Morrissey A-Z: "I Don't Mind If You Forget Me"

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member



Our song for today is this one, a Morrissey / Street composition from the second side of Viva Hate.

What do we think?

(I was hoping we'd get to do "I Have Forgiven Jesus" today, Easter Sunday, but alas we'll have to wait until tomorrow for that one.)
 
I love everything about this song, and always have since I first heard it, but with the passing of time my favourite part is this:

Sincerely I must tell you
Your mild 'best wishes'
They make me suspicious


which anticipated the whole "work email sign-off debate" by a good 20 or 30 years.
 


One of his greatest songs in my opinion. I love the music. That guitar is placed perfectly in the mix. The feedback and whammy bar use and the pointed, bitter tone reflect the mood perfectly but it's made quiet enough not to upset the balance. And "rejection is one thing but rejection from a fool is cruel" is one of my favorite lines in all his lyrics.
When this song was new I immediately heard it as a song to former fans or possibly critics who had moved on from the days they thought he was great, but there is really nothing in the lyrics that suggests this. Now I see it more as the end of a relationship or a friendship when you still kind of care about the person but there are hurt feelings and resentment. It doesn't matter though. It's the same message to someone you once had some sort of bond or mutual affection with.
The switch from " I really do understand" to "I really don't understand this time" and the
"The pressure to change, to move on
Was strange
And very strong
So this is why I tell you
I really do understand
Bye bye"
is perfect.
There are people who will come part of the way with you and go against what they've been taught by their parents, schools, and society, churches, governments, police, but then they grow up or they reveal some inner doubt. They want to fit in.
That's what it means to me anyway.
10/10
 
It's the 80's pop hit that never was. In an alternate dimension they are dancing to this in The Breakfast Club and it fills movie trailers.

It has always been a personal favorite. I myself did a cover of the song years and years ago...Sorry about the mistakes:

 
Out of the two Motown style tracks from the late 80s era (the other being “Please Help The Cause Against Loneliness”), I definitely prefer this one. Some nice guitar touches with a great pop/soul swing to the drumbeat and bassline. It's only been recently that I've grown to like this one more - before that, the title fulfilled itself!
6/10
 
Not one of the absolute best songs from Viva Hate, but I still enjoy the loose feel of this.

I like the fact that Vini Reilly's guitarwork doesn't try to ape Johnny's, and the lyrics sound quite impromptu (as I believe some of the lyrics were on this album).

The title could be compared and contrasted with I Don't Want Us to Finish and perhaps reflects Morrissey's very mixed feelings at the time.

In the poll on the Hoffman board this ranked 156th from 264 solo songs.
 
yip,an easter sunday morning goodie.surprised its not higher in the poll,then again polls are as useful as a square easter egg.
rejection is one thing.
but rejection from a fool is cruel.
there are so many good lines in this song.
 
Never been a real favorite of mine, but its fun, upbeat melody along with some fantastic lines (for example:
Your mild 'best wishes'/They make me suspicious,

You can only be strong for so long/It may not eat you but it will beat you,

and of course

Rejection is one thing/But rejection from a fool/Is cruel) still make it pretty great. Moz should consider introducing this one to his live set. It would go over very well.
 
Title and music may suggest that this is an upbeat song, but plenty of reflection in the words and several quotable lines. This is Morrissey after all.

I always felt there’s some irony in the title too. Morrissey does have a craving to be remembered as an artist.
 
Good to see so much love for this one, for some reason I always thought it wasn't that popular with many - which would be a shame because it's great. I suspect Morrissey himself doesn't feel the same way about it. But what does he know....

Endlessly quotable, as others have pointed out, today this resonates the most with me:

You can only be strong for so long
It may not eat you but it will beat you
 
One of his best and catchiest songs BUT
Vini's guitar on it is abhorrent!
and Street's decision to layer awful effects on it make it even worse!
If the guitar part was stripped out, and with a slightly fuller production it would be a 10/10 and could've easily been released as a single.
The biggest blunder of Street's career.
 
Not enough superlatives can be given to this song especially when you've been cruelly rejected by a fool and your hero sings:

'Rejection is one thing but rejection from a fool is cruel'
 
A cracking song but still one of the weakest on the album which just emphasises how brilliant Viva Hate is.
Conversely, the weaker songs on Vauxhall include the likes of Spring Heeled Jim and Lazy Sunbathers. Does anyone honestly feel that these are anywhere near the quality of I Don't Mind?
 
one of the better songs on an album I think highly overrated
 
A cracking song but still one of the weakest on the album which just emphasises how brilliant Viva Hate is.
Conversely, the weaker songs on Vauxhall include the likes of Spring Heeled Jim and Lazy Sunbathers. Does anyone honestly feel that these are anywhere near the quality of I Don't Mind?
I kind of do, actually! Different vibes but both brilliant albums...
 
A cracking song but still one of the weakest on the album which just emphasises how brilliant Viva Hate is.
Conversely, the weaker songs on Vauxhall include the likes of Spring Heeled Jim and Lazy Sunbathers. Does anyone honestly feel that these are anywhere near the quality of I Don't Mind?
I do. I'd rather listen to those two than IDMIYFM. I think IDMIYFM is great, but Jim and Sunbathers are much more 'me' in a sense. They're more often my mood, so to speak. I also feel that they are musically and sonically superior.
 
It's a cruel 'f*** you' surely aimed at Marr, but a cracking song. Shame it's never played live, but I guess Jesse would just make a mess of the guitar solo.
 
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