Morrissey
Brand New Lyrics


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She was just seventeen,
pious and pretty with a deadly disease,
and the weight of the world on her prosthetic shoulder,
and by the summer of '96,
her body was cracked like porcelain,
just like some precious moments collectible,
in a hospital gown and a big bright golden halo...
And so three cheers for my morose and grieving pals,
and now let's hear it for the tears that i've welled up,
we've come too far to have to give it all up now,
we live lives that are rich and blessed,
and we'll burn for how we transgress...

Now i've mastered the art,
of the open casket prayer and the singing guitar,
and i've found the rewards weren't half what i'd hoped for,
and meanwhile we all feigned hope and mirth,
as her parents went on and lied to her,
all about the success of the surgeries,
and how my ex-girlfriend was now sleeping with her fiance...

And so three cheers for my morose and grieving pals,
and now let's hear it for the tears that i've welled up,
we've come too far to have to give it all up now,
we live lives that are rich and blessed,
and we'll burn for how we transgress...

If there's any justice in heaven,
Then God won't let me in,
He'll lock the gates and take my weekend pass away,
With a sympathetic wave they'll see me off
Reserve my golden crown while I am cursed to walk the earth for a millenia,
I know I deserve worse but it terrifies me and I can't take it anymore...

And so three cheers for my morose and grieving pals,
and now let's hear it for the tears that i've welled up,
we've come too far to have to give it all up now,




we live lives that are rich and blessed,
and we'll burn for how we transgress...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Brand New's song Morrissey delve into the complex emotional and psychological experiences of dealing with mortality and grief. The song revolves around a 17-year-old girl who is grappling with a terminal illness. She is described as "pious and pretty", but also burdened with the weight of the world on her prosthetic shoulder, which adds an extra layer of suffering to her already dire condition. As time goes on, her body becomes increasingly fragile, until it cracks "like porcelain" in the summer of '96. The imagery used here is both haunting and poignant, painting a vivid picture of physical decay and the fragility of life.


The song also touches on the coping mechanisms that people employ when faced with death and loss. The singer sings about his "morose and grieving pals", suggesting that he and his friends are dealing with their own overwhelming feelings of sadness and despair. Despite this, they still manage to find some solace in their shared experiences, even if that means shedding tears and confronting the harsh realities of mortality. The singer also alludes to the "open casket prayer" and "singing guitar", highlighting the different ways that people use religion and artistic expression to help them process their grief.


Towards the end of the song, the lyrics take on a darker tone as the singer expresses fear and anxiety about his own mortality. He speaks of being locked out of heaven and condemned to "walk the earth for a millenia", fearing the unknown fate that awaits him. This sense of existential dread underscores the larger theme of the song - that death is a universal and inescapable fact of life, and that we must all confront it sooner or later.


Line by Line Meaning

She was just seventeen,
At the age of 17, she was young, innocent, and unblemished.


pious and pretty with a deadly disease,
Despite her religious devotion and physical beauty, she was suffering from a fatal illness.


and the weight of the world on her prosthetic shoulder,
Along with the burden of her illness, she also had to deal with the expectations and responsibilities of the world.


and by the summer of '96,
By the summer of 1996, something significant happened in her life.


her body was cracked like porcelain,
Her physical condition deteriorated dramatically, and her body became fragile like porcelain.


just like some precious moments collectible,
Her condition reduced her to being treated like something collectible and precious, but not human.


in a hospital gown and a big bright golden halo...
She was surrounded by the sterile surroundings of a hospital, where she wore a gown and an unwelcome halo of illness.


And so three cheers for my morose and grieving pals,
The artist presents a sarcastic and sardonic tone, as he cheers on his sorrowful and mournful friends.


and now let's hear it for the tears that i've welled up,
The artist acknowledges that he too is upset by the situation, and gives a nod to his own tears.


we've come too far to have to give it all up now,
The artist implies that giving up or giving in is not an option, given how much they have invested in their lives.


we live lives that are rich and blessed,
Despite the challenges they face, the singer declares that he and his friends live meaningful and abundant lives.


and we'll burn for how we transgress...
The artist admits that they are not without fault or sin, and that they will someday face punishment or retribution.


If there's any justice in heaven,
The singer reflects on the concept of justice and suggests that the divine forces may have the final say.


Then God won't let me in,
The singer confesses that his own sins or flaws may disqualify him from heaven.


He'll lock the gates and take my weekend pass away,
The singer uses a casual and humorous metaphor to describe the fate he expects to face.


With a sympathetic wave they'll see me off
The artist imagines a bittersweet farewell to the afterlife.


Reserve my golden crown while I am cursed to walk the earth for a millenia,
Though the artist is resigned to a long period of suffering or punishment, he still holds out hope for some future reward.


I know I deserve worse but it terrifies me and I can't take it anymore...
Despite the acknowledgements of his sins and shortcomings, the singer is still scared of the consequences and struggles to accept them.




Contributed by Jeremiah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Samantha Dunn

She was just seventeen
Pious and pretty with a deadly disease
And the weight of the world on her prosthetic shoulder
And by the summer of '96
Her body was cracked like porcelain
Just like some Precious Moments collectible
In a hospital gown and a big, bright golden halo

[Chorus]
And so three cheers for my morose and grieving pals
And now let's hear it for the tears that I've welled up
We've come too far to have to give it all up now
We live lives that are rich and blessed
And we'll burn for how we transgress

[Verse 2]
Now I've mastered the art
Of the open-casket prayer and the singing guitar
And I've found the rewards weren't half what I'd hoped for
And meanwhile we all feigned hope and mirth
As her parents went on and lied to her
All about the success of the surgeries
And how my ex-girlfriend was now sleeping with her fiancé

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
If there's any justice in heaven
Then God won't let me in
He'll lock the gates and take my weekend pass away
With a sympathetic wave they'll see me off
Reserve my golden crown while I am cursed to walk the earth for millennia
I know I deserve worse but it terrifies me and I can't take it anymore

[Chorus]



All comments from YouTube:

Samantha Dunn

She was just seventeen
Pious and pretty with a deadly disease
And the weight of the world on her prosthetic shoulder
And by the summer of '96
Her body was cracked like porcelain
Just like some Precious Moments collectible
In a hospital gown and a big, bright golden halo

[Chorus]
And so three cheers for my morose and grieving pals
And now let's hear it for the tears that I've welled up
We've come too far to have to give it all up now
We live lives that are rich and blessed
And we'll burn for how we transgress

[Verse 2]
Now I've mastered the art
Of the open-casket prayer and the singing guitar
And I've found the rewards weren't half what I'd hoped for
And meanwhile we all feigned hope and mirth
As her parents went on and lied to her
All about the success of the surgeries
And how my ex-girlfriend was now sleeping with her fiancé

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
If there's any justice in heaven
Then God won't let me in
He'll lock the gates and take my weekend pass away
With a sympathetic wave they'll see me off
Reserve my golden crown while I am cursed to walk the earth for millennia
I know I deserve worse but it terrifies me and I can't take it anymore

[Chorus]

Gib Gib

Great Song!! Love it!

Нирум

Perfect! ♥

999asdfgh

amazing. absolutely amazing

imarino 13

Amazing

luca underground

so underrated

Modest

Yesssssssss.

MJ’sGarage

I'm working on making a fan made music video to this song.

MJ’sGarage

robert zoolander Trying to get permission to use the song before I release the video on YouTube.

MJ’sGarage

+Josh Meakin it's in the works guys right now I'm in college and never had much time to work on the project

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