He was the lead singer of The Smiths, one of the most influential alternative bands in the 1980s. The group split up in 1987 and Morrissey started a successful solo career.
His first solo album, Viva Hate was released only six months after The Smiths split, in March 1988. The album's first single "Suedehead" peaked at #5, a higher position than any Smiths single had ever achieved. In 1990, Bona Drag, a collection of his solo singles and b-sides, including popular songs such as "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" and "Everyday is Like Sunday" (which also appears on "Viva Hate")
His second album 1991's Kill Uncle was not as well received as his first, with neither single achieving the Top 20. In 1992, the Mick Ronson-produced Your Arsenal was released and included singles such as "Tomorrow" and "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful". A live album, Beethoven Was Deaf, followed in 1993.
In 1994, Morrissey released Vauxhall and I, which contained "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get", his biggest hit in the United States, where it peaked at #46. Later that year, Morrissey also recorded a one-off project with Siouxsie of Siouxsie and the Banshees: they sang in duet on the single Interlude.
After "Vauxhall and I", Morrissey released Southpaw Grammar (1995) and Maladjusted (1997), both of which failed to produce a UK Top 20 single.
A period of musical inactivity followed in the late 90s and early 2000s, which was due to failure in finding a suitable label, according to a 2004 interview with Jools Holland. After seven years without a new album release, You Are the Quarry was released on May 17, 2004 (but one day later in the USA). The first single, Irish Blood, English Heart, was released internationally on May 10, 2004. The single reached number three in its first week of sales in the UK singles chart. To date, this is the highest placing chart position for Morrissey in his entire career as both a solo artist and the lead singer of The Smiths (the 2006 release You Have Killed Me also debuted at number three in its first week in the charts). It has sold over a million copies, making the album his most successful, solo or with The Smiths.
Ringleader Of The Tormentors, produced by former David Bowie producer Tony Visconti, was released in April 2006. The album went straight to the top of the UK Album charts.
Morrissey released a new Greatest Hits collection in February 2008, including two new songs: All You Need Is Me and That’s How People Grow Up, both released as singles. Morrissey is now signed to Decca Records.
In 2009, Morrissey released his latest album, Years of Refusal, which was produced by Jerry Finn, his final production credit before his death. Later in the year, Morrissey released the B-sides collection Swords.
2009 also saw the re-releases of Maladjusted and Southpaw Grammar, two of his most critically maligned albums. The Maladjusted re-release ditched two of its singles, Papa Jack and Roy's Keen, in favour of several other tracks from the period, such as I Can Have Both. Sorrow Will Come in the End, written about Morrissey's vicious legal battle with Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, was also re-instated to the UK edition. Southpaw Grammar retained all of its original tracks, albeit re-sequenced, but recieved the addition of other tracks from that time period, including the new album closer Nobody Loves Us.
Two other Morrissey releases came in 2009; The HMV/Parlophone Singles '88-'95 and Swords, the former a 3 CD compilation of singles and B-sides from Viva Hate through to Vauxhall and I, the latter a compilation of B-sides from You Are The Quarry, Ringleader of the Tormentors, and Years of Refusal.
A new Very Best Of collection was released in 2011, accompanied by a UK tour.
Morrissey's eleventh solo album, 'Low in High School', was released on November 17th, 2017. ' Low in high School' was produced by Joe Chiccarelli same producer as Morrissey’s ‘World Peace is None of Your Business’.
Morrissey's twelth studio album "California Son" is released on 24 May 2019 on the singer's label étienne and licensed on BMG, the album is a collection of cover versions. It is recorded in 2018 by Joe Chiccarelli, a frequent collaborator of Morrissey.
Morrissey's new studio album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain, is scheduled for March 2020 release by BMG. The album was recorded in St-remy, France, with producer Joe Chiccarelli.
First of the Gang to Die
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You have never been in love
Until you have seen the stars reflect in the reservoirs
And you have never been in love
Until you have seen the dawn rise
Behind the home for the blind
We are the pretty, petty thieves
And you're standing on our streets
Where Hector was the
First of the gang with a gun in his hand
And the first to do time
The first of the gang to die, oh my
Hector was the first of the gang with a gun in his hand
And the first to do time
The first of the gang to die, oh my
You have never been in love
Until you've seen the sunlight thrown
Over smashed human bone
We are the pretty, petty thieves
And you're standing on our streets
Where Hector was the
First of the gang with a gun in his hand
And the first to do time
The first of the gang to die
Such a silly boy
Hector was the first of the gang with a gun in his hand
And the bullet in his gullet and the first lost lad to go under the sod
And he stole from the rich and the poor
And the not very rich and the very poor
And he stole all hearts away
He stole all hearts away
He stole all hearts away
Away
He stole all hearts away
Away
He stole all hearts away
Away
He stole all hearts away
Away
He stole all hearts away
Away
He stole all hearts away
Away
The song "First of the Gang to Die" by Morrissey talks about the story of Hector, who was the first gang member to get killed while holding a gun in hand. Los Angeles is where the story takes place, and it's "too hot," which can mean both the temperature and the violent atmosphere of the city. Morrissey talks about how Hector was a thief, but he stole not just material things from people but also their hearts. The line "You have never been in love until you've seen the dawn rise behind the home for the blind" suggests that seeing the beauty in the mundane is what makes life worth living.
The lyrics elaborate on how Hector lived his life, as a thief stealing from both the rich and poor, but also how he faced his end, dying with a bullet in his gut. He was the first of the gang to die and do time, but Morrissey also highlights that he was a silly boy. Overall, the song talks about the complexities of life in a violent city, the loss of life, and the senselessness of violence.
Line by Line Meaning
You have never been in love
Love can only be fully experienced when you have seen the stars reflect in the reservoirs and when you have seen the dawn rise behind the home for the blind.
Until you have seen the stars reflect in the reservoirs
The beauty of nature, in this case the stars reflecting in the reservoirs, is a key element to experiencing true love.
And you have never been in love
The experiences described in the previous lines are necessary to truly understand the concept of love.
Until you have seen the dawn rise behind the home for the blind
Witnessing moments of beauty, like the sunrise, even in unlikely places, is key to experiencing love.
We are the pretty, petty thieves
The artist and their group are not necessarily good people, but they are still human beings.
And you're standing on our streets
The singer is addressing someone who is not part of the group of petty thieves.
Where Hector was the First of the gang with a gun in his hand
The singer brings up the name Hector, who had a gun in his hand, alluding to a violent act that took place.
And the first to do time
Hector was the first one to go to jail for his actions.
The first of the gang to die, oh my
Hector was the first one to die as a result of his involvement with the gang, which is tragic and unexpected.
Such a silly boy
The artist comments on how Hector's actions, though ultimately tragic, may have been foolish or misguided.
And the bullet in his gullet and the first lost lad to go under the sod
Hector was killed by a bullet and was the first one from the gang to be buried.
And he stole from the rich and the poor
Hector was a thief and didn't discriminate in terms of who he stole from.
And the not very rich and the very poor
Hector's targets included people who were not necessarily wealthy or those who were struggling financially.
And he stole all hearts away
Despite his negative actions, Hector still managed to capture people's hearts and earn their affection.
Away
This repeated line serves as a haunting refrain throughout the song, emphasizing the finality and tragedy of Hector's death.
He stole all hearts away
This repeated line reinforces the idea that Hector had a certain charm that was able to capture people's hearts.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Morrissey, Alain Gordon Whyte
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind