Bernard Butler & Morrisey - How Yes Became a No?

A Mans Man

A Mans Man
In todays Irish Times Bernard Butler discusses the song Yes and states:

"The song, says Butler, was shopped around to other artists before he approached McAlmont to sing on it. “One in particular was much older and a much more established artist,” he says, steadfastly refusing to name names. “They came back and just wanted to change everything in the song; they key, the structure, everything about it. I freaked out and I just had to say to them, ‘You know what, you’re not doing it, I want my song back’, and that caused a massive load of trouble,” he says, laughing.

“I got into so much shit for a few days with this person, who was literally phoning me up and screaming at me. But I took a deep breath and thought: I’m probably right about this one.”


I remember once hearing that he had offered this song to Morrissey and this sounds like his way of working and structuring songs? Would have been an interesting collaboration given he also collaborated with Siouxsie around the same time
 
In todays Irish Times Bernard Butler discusses the song Yes and states:

"The song, says Butler, was shopped around to other artists before he approached McAlmont to sing on it. “One in particular was much older and a much more established artist,” he says, steadfastly refusing to name names. “They came back and just wanted to change everything in the song; they key, the structure, everything about it. I freaked out and I just had to say to them, ‘You know what, you’re not doing it, I want my song back’, and that caused a massive load of trouble,” he says, laughing.

“I got into so much shit for a few days with this person, who was literally phoning me up and screaming at me. But I took a deep breath and thought: I’m probably right about this one.”


I remember once hearing that he had offered this song to Morrissey and this sounds like his way of working and structuring songs? Would have been an interesting collaboration given he also collaborated with Siouxsie around the same time

Yeah there both control freaks about here songs and I could see Morrissey wanting to change the arraignment to his very unique style of singing. He would have to change the key I think as mcalmonts natural vocal range is just stupid good. I've always imagine them working together but in reality they would butt heads almost immediately and frequently as they're both very precious about there own material. Especially butler at that time as he had lot prove in the immediate aftermath of leaving suede
 
I wouldn't blame either of them for this. It clearly wasn't meant to be. While it would've been cool for Butler and Morrissey to work together at some point, "Yes" was not the song for Morrissey.
 
In todays Irish Times Bernard Butler discusses the song Yes and states:

"The song, says Butler, was shopped around to other artists before he approached McAlmont to sing on it. “One in particular was much older and a much more established artist,” he says, steadfastly refusing to name names. “They came back and just wanted to change everything in the song; they key, the structure, everything about it. I freaked out and I just had to say to them, ‘You know what, you’re not doing it, I want my song back’, and that caused a massive load of trouble,” he says, laughing.

“I got into so much shit for a few days with this person, who was literally phoning me up and screaming at me. But I took a deep breath and thought: I’m probably right about this one.”


I remember once hearing that he had offered this song to Morrissey and this sounds like his way of working and structuring songs? Would have been an interesting collaboration given he also collaborated with Siouxsie around the same time

Nice find!!!

I heavily doubt if Morrissey would have phoned (!) Butler and screamed at him personally. Those were the good old fax-days :)
 
I wouldn't blame either of them for this. It clearly wasn't meant to be. While it would've been cool for Butler and Morrissey to work together at some point, "Yes" was not the song for Morrissey.

bernard also had a lot to prove with that song at that time so i can see him being even more precious about it than normal for him
 
Nice find!!!

I heavily doubt if Morrissey would have phoned (!) Butler and screamed at him personally. Those were the good old fax-days :)

agreed but i imagine his manager would. thats if were even talking about mkoz here
 
Re: Bernard Butler & Morrisey - How Yes Became a No?

I always thought Yes was an ultimately unsatisfying song. Whoever wanted to tweak it has a very good ear. i expect the person has released many critically acclaimed albums and been on massively successful world tours and is a major figure in music. Also any guitar player that objects to changing the key for the singer is an idiot.

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Morrissey is only 8 years older than David McAlmont so maybe they offered the song to Su Pollard first.
 
In todays Irish Times Bernard Butler discusses the song Yes and states:

"The song, says Butler, was shopped around to other artists before he approached McAlmont to sing on it. “One in particular was much older and a much more established artist,” he says, steadfastly refusing to name names. “They came back and just wanted to change everything in the song; they key, the structure, everything about it. I freaked out and I just had to say to them, ‘You know what, you’re not doing it, I want my song back’, and that caused a massive load of trouble,” he says, laughing.

“I got into so much shit for a few days with this person, who was literally phoning me up and screaming at me. But I took a deep breath and thought: I’m probably right about this one.”


I remember once hearing that he had offered this song to Morrissey and this sounds like his way of working and structuring songs? Would have been an interesting collaboration given he also collaborated with Siouxsie around the same time

Be that as it may that it was previously claimed Butler offered "Yes" to Morrissey, I suspect he is not the artist alluded to here. It's hard to imagine the song in a key that would be comfortable for him to sing. Plus, Morrissey has never used outside songwriters for a new song, certainly for a song for which he didn't write the lyrics. If he recorded something that was not a collaboration with one of his songwriters, it was a cover of an already released song that he handpicked.

What's more, "Yes" (as recorded) does not jibe with where Morrissey's sound was at circa 1994-1995. And as it's well-established that he dismissed trusted associates/band members with notes and faxes, the "phoning...up and screaming" to an acquaintance doesn't scan either.
 
Be that as it may that it was previously claimed Butler offered "Yes" to Morrissey, I suspect he is not the artist alluded to here. It's hard to imagine the song in a key that would be comfortable for him to sing. Plus, Morrissey has never used outside songwriters for a new song, certainly for a song for which he didn't write the lyrics. If he recorded something that was not a collaboration with one of his songwriters, it was a cover of an already released song that he handpicked.

What's more, "Yes" (as recorded) does not jibe with where Morrissey's sound was at circa 1994-1995. And as it's well-established that he dismissed trusted associates/band members with notes and faxes, the "phoning...up and screaming" to an acquaintance doesn't scan either.

:thumb: agree. Wonder who it could have been? P.Gabriel/Bono?
 
Be that as it may that it was previously claimed Butler offered "Yes" to Morrissey, I suspect he is not the artist alluded to here. It's hard to imagine the song in a key that would be comfortable for him to sing. Plus, Morrissey has never used outside songwriters for a new song, certainly for a song for which he didn't write the lyrics. If he recorded something that was not a collaboration with one of his songwriters, it was a cover of an already released song that he handpicked.

What's more, "Yes" (as recorded) does not jibe with where Morrissey's sound was at circa 1994-1995. And as it's well-established that he dismissed trusted associates/band members with notes and faxes, the "phoning...up and screaming" to an acquaintance doesn't scan either.

I could see it on maladjusted
 
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