The Smiths/Morrissey - song-by-song discussion thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Turk Thrust, Mar 8, 2019.

  1. mooseman

    mooseman Forum Resident

    The Slum Mums - 2/5
    What single was this a B side of?
     
  2. StevenC

    StevenC SUEDE > Both Oasis AND Blur.

    "The Slum Mums"
    Forgettable.
    Not bad, but not memorable...
    2.5/5.0
     
  3. inglorious

    inglorious Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    One of the I Have Forgiven Jesus ones.
     
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  4. The MEZ

    The MEZ Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    Slum Mums 3
     
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  5. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    slum mums 2 of 5.
    the music is good, but moz's vocal melody isn't. could've been a solid song with a better vocal part.
     
  6. ARL

    ARL Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    "The Slum Mums"

    What with this and "Teenage Dad", it sounds like Morrissey was well up on benefits culture long before reality TV became obsessed with it. Not an impressive track though - in one ear and out the other without much of a tune sticking. Does its job as a b-side, but not much else. 2/5.
     
  7. Gavaxeman

    Gavaxeman Take me back to dear old Blighty...

    Location:
    West Midlands U.K.
    Slummy mummies

    Most of the b sides from quarry were solid , and this is another one 3/5

    Had a blast of Quarry in the car today .. I may have been unkind to I’m Not Sorry ...but you know what ..

    I’m not sorry
     
  8. Vauxhall

    Vauxhall Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    I find the lyrical content very interesting, it's certainly not an issue most singers would write about. The track itself is by no means a masterpiece, but I think fairly solid nonetheless. With a bit of tweaking, it could have scored higher, but for now I'll settle with a 3/5 for "The Slum Mums."
     
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  9. John54

    John54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Burlington, ON
    I kinda like dirgy stuff so 3/5 for Slum Mums, certainly no lower
     
  10. Turk Thrust

    Turk Thrust Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.K.
    The ratings for The Slum Mums:

    1-0
    2-6
    3-6
    4-0
    5-0
     
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  11. Turk Thrust

    Turk Thrust Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.K.
    Today’s song is The Public Image:



    This feels like one of Morrissey’s more autobiographical songs of this era and you get the sense that by this point, even he was beginning to lose sight of the distinction between his public and private personas.

    It again feels a little half-baked and probably could have done with some editing as it starts to lose its appeal after 5 minutes.

    As the 24th and final song to be issued in 2004 though, it is still fairly impressive.

    3/5.
     
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  12. Gavaxeman

    Gavaxeman Take me back to dear old Blighty...

    Location:
    West Midlands U.K.
    The public image

    Be interesting what the lyrics would be like if he wrote it now.... another solid b side (amazing how consistent the Quarry era b side tracks are) so yet another mid table 3/5
     
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  13. ARL

    ARL Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    "The Public Image"

    Very nice. A Smiths feel about the melody, and also echoes of "Seasick". Didn't seem to outstay its welcome to me, as it builds nicely over the 5 minutes. I'm prepared to go to 4/5 for this on just the one listen.
     
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  14. Orson Swells

    Orson Swells Forum Resident

    Location:
    Manchester
    Ah, I really like this one. One of my very favourite b-sides of the era. Nice sparse production and some great self-lacerating lyrics. I've always found it odd that it wasn't on Swords - I'd easily take it over that live version of Drive-In Saturday or a (pleasant enough) throwaway like I Knew I Was Next. Anyway, I may be being a touch over generous here, but 4.5/5.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
  15. Spazaru

    Spazaru Angry Samoan

    I never listened to this because I assumed it was a cover of the PiL song! Ha ha. Glad it's not. Not bad while I'm listening to it but not that memorable overall IMO.

    2.5/5
     
  16. Snoddywilko

    Snoddywilko Forum Resident

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I’d not heard The Slum Mums or The Public Image since they were released, & listening to them again now I can see why they were left off Swords.

    Slum Mums has a few nice lines, at least, & I like the melody of the chorus -especially the slight falsetto - but overall it’s landfill songwriting to a backing thats about as dull as can be.

    I couldn’t even get through more than 90 seconds of The Public Image. There’s absolutely nothing redeeming about that waste of recording time.

    What I’ll never understood is how Morrissey - a man who loves raw music like the V.U, The Ramones, Iggy Pop etc, & was once writing with an original & exciting musician like Marr - doesn’t seem to recognise or care that he’s spent many years churning out below par tosh like this to some of the blandest, uninspired ‘music’ provided by the same boring co-writers again & again & again.

    These are the lowest ratings I’ve given in this thread so far.

    The Slum Mums 2.5/5

    The Public Image 2/5
     
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  17. mooseman

    mooseman Forum Resident

    "The Public Image" 3/5
     
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  18. The MEZ

    The MEZ Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    The Public Image 4.5/5
     
  19. inglorious

    inglorious Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    The Public Image
    A rather pleasant one for me. Unspectacular but interesting enough lyrics and a good vocal performance. Wouldn’t skip it on a playlist, unlike a couple of the other b sides of this era.
    3/5
     
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  20. Vauxhall

    Vauxhall Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Another instance of a very good song being left of Swords. Having it replace something "Sweetie-Pie" would have made it a much better album. 4/5 for "The Public Image."
     
  21. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    Public Image. Its allright but 5 minutes is way too long for this

    2 of 5
     
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  22. John54

    John54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Burlington, ON
    Offhand 3/5 for The Public Image. Lots of times already (first 100 seconds) it sounds like it's going to go off in a musical direction I like a lot, then an angular chord creeps in to spoil it. It may improve on repeated listening.
     
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  23. Turk Thrust

    Turk Thrust Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.K.
    The ratings for The Public Image:

    1-0
    2-3
    3-5
    4-4
    5-0
     
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  24. Turk Thrust

    Turk Thrust Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.K.
    Today we will discuss the DVD Who Put the ‘M’ in Manchester?

    I have fond memories of buying this DVD as I attended the show and make a blink and you’ll miss it appearance in the background during the opening interview sequence. This was Morrissey’s first U.K. show of 2004 and I also attended his last U.K. show of 1997 back when he’d been promoting Maladjusted. Thinking about the shows now, there was no comparison and I think he knew he had to up his game. By 2004 he was playing far longer shows, he was much more talkative and animated between songs (one or two comments that he made have been cut from this DVD) and the addition of a keyboard player created a much fuller and more solid sound. No more attempts to perform piano ballads on guitars! :laugh: The only downside was that Morrissey and the rest of us were all older, but there’s not an awful lot he could do about that.

    I remember that I sent a message to a friend after the show saying, “Morrissey was great, the band were great and the setlist was so-so.” Listening to these songs again now, I can hear the faults in the band and they are much more apparent than they were on the night.

    I can admire Morrissey for not playing a greatest hits show and performing so many new songs, but there could have been a little more to excite the fans. A review at the time said that his choices of Smiths songs, “bordered on the quixotic” and one or two of the solo songs were interesting selections too. The last couple of crowd pleasers sent people home happy at least.

    The DVD does better than most to make it feel like more than just any other show by including the introduction, the fan interviews and the shots of the venue at the end. It did feel like something special at the time as during the day in Manchester there were fans who had travelled from many other countries to attend. My memory is that there was initially a rumour that this might be his only show in Europe, but as soon as tickets sold out other dates were announced. :)

    The inclusion of the promo videos and particularly the Move Festival performances was a nice touch and raises the DVD a notch or two. I was struck by how they managed to detonate the crowd with First of the Gang to Die. At the start of 2004 (or for many years previously) it would have been unimaginable that any new song could have that affect.



    For the whole package, a strong 4/5.
     
  25. Orson Swells

    Orson Swells Forum Resident

    Location:
    Manchester
    Yes, I was there too! It worked brilliantly as an event even if watching it back some of the songs don't sound that great. A Rush and A Push... for example sounds a little unconvincing now. Looking back it almost feels like the pinnacle of his popularity. So, anyway, as an experience and an occasion 4/5.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2019

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