Morrissey A-Z: "Fantastic Bird"

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member



We kick off the F's with this track, released on the 2009 edition of Southpaw Grammar but apparently recorded way back in 1992.

What do we think of this one?
 
Should have had a longer lifespan in the live set list
A lively tune !
 
i quite like it.theres all these strange noises in the background,all very sci fi.its not going to win any awards but it is what it is.
 
Silly, whimsical, but ultimately real good fun. Always enjoy hearing this song. Doesn’t really fit in on an album, but could’ve at least been a b-side.
 
It's basically Another Girl, Another Planet by The Only Ones with a sprinkling of The Jam's Going Underground. There's not much more to say really.
 
Never liked this one very much and I have no idea why Morrissey continually misremembers this as a Southpaw-era track. I can see why it never went anywhere, really doesn't fit on Your Arsenal at all. Interesting that it resurfaced live a few times in 2012, almost as utterly bizarre as when he brought back the original version of "It's Hard to Walk Tall When You're Small." Some of the most unpredictable setlist inclusions of the last decade for sure.
 
I like it more than the other songs on southpaw grammar. It’s a nice uptempo song with a simple hook and it enjoyable as the lyrics don’t sink it by trying for anything serious or complex. Feels casually joyous maybe which is very unlike morrissey
 
I don’t really get this song at all but I don’t jump to switch it off. Unfathomable in a bad way.
 
Never liked this one very much and I have no idea why Morrissey continually misremembers this as a Southpaw-era track. I can see why it never went anywhere, really doesn't fit on Your Arsenal at all. Interesting that it resurfaced live a few times in 2012, almost as utterly bizarre as when he brought back the original version of "It's Hard to Walk Tall When You're Small." Some of the most unpredictable setlist inclusions of the last decade f

Like this 'fantastic bird' from Kids in the Hall, Morrissey did well to leave this one out of the light.

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This song is utterly disposable and you can kind of see why it wasn't released at the time. Having said that, it is possibly superior to some of the 1992 b-sides.

I suppose due to the style of music I can see some vague reason for it to be included on the Southpaw Grammar reissue, even if it clearly didn't really belong.

I'm glad that it got any official release anyhow, and it must go down as one of the most obscure additions to the live shows (just behind the slow version of It's Hard to Walk Tall...).

It ranked 246th from 264 solo songs in the Hoffman poll.
 
I am a big fan of reissue Southpaw Grammar from 2009. The cover art is great, the tracklist is excellent .... almost perfect. Almost . Fantastic Bird does not fit out there at all. The song is OK but nothing more than this. One of the weaker songs of Moz but this is still Morrissey . And when He sings " But science will never love you like I do " I do believe Him ;)
 
I was thinking that Fantastic Bird reminded me of Let the right one slip in, and Verso already confirmed it was recorded during that time. So it could have been a nice B-side to one of the singles at that time. It has a punk vibe and sounds very lo-fi, perhaps because this is still a demo version. And I regret that they chose to simply include this demo on the reissue of SG in 2009 when a slightly reworked version might have fitted in better.
 
I love the lyrics. A bit silly, almost endearingly naive, but also mean in a very creative way.

Reflecting light down to earth
Oh yes - and then some humour, too
Just enough to make us know we don't miss you


and

What brings you down to earth?
Oh yes, of course -
Yes, yes, it was a lack of applause

🚀💖


A nice little oddity, that has no real place in his back catalogue, unfortunately. Would love to know if it was written with a particular person in mind.

Space will never love you like I do...
 
I love the lyrics. A bit silly, almost endearingly naive, but also mean in a very creative way.

Reflecting light down to earth
Oh yes - and then some humour, too
Just enough to make us know we don't miss you


and

What brings you down to earth?
Oh yes, of course -
Yes, yes, it was a lack of applause

🚀💖


A nice little oddity, that has no real place in his back catalogue, unfortunately. Would love to know if it was written with a particular person in mind.

Space will never love you like I do...

I agree - it's got a lovely first love innocence to it. Like it's a school friend who loves space - and probably dinosaurs.

Bowie tribute?
 
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