Sorry for missing yesterday, I was feeling down. As for "I Have Forgiven Jesus," it's another fantastic song. Lyrically, it's right up there with his very best. It doesn't particularly strike me as a single though, so it was surprising to see it made the top 10 in the UK. As much as I would like to assign it a 5/5, there are other songs I prefer on the album. So I'll settle with a strong 4.5/5. Which leads us to one of them - "Come Back to Camden." While I personally have never been to London, Morrissey paints it so beautifully and vividly, it's almost as if you are there. He played a brief snippet of the song during "Speedway" at the Camden, NJ show I attended, which was a major highlight. Apparently he hadn't played the full song since 2004, which made it even more special. Without a doubt a 5/5.
Come Back to Camden is yet another Morrissey track that settles in somewhere between a 3 and a 4 out of 5. Hmmm ... 3/5 for now. Repeated listening (in due time) may improve things ...
Today’s song is I’m Not Sorry: Not one of the standout tracks of the album, the production lifts this several notches. While it was a worthwhile inclusion, it might have worked better if it had been placed later in the running order. Lyrically there is nothing too revelatory, but I do rate the “woman of my dreams” section as the highlight of the song. 3.5/5.
A fine understated track. There's something of a dreamy Vauxhall side two feel to it - although I actually find this superior to, say, I Am Hated For Loving. Again this is really my kind of thing. Some great production ideas. Nice introspective lyric. I like the title's nod to Suedehead and the Wild(e) man pun is amusing too. My only real criticism of Quarry is highlighted here; the sequencing is a little off to my ears, especially the run of three slower songs (Camden - Sorry - Crashing Bores) all in a row. But anyway this is a superior song in any context. 4.5/5
I have my favorites that I go to on YATQ and this isn't one of them, but this thread has me listening to tracks I hadn't listened to in a long time. I'm Not Sorry is really nice, nicer than I remembered it. 4/5
"I'm Not Sorry" At this point I'm wondering whether every other song is going to be the same mid-tempo pace, but I do like the bassline on this one. There isn't anything particularly wrong with this track, except maybe it is one verse too long, but then there is nothing about it that particularly grabs me either. It's just a bit "meh" really, but 3/5 anyway.
Not sorry - intro sounds like a retread of America is Not the World. It’s pleasant, a bit of a ‘he knows I’d love to see him’ vibe, it’s not terrible but it’s the first song on the album that does nothing for me. A pleasant faceless 3 of 5
Sterile production and mid tempo groove provides a needed breather for the album in which to collect our wits, and where we find a few lyrical tidbits to the album that may provide a key such as perhaps, “Reach for my hand, and the race is won. Reject my hand, and the damage is done...” California Son’s nod to easy listening folk shows not an unpurposeful hand at work. Not one of my favorites, but a song that overcomes my initial hesitation to it. 4/5. (More like 3.5)
I’m Not Sorry Another slowish one but still decent enough. Very languid. The lyrics are not too bad, particularly the ‘Reject my hand...’ part which I always liked, along with the aforementioned ‘ Woman of my dream..’ section, but the vocals overall lift it to slightly above average. 4/5
I’m not sorry... Could be written as his epitaph... not one that registers that highly for me, but sequenced between Camden and Crashing Bores its a good album track ..so 3/5
"I'm Not Sorry". Another song I like a lot. Is the "Woman of my dreams, there never was one" an admission of any sort? I like the vulnerability in his lyrics. Another non-single that gets a high score. 4.0/5.0. My favorite line is "on competing/when will this tired heart stop beating?" If you haven't felt this way at some point, then you're very young.
I’m Not Sorry This is one of Morrissey's best produced tracks; it has a great languid feel to it (a cousin of Lazy Sunbathers) which benefits the track as the different musical intercepts dip in and out. Sure, it is a little bit too mid tempo pondering verse; and this is not one of his most headlining grabbing sets of lyrics. Yet upon inspection of the lyrics they are striking as to how personal and relatable they. Plus I like the flute on the outro. 4.0/5
Another beautiful track. It's right up there with Morrissey's somewhat mysterious, but gorgeous tunes such as: "I Don't Owe You Anything" or "Break Up the Family." Overall, it's probably my favorite song on the entire album. 5/5 for "I'm Not Sorry," Moz and Boz at their best.
I’m Not Sorry - I don't care for the instrumentation. I agree with the comment that this song seems like an extension of the opener. Vocals are OK but not standout. The melodies are lacking. Very forgettable song that goes on too long. 2 (generous) ranking out of 5.
I'm Not Sorry 5/5 - Beautiful , resigned vocal. I love the "on returning/on competing" lyrics. Even the clarinet solo is great!
The ratings for all of the songs from 1988 to 1997, the first half of Morrissey's solo career: Vauxhall and I – 4.4 Your Arsenal – 4.275 Viva Hate – 4.08 Southpaw Grammar - 3.49 Maladjusted - 2.89 Kill Uncle – 2.82 Bona Drag – 4.42 My Early Burglary Years - 4.2 World of Morrissey – 2.73 Beethoven Was Deaf – 3.71 Introducing Morrissey – 3.43 Live in Dallas – 3.25 1 - Now My Heart is Full – 4.87 2 - Speedway – 4.86 3 - Everyday is Like Sunday – 4.843 4 - Suedehead – 4.78 5 - Jack the Ripper – 4.72 6 - You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side – 4.64 7 - The Last of the Famous International Playboys – 4.54 8 - Glamorous Glue – 4.53 9 - Tomorrow – 4.5 10 - The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get – 4.48 11 - Why Don’t You Find Out for Yourself – 4.37 12 = We’ll Let You Know – 4.36 12 = The National Front Disco – 4.36 14 - Hairdresser on Fire – 4.34 15 - Seasick, Yet Still Docked – 4.32 16 - Nobody Loves Us – 4.304 17 - November Spawned a Monster – 4.295 18 - I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday – 4.263 19 - Lost – 4.2614 20 - Hold on to Your Friends – 4.2609 21 - Piccadilly Palare – 4.2 22 - Sunny – 4.175 23 - Trouble Loves Me – 4.16 24 = Late Night, Maudlin Street – 4.125 24 = Maladjusted – 4.125 26 - Southpaw – 4.11 27 = Alsatian Cousin – 4.1 27 = Disappointed – 4.1 29 - Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together – 4.07 30 - Boxers – 4.043 31 - Sister I’m a Poet – 4.042 32 - I Know Very Well How I Got My Name – 4 33 - I’ve Changed My Plea to Guilty – 3.98 34 - The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils – 3.96 35 - Billy Budd – 3.94 36 - My Love Life – 3.92 37 - Interlude – 3.9 38 - Will Never Marry – 3.875 39 - The Edges Are No Longer Parallel – 3.84 40 - Alma Matters – 3.83 41 - Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning – 3.818 42 - Driving Your Girlfriend Home – 3.74 43 - The Boy Racer – 3.7381 44 - A Swallow on My Neck – 3.7125 45 = (I’m) The End of the Family Line – 3.7 45 = Spring-Heeled Jim – 3.7 47 - I Am Hated for Loving – 3.68 48 - Sing Your Life – 3.67 49 = I’d Love To – 3.667 49 = We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful – 3.667 51 - Break Up the Family – 3.6 52 - Used to Be a Sweet Boy – 3.5875 53 - The Loop – 3.5869 54 - Ouija Board, Ouija Board – 3.58 55 - Pregnant for the Last Time – 3.57 56 - Do Your Best and Don't Worry – 3.56 57 - Mute Witness – 3.555 58- Yes, I am Blind – 3.54 59 = Reader Meet Author – 3.5326 59 = You’re the One for Me, Fatty – 3.5326 61 - Interesting Drug – 3.52 62 - Satan Rejected My Soul – 3.51 63 - He Knows I’d Love to See Him – 3.5 64 - Lucky Lisp – 3.48 65 - There is a Place in Hell for Me and My Friends – 3.47 66 - I Can Have Both – 3.46 67 - Skin Storm – 3.42 68 - Lifeguard on Duty – 3.418 69 = Little Man, What Now? – 3.417 69 = I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me – 3.417 71 - The Lazy Sunbathers – 3.38 72 - Roy's Keen – 3.325 73 - Let the Right One Slip In – 3.32 74 - Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference – 3.3095 75 - Honey You Know Where to Find Me – 3.3088 76 - Whatever Happens, I Love You – 3.29 77 - You Should Have Been Nice to Me – 3.2778 78 - Certain People I Know – 3.2775 79 - Ammunition – 3.275 80 - The Operation – 3.26 81 - The Ordinary Boys – 3.22 82 - That’s Entertainment – 3.21 83 - Our Frank – 3.16 84 - Happy Lovers at Last United – 3.15 85 - Michaels Bones – 3.146 86 - Best Friend on the Payroll – 3.13 87 - Cosmic Dancer – 3.12 88 - He Cried – 3.11 89 - Wide to Receive – 3.1 90 - Kit - 3.097 91 - Have-a-Go Merchant – 3.095 92 - Dial-a-Cliché – 3.065 93 - Now I Am a Was – 3.03 94 - Tony the Pony – 3.025 95 - King Leer – 3.02 96 - Heir Apparent – 3.0133 97 - Striptease With a Difference – 3.0132 98 - At Amber – 3 99 - Bengali in Platforms – 2.94 100 - Dagenham Dave - 2.93 101 - It's Hard to Walk Tall When You're Small – 2.926 102 - Margaret on the Guillotine – 2.913 103 - Pashernate Love – 2.91 104 - Girl Least Likely To – 2.88 105 - Black-Eyed Susan – 2.875 106 - You’ve Had Her – 2.86 107 - This is Not Your Country – 2.84 108 - Ambitious Outsiders – 2.83 109 - Moonriver – 2.76 110 - You Must Please Remember – 2.74 111 - East West – 2.73 112 - Fantastic Bird – 2.71 113 - There Speaks a True Friend – 2.625 114 - Papa Jack – 2.55 115 - Please Help the Cause Against Loneliness – 2.548 116 - Oh Well, I’ll Never Learn – 2.53 117 - Journalists Who Lie – 2.5 118 - Asian Rut – 2.45 119 - Trash – 2.33 120 - Found, Found, Found – 2.31 121 - Safe Warm, Lancashire Home – 2.12 122 - Oh Phoney – 2.1 123 - Born to Hang - 2 124 - Sorrow Will Come in the End – 1.99 125 - The Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye – 1.97 126 - Get Off the Stage – 1.95 127 - Treat Me Like a Human Being – 1.71
Today’s song is The World is Full of Crashing Bores: A tuneless dirge that has no real musical value. The fact that it is still a decent song is entirely down to Morrissey’s contributions. Partly the lyrics, but particularly the vocal melody. When he starts to sing, “This world is full…” his voice soars over the weak backing track like a great bird flying over a toxic refuse dump. It’s obviously a song that means a lot to Morrissey considering how many times he has performed it, but not a personal favourite of mine. 3/5.
