Morrissey A-Z: 'Alma Matters'

Bumping this thread up.

Its not his strongest work, but its comforting in a warm blanket or comfort food sorta way.

MrShoes
 
I used to think the production was tacky, but now I don't mind it. A solid second-tier single. I was very happy when Morrissey brought it back into heavy rotation, as I thought he was reconsidering his position on some of the Maladjusted material. I wish he'd give the same preference to the title track or "Satan Rejected My Soul" or "Trouble Loves Me," but I'm always still happy to hear this one live.
 
I used to think the production was tacky, but now I don't mind it. A solid second-tier single. I was very happy when Morrissey brought it back into heavy rotation, as I thought he was reconsidering his position on some of the Maladjusted material. I wish he'd give the same preference to the title track or "Satan Rejected My Soul" or "Trouble Loves Me," but I'm always still happy to hear this one live.

Agreed! At the shows, it always seems to have a great reception from the crowd as well.

MrShoes
 
I thought it was a very welcomed change of direction after Southpaw and a strong first single. While Maladjusted had it's high points: Alma Matters, Maladjusted (opener) and Satan... overall I found it a bit lackluster. Who would've have guessed it would be 6+ years until a follow up?
 
I'd definitely agree that it's too long, otherwise it would have been a very radio friendly, almost mainstream sounding single, because it's so easily accessible - and something tells me that's the precise reason Morrissey lets it go on for almost 5 minutes.

Another song that is carried mostly by the vocal melody. Lots of fun to sing along with.

The lyrics are... a bit cryptic. Morrissey once gave an explanation which he retracted later on:

"Well... it really does mean something specific. I think it means that we should be pleased and proud of the female side of our character, of our nature. Or if we're female, we should be proud of the male side of our character and give it just as much import as the other side. So, everything's fine, it doesn't matter how you behave."

But it made me wonder about the lines

"Alma matters in mind
body and soul
in part and in hole"

Why is it "hole"? Not "whole"? In connection with his explanation about embracing our female/male sides etc, which "parts" is he actually talking about? I feel like the whole lyric is some kind of in-joke that you can't get unless you're inside Morrissey's mind and that "Alma" is merely a placeholder for something else. (Besides the obvious Alma matters/Alma mater pun.)

The reason why he's become so fond of singing it live in recent years seems rather obvious to me: The choices he has made may seem wrong (or strange) to us, but it's his life to ruin his own way...

The video is one of his greatest. Sexy as hell as well.

Regarding the pun and song, I always took it simply as him saying that going to university, or doing what is expected of one (having a family,etc) matters to someone somewhere, but that he never did, and is doing fine, so they (society) shouldn’t be telling him what to do, or how to live (his) life.
 
Regarding the pun and song, I always took it simply as him saying that going to university, or doing what is expected of one (having a family,etc) matters to someone somewhere, but that he never did, and is doing fine, so they (society) shouldn’t be telling him what to do, or how to live (his) life.
I never considered that it could be that 'simple' to be honest.
 
(I just noticed... Didn't we skip over All The Young People Must Fall In Love yesterday?)
was it not bookish boy who started this thread now we have someone else doing it,this is where the confusion begins,songs being missed or not in order,leave it to bookish he started it.
 
this is the song that got me into M in a big way,used to hear it at the same time everyday in ibiza,just sounded so good blasting out of huge speakers at the pool.
 
was it not bookish boy who started this thread now we have someone else doing it,this is where the confusion begins,songs being missed or not in order,leave it to bookish he started it.
No, it was BookishBoy's idea but This Charming Bowie started it and BookishBoy took over.
 
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a-z alma matters maladjusted morrissey morrissey a-z solo
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