Roy's Keen (single)

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Cover art
MORRISSEY Single
Name Roy's Keen
Release 06 October 1997
Total Length 3:37
Recorded Winter 1996
Writer/composer Morrissey / Alain Whyte
Producer Steve Lillywhite
Art work Photo: Roger Mayne (1956)
David Peschek (ink)
Chris Dwyer (layout)
Vinyl Etching No matrix message
Publisher Island Records
Format(s) 7" Vinyl, 12" Vinyl, CD
Chart position UK #42
Single chronology
Alma Matters
Roy's Keen
Satan Rejected My Soul

Information

A radio edit (3:14) has circulated unofficially circa 2007.

Excerpt from the Mozipedia (US version) entry:

..Its only facet of interest was Morrissey's crafty choice of opening sample, 'Go on!': the voice of a young Martin Sheen in the pivotal father/son confrontation scene from the 1968 film of Frank D. Gilroy's The Subject Was Roses.

Note: David Tseng identified this sample (uncredited) to the author of Mozipedia, Simon Goddard in conversation before this item was published. davidt: I had watched the film on Morrissey's personal recommendation several years previously and noticed the sample.

Track list

CD

[Island Records – CID 671]

  1. Roy's Keen – 3:37 (Morrissey/Whyte)
  2. Lost – 3:55 (Morrissey/Cobrin)
  3. The Edges Are No Longer Parallel – 5:05 (Morrissey/Whyte)

Lyrics

(Go on!)

He's romancing you
And chancing his arm
He'll be here, smiling on time

He's romancing you
And chancing his arm
He'll be here, smiling on time

Roy's keen, oh, Roy's keen
Roy's keen, oh, Roy's keen
We've never seen a keener
Window-cleaner

Back up the ladder
Into each corner
Dunking the chamois
Just think of the goodwill

The ladder's a planet
Roy is a star
And I am a satellite
(But that's alright)

He can hold a smile for as long as you require
(Even longer)
He can hold a smile for as long as you require
(Even longer)

Roy's keen, oh, Roy's keen
Roy's keen, oh, Roy's keen
We've never seen a keener
Window-cleaner

Back up the ladder
Into each corner
Dunking the chamois
Just think of the goodwill

The ladder's a planet
Roy is a star
And I am a satellite
I will be set alight

Don't say you'll hold it steady
Then you let it go
Don't say you'll hold it steady
Then you let it go

You're up the ladder
Into each corner
Foot in a bucket
We trust you to wreck it

Even when it's under your nose
Well, you just can't see it, can you?
Well it's here right under your nose
And you just can't see it, can you?

Roy's keen
Roy's keen
Roy's keen
Roy's keen
We've never seen a keener
Window-cleaner

Television Performances

Top Of The Pops, Sept 1997:

The Jack Docherty Show, 31 December 1998:

Live History

Play count (Morrissey concert): 62

Morrissey live history:

... further results

Appears On


Discogs Information

Credits

  • Artwork [Ink] - David Peschek
  • Artwork [Picture] - Roger Mayne (2)
  • Bass - Jonny Bridgwood
  • Drums - Spencer Cobrin
  • Guitar - Boz Boorer
  • Guitar, Backing Vocals - Alain Whyte
  • Layout [Paste] - Chris Dwyer (2)
  • Other [Best Boy] - Debbie Dannell
  • Other [Cathode] - Trish Scorgie
  • Other [Detection] - Ingrid Olson
  • Photography By - derick Ion
  • Producer - Danton Supple
  • Producer - Steve Lillywhite
  • Vocals, Written-By - Morrissey

Notes

Issued in a side opening sleeve with a soft sheen finish. Thick cardstock. Spine with text. Disc held in a white die cut paper inner.

Runouts are etched.

Images

MS5qcGVn.jpeg NC5qcGVn.jpeg OS5qcGVn.jpeg NS5qcGVn.jpeg

Wikipedia Information

MorrisseyRoysKeen.jpg

"Roy's Keen" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in October 1997. It was the second single to be taken from the Maladjusted album and was the third solo Morrissey single not to feature himself in the cover picture, instead using a photograph of two boys taken by Roger Mayne on London's Southam Street in the 1950s. The single reached number 42 on the UK Singles Chart. Its failure to reach the top 40 meant a performance of the song recorded for Top of the Pops did not air until it was shown on Top of the Pops 2 in 2003. The title refrain is a pun on the name of former Manchester United footballer Roy Keane – as Morrissey acknowledged during live performances of the song by changing words to "never seen a keener midfielder". The song was played over the closing credits of Keane's 2002 documentary As I See It. Despite being released as a single, the song was omitted from Maladjusted's remastered CD reissue in 2009.

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