I find it a gorgeous delicate melody with ace lyrics, and i strongly think people should see it like that for what it is, instead of comparing it to something they may or may not like.

 

[EPbabe]

The whole song is about rape. "Your voice might say no", "It cannot be given / And so it must be taken" ...

I think it's a comment on the emptiness of kindness, that people often don't mean their kind words. One minute people are being nice to each other, the next they're not. He's just using two extremes to illustrate it - birthday celebration one day, rape the next. Another of his Modern Life rants.

The use of "all the syrupy things WE said" implies either that the whole family/friends group don't care, or that this is a group sex attack, depending on quite how dark you think he's going with the song.

Then there's the twisted comparison of rape to gift-giving, and using the word "love" to describe it too.

And on top of that a great vocal performance. Given the nature of the song, the wailing at the end reminds me of the "yes yes yes" from Whatever Happens.

Great song. Not quite Pigsty, but certainly this album's Camden.

I remember we had this discussion on the lyrics a few months ago, and although rape could be one answer, the song may just be about forbidden love. Gift-giving: giving in. "the syrupy things we said" - the syrupy things one says when wants somebody real bad.

"Your voice might say no..." reminds me of "you don't agree but you don't refuse" of Jack the Ripper. Oh wait a minute, Jack the Raper? (Kidding, sorry.)

For me it's about temptation, forbidden love, trying to resist it, then finally giving in. The vocals are heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and I like it musically too, though I don't know a lot about music.

Great thoughts there, Dothatagain.

 

[Explosive Kegs]

I remember we had this discussion on the lyrics a few months ago, and although rape could be one answer, the song may just be about forbidden love. Gift-giving: giving in. "the syrupy things we said" - the syrupy things one says when wants somebody real bad.

"Your voice might say no..." reminds me of "you don't agree but you don't refuse" of Jack the Ripper. Oh wait a minute, Jack the Raper? (Kidding, sorry.)

For me it's about temptation, forbidden love, trying to resist it, then finally giving in. The vocals are heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and I like it musically too, though I don't know a lot about music.

Great thoughts there, Dothatagain.

I thoroughly agree with EPbaby, her thoughts and insight are as usual, spot on

 

[Frank's Wild Years]

For me it's about temptation, forbidden love, trying to resist it, then finally giving in. The vocals are heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and I like it musically too, though I don't know a lot about music.

Not knowing a lot about music on a technical level is no barrier to liking it or perceiving its quality at all. The most technically skilled musicians are all too often terrible bores without a clue as to how to write a compelling song. Not to mention people even higher up the food chain of their own perception who can only listen to classical music and consider anything else trashy pop.

 

[EPbabe]

Not knowing a lot about music on a technical level is no barrier to liking it or perceiving its quality at all. The most technically skilled musicians are all too often terrible bores without a clue as to how to write a compelling song. Not to mention people even higher up the food chain of their own perception who can only listen to classical music and consider anything else trashy pop.

at "higher up the food chain"...

I just meant that I can't explain why I like something musically, or whether it is good quality or not, or whether Jesse is a good guitarist or not, I just like it, a lot. I like how the softer quiet parts and the more energetic parts follow each other. And it reminds me terribly of something, and I don't remember what.

 

[jesuisbryony]

I wouldn't say so, that seems a bit ... cheap.

For some reason, this line has always conjured up the sort of "begging" imagery of kneeling on the floor. I find it very desperate and very moving.

Yes, I agree completely.

 

[I am a Ghost]

:I like how the softer quiet parts and the more energetic parts follow each other. And it reminds me terribly of something, and I don't remember what.

Humping!

 

[EPbabe]

Humping!

Genius!

I meant, musically.