What are your favourite opening words from Smiths/Morrissey albums?
- Thread starter the_kaz
- Start date
Oh my god. it's Robby!
spontaneously luminescent
ok, yeah, for my Solo choice, I'd have to say:
“There's gonna be some trouble / A whole house will need re-building / And everyone I love in the house / Will recline on an analyst's couch quite / Soon”
- Now My Heart is Full
from
Vauxhall and I
“There's gonna be some trouble / A whole house will need re-building / And everyone I love in the house / Will recline on an analyst's couch quite / Soon”
- Now My Heart is Full
from
Vauxhall and I
NovemberJesus
New Member
"I'm a poor freezingly cold soul..."
haunting
haunting
Jamie
Bluff, Ardour & Assoc.
Along the same lines, the sample of Anthony Newley on "Maladjusted" cranks it straight into high gear: "On this glorious occasion, of the the splendid defeat." Given all that was going on in his life at that time, he could have called the album "Splendid Defeat" and it would have suited the tone of the album well.
singmetosleep
New Member
ringleader - nobody knows what human life is, why we come, why we go
Corrissey
lovable loser
T
therightone
Guest
A sad fact widely known
The most impassionate song
To a lonely soul
Is so easily outgrown
The most impassionate song
To a lonely soul
Is so easily outgrown
lainey
Active Member
There is something I wanted to tell you, It`s so funny you`ll kill yourself laughing
MyDoppelganger
Such a Nice Guy
Strangeways and Self Titled.
Girl-with-the-Thorn
Still here.
Morrissey is very good at starting (and indeed finishing) albums with powerful and striking lyrics, so most of them are great. Here are my personal highlights though...
The Smiths: "It's time the tale were told"
The first words Morrissey ever sang on an album- and what fantastic words they are. Simple, and beautifully sung. As well as being relevant within the context and subject matter of the song, it also seems to encapsulate the 'mission statement' (if you like) of The Smiths and of Morrissey's solo work- to tell the truth ("the tale") about life, about people and about sadness.
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The Queen Is Dead: "Farewell to this lands cheerless marshes, hemmed in like a boar between arches"
The imagery is brilliant. I also really like the pun (I've always seen it that way, anyway) on 'boar'- implying Morrissey's disdain for the monarchy and his viewing them as bores.
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Strangeways, Here We Come: "Ohhhh... Hello, I am the ghost of Troubled Joe"
I find this line almost chilling- or at least, thrilling- especially when coupled with the intro music.
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Vauxhall And I: "There's gonna be some trouble, a whole house will need rebuilding"
A perfect start to the album, and to the best song Morrissey has ever written (in my opinion). It gives the sense of looking forward, of prophesising and of realisation. It's slightly dark, but tinged with humour too.
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Maladjusted: "I wanna start from before the beginning. Loot wine, be mine, and then let's stay out for the night"
Again, it works perfectly with the music, making it even more powerful. This is another first line which gives the impression of beginning a story, not only giving the song momentum but also setting up the album as something complete and coherent, almost a narrative.
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Ringleader Of The Tormentors: "Nobody knows what human life is"
Simply because nobody does.
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Years Of Refusal: "I'm doing very well- I can block out the present and the past now"
This line is so defiant, assertive and punchy- much like YOR as a whole. It's also a surprising turn of phrase for Morrissey- at least to those who have always swallowed the 'miserable' and 'whiny' cliches.
The Smiths: "It's time the tale were told"
The first words Morrissey ever sang on an album- and what fantastic words they are. Simple, and beautifully sung. As well as being relevant within the context and subject matter of the song, it also seems to encapsulate the 'mission statement' (if you like) of The Smiths and of Morrissey's solo work- to tell the truth ("the tale") about life, about people and about sadness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Queen Is Dead: "Farewell to this lands cheerless marshes, hemmed in like a boar between arches"
The imagery is brilliant. I also really like the pun (I've always seen it that way, anyway) on 'boar'- implying Morrissey's disdain for the monarchy and his viewing them as bores.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strangeways, Here We Come: "Ohhhh... Hello, I am the ghost of Troubled Joe"
I find this line almost chilling- or at least, thrilling- especially when coupled with the intro music.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vauxhall And I: "There's gonna be some trouble, a whole house will need rebuilding"
A perfect start to the album, and to the best song Morrissey has ever written (in my opinion). It gives the sense of looking forward, of prophesising and of realisation. It's slightly dark, but tinged with humour too.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maladjusted: "I wanna start from before the beginning. Loot wine, be mine, and then let's stay out for the night"
Again, it works perfectly with the music, making it even more powerful. This is another first line which gives the impression of beginning a story, not only giving the song momentum but also setting up the album as something complete and coherent, almost a narrative.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ringleader Of The Tormentors: "Nobody knows what human life is"
Simply because nobody does.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Years Of Refusal: "I'm doing very well- I can block out the present and the past now"
This line is so defiant, assertive and punchy- much like YOR as a whole. It's also a surprising turn of phrase for Morrissey- at least to those who have always swallowed the 'miserable' and 'whiny' cliches.
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Kelley
low life in high heels
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle - Please don't cry for the ghost and the storm outside will not invade this sacred shrine nor infiltrate your mind
That Joke isn't Funny Anymore - Park the car at the side of the road, You should know time's tide will smother you and I will too, when you laugh about people who feel so very lonely their only desire is to die, well, I'm afraid it doesn't make me smile, I wish I could laugh but that joke isn't funny anymore,
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone
This Night has Opened My Eyes - In a river the color of lead immerse the baby's head, Wrap her up in the news of the world dump her on a doorstep, Girl, This night has opened my eyes and I will never sleep again
That Joke isn't Funny Anymore - Park the car at the side of the road, You should know time's tide will smother you and I will too, when you laugh about people who feel so very lonely their only desire is to die, well, I'm afraid it doesn't make me smile, I wish I could laugh but that joke isn't funny anymore,
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone
This Night has Opened My Eyes - In a river the color of lead immerse the baby's head, Wrap her up in the news of the world dump her on a doorstep, Girl, This night has opened my eyes and I will never sleep again
the_kaz
Active Member
I agree with everything that you said. Your post is basically my opinion but much more eloquently explained than I could ever get across.
Girl-with-the-Thorn
Still here.
Thanks, I'm glad you agree
. On average I probably spend too much time writing analyses of songs and lines on here rather than actually doing work, but *shrug* it's fun. Plus, analysing a line within an inch of its life is something I have to do in English Lit, so it's probably quite helpful to practice. 
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