Morrissey A-Z: "Nobody Loves Us"

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member






Today's song is this Morrissey/Whyte composition, a B-side to "Dagenham Dave" and then included on the expanded Southpaw Grammar in 2009. I've also included the acoustic version from the Miraval Sessions.

What do we think?
 
There is so much of Morrissey's genius crammed into this song, it blows me away every time I listen to it. The lyrics are perfect because it's never crystal clear who exactly he's singing about but there are sooo many great lines in here. And as for the vocals, this is one of those incredibly rare songs where he knows he's got a brilliant chorus and then milks it for all it's worth as the song peaks and then peaks again. Just magnificent. (And obviously a hat-tip to Alain for creating the foundations for Morrissey to build on.)
 
This is 100% my top B-side that should have been an A-side.
FWD.
 
fantastic song,great vocal without having to do too much.an M b-side is most bands a-side.
rip roaring and never boring.
9 call us home/10 kiss our cheeks.
 






Today's song is this Morrissey/Whyte composition, a B-side to "Dagenham Dave" and then included on the expanded Southpaw Grammar in 2009. I've also included the acoustic version from the Miraval Sessions.

What do we think?

I feel left out because I've never had 4 days of stubble.
 
An amazing track, associated with one of my favourite Moz albums. You can see why it wasn’t added onto the album, though: while the wistful, poignant lyrics could be spotted next to “Southpaw”’s confessions, the tune (which is a classic Moz chord sequence and arrangement) would probably stick out like a sore thumb on Southpaw Grammar. Don’t get me wrong - I love both, and the slashing guitars and intertwining drums capture the feeling of turbulent youth excellently. It’s got a killer hook, too. Echoeing @Famous when dead, it has all the qualities of a standalone single à la “Boxers” or “Sunny”. So, yes, a lost classic - just one that served better as standalone rather than attached to an album.
9/10
 
Another classic about the useless, shiftless and jobless British underclass. Lyrics are full of humor, yet very bleak.
I also love the way he emphasizes "Noooobody" when he sings "Nobody loves us" for the second time in the chorus.
I will never understand why this song wasn't included on Southpaw Grammar.
 
An absolute classic from the opening line.
Including this song on the original Southpaw would have been like encasing a diamond in shit.
 
Lovely song, and a great closer to SG (Legacy/Expanded version). The voice is superb; the lyrics very clever & earthy; there's a lot of northern England references/terminologies in the song which helps you position it geographically. Interesting that on the stripped back acoustic version he mixes up the verses, words, & even inserts new ones to those in the original, which adds another unexpected dimension.
Absolutely wonderful.
 
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Absolutely perfect. Not just Morrissey’s best b-side, one of the greatest b-sides from anybody ever, in my opinion.

Those lyrics. Nostalgic, cutting, sad, funny, political, personal. f***ing genius.
 
An absolute classic from the opening line.
Including this song on the original Southpaw would have been like encasing a diamond in shit.
My frustration with Southpaw Grammar is that the run of 5 songs, from Boy Racer to Do Your Best, is borderline musically repetitive and so thin on lyrics, that I want something to gently break that spell. "Honey" or "You Should Have Been Nice" would indeed be too contrasting indeed, I can somehow see this one work. The expanded version, which does include all three songs + Fantastic Bird, isn't entirely satisfying either.
 
I can understand why this is a fan favourite due to the themes, but I can't say that I have ever been too fond of it.

Lyrically it feels too much Morrissey-by-numbers to me, and I also think the music is very poor.

I do enjoy the acoustic version a lot more though, and it deserves an official release.

In the poll on the Hoffman board this ranked 27th from 264 solo songs.
 
Everything that's good about Morrissey, particularly his relationship to his fans.

Absolute fact! And that Miraval acoustic version is particularly striking.

Sing us our
Favourite song
Nobody loves us
Born-again atheists
Practising troublemakers
Make us our
Favourite jam
Nobody loves us
Useless and shiftless
And jobless
But we're all yours
 
I'm not totally totally sure, but I think Morrissey invites Johnny to pop over and kiss his arse in that one.
In a very melancholic way, naturally. I mean, it's Morrissey.

Sadly, Johnny never found the house.
 
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