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The Last Of The Famous International Playboys (single)
MORRISSEY Single | |
---|---|
Name | The Last Of The Famous International Playboys |
Release | 11 February 1989 8 April 2013 (Reissue) |
Total Length | 3:40 |
Writer/composer | Morrissey/Street |
Producer | Stephen Street |
Art work | Photo of Morrissey, "aged seven, up a tree in a park in Chorlton-on-Medlock" - Peepholism. Photo with Rick Astley backstage at BBC's "Top Of The Pops" in 1989 (Reissue) |
Vinyl Etching | ESCAPE FROM VALIUM (A-side) RETURN TO VALIUM (B-side) |
Publisher | HMV Records (UK) Sire Records (US) Parlophone Records (Reissue) |
Format(s) | 7" Vinyl, 12" Vinyl, CD |
Chart position | UK #6 |
Single chronology | |
Everyday Is Like Sunday ← The Last Of The Famous International Playboys → Interesting Drug
| |
Single reissue chronology | |
Suedehead (Mael Mix) ← The Last Of The Famous International Playboys → Satellite Of Love (live)
|
Information
Track list
7" Vinyl
UK - [HMV POP1620]
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40 (Morrissey/Street)
- Lucky Lisp – 2:51 (Morrissey/Street)
12" Vinyl
UK - [HMV 12POP1620]
US - [Sire/Reprise 9 21163-0]
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40
- Lucky Lisp – 2:51
- Michael's Bones – 3:10 (Morrissey/Street)
CD
UK - [HMV CDPOP1620]
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40
- Lucky Lisp – 2:51
- Michael's Bones – 3:10
7" Vinyl Picture Disc (Reissue)
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40 (Morrissey/Street)
- People Are The Same Everywhere – 2:50 (Morrissey/Tobias)
CD (Reissue)
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40
- Action Is My Middle Name – 2:45 (Morrissey/Boorer)
Digital Download (Reissue)
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40
- The Kid's A Looker – 3:09 (Morrissey/Boorer)
Lyrics
Dear hero imprisoned,
With all the new crimes that you are perfecting
Oh I can't help quoting you
Because everything that you said rings true
And now in my cell
(Well, I followed you)
And here's a list of who I slew
Reggie Kray - do you know my name?
Don't say you don't
Please say you do
I am:
The last of the famous
International playboys
The last of the famous
International playboys
And now in my cell
(Well, I loved you)
And every man with a job to do
Ronnie Kray - do you know my face?
Don't say you don't
Please say you do
I am:
The last of the famous
International playboys
The last of the famous
International playboys
In our lifetime those who kill
The newsworld hands them stardom
And these are the ways
On which I was raised
These are the ways
On which I was, which I was raised
I never wanted to kill
I'M NOT NATURALLY EVIL
Such things I do
Just to make myself
More attractive to you
HAVE I FAILED?
The last of the famous
International playboys
Sleeve Artwork
Music Video
Credits
- Directed by Tim Broad
Live History
Play count (Morrissey concert): 128
Morrissey live history:
- Wolverhampton, England 1988-12-22 (Morrissey concert)
- Dublin, Ireland 1991-04-27 (Morrissey concert)
- Paris, France 1991-04-29 (Morrissey concert)
- Deinze, Belgium 1991-04-30 (Morrissey concert)
- Utrecht, Holland 1991-05-01 (Morrissey concert)
- Cologne, Germany 1991-05-04 (Morrissey concert)
- Berlin, Germany 1991-05-05 (Morrissey concert)
- Hamburg, Germany 1991-05-06 (Morrissey concert)
- Copenhagen, Denmark 1991-05-07 (Morrissey concert)
- Aberdeen, Scotland 1991-05-14 (Morrissey concert)
Appears On
- Bona Drag
- Greatest Hits
- Hulmerist
- Live In Dallas
- Suedehead: The Best Of Morrissey
- That's How People Grow Up (single)
- The CD Singles '88–91'
- The HMV/Parlophone Singles '88–'95
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys (single)
- This Is Morrissey
- Very Best Of Morrissey
- World Of Morrissey
- Your Arsenal
- ¡Oye Esteban!
- ¡The Best Of! Morrissey
Appears On Covers Compilation
Cover Versions
Discogs Information
Credits
- Bass Guitar - Andy Rourke
- Drums - Mike Joyce
- Engineer [Assistant] - Steve Williams (6)
- Guitar - Craig Gannon
- Guitar - Neil Taylor
- Keyboards - Stephen Street
- Producer - Stephen Street
- Sleeve - Caryn Gough
- Sleeve - Jo Slee
- Sleeve - Morrissey
- Voice - Morrissey
- Written-By - Morrissey
- Written-By - Stephen Street
Notes
Released in printed cardboard & paper jackets. Paper jacket has small circular sticker in upper right corner of jacket(see pictures), "VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED". No record of Japanese pressing, so possibly a UK pressing exported to Japan for sale. All other jacket printing & record matrix/runout identical to UK pressing. ℗ © 1989 EMI Records Ltd.
Images
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys - Discogs master release: https://www.discogs.com/master/4752
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys (7" 45 RPM Single) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/409748-Morrissey-The-Last-Of-The-Famous-International-Playboys
Discogs information (additional release)
Notes
Images
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys (12" Promo) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/678420-Morrissey-The-Last-Of-The-Famous-International-Playboys
Discogs information (additional release)
Notes
Track 1 remastered by Bill Inglot at Digiprep. Track 2 recorded 10th June, 2011 for the Janice Long Show on Radio 2 and broadcast 15th June, 2011. Mastered at the Lodge.
Recording First Published in 1989
Comes in cardboard sleeve.
Images
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys (Single) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/4458702-Morrissey-The-Last-Of-The-Famous-International-Playboys
Discogs information (additional release)
Notes
Track 1 remastered. ℗ 2010 Track 2 recorded 10th June, 2011 for the Janice Long Show on Radio 2 and broadcast 15th June, 2011. Released by arrangement with BBC Music. ℗ 2011
Made in the EU. ℗ 2013 © 2013
Picture disc vinyl issued in 18,50 cm x 18,50 cm transparent PVC bag with sticker.
Images
- The Last Of The Famous International Playboys (7" 45 RPM Single Picture Disc Remastered) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/4458308-Morrissey-The-Last-Of-The-Famous-International-Playboys
Wikipedia Information
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"The Last of the Famous International Playboys" was the third single released by Morrissey. It reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was not featured on one of Morrissey's main studio albums but can be found on the compilation album Bona Drag along with the B-side "Lucky Lisp". The artwork for the single features Morrissey, aged 7, up a tree in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester—literally a boy at play. "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" is notable for featuring three of Morrissey's former colleagues in The Smiths—Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce and one-time Smiths rhythm guitarist Craig Gannon—all of whom also appear on the B-side, "Lucky Lisp". The song mythologizes the notorious pair of vicious London gangsters known as the Kray twins (Ronnie and Reggie Kray), who held a tight rein on the East End of London during the 1960s.
Related Forum Threads
- Morrissey A-Z: "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" - Morrissey-solo (May 19, 2021)