He is best known for being the founder member, songwriter and guitarist in The Smiths. The band released numerous singles and four studio albums between 1983 and 1987 until the band dissolved.
Since leaving The Smiths in 1987, Marr focused mainly on contributing to the work of established bands. He played session guitar and or wrote music for artists such as The Pretenders, Talking Heads, Billy Bragg and Kirsty Maccoll (among others). He also briefly became a full-time member of The The due to his friendship with singer Matt Johnson.
Most notably, in 1989 he teamed up with New Order's Bernard Sumner to form synthesiser/guitar super group Electronic. Combining at first with Pet Shop Boys vocalist Neil Tennant, the duo released Getting Away With It which peaked at #12 in the UK charts. Electronic soon solidified as just Sumner and Marr and between them they released three albums. Self titled debut, Electronic, Raise the Pressure and Twisted Tenderness were released in 1991, 1996 and 1999 respectively.
In 2000, Johnny formed his own band called the Healers. He quickly enlisted Zak Starkey the drumming son of the Beatles’ Ringo Starr. In 2003 Johnny Marr + the Healers released an album called Boomslang, which featured Johnny writing lyrics and on vocals which was an unfamiliar role for him.
In September 2006 Marr announced his membership of the US band Modest Mouse on his website. His work appeared on their 2007 album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The following year he joined The Cribs as a full time member, touring, co-writing and recording their 2009 album Ignore the Ignorant. He left the band in 2011 to concentrate on solo work.
In 2013 he finally released his first proper solo effort, The Messenger. This was followed by extensive touring with the setlist including songs from his time in The Smiths and Electronic. He quickly followed up this debut with his second solo set in 2014 with Playland.
In June 2018, He released his third album called Call the Comet with 12 tracks. Call the Comet received generally positive reviews from music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album scored an average rating of 76, based on 13 reviews. Writing for the Associated Press, Mark Kennedy opined that it was "easily his best as a solo artist, deep and rich both musically and lyrically" before concluding, "So feel free to stay in bed, Morrissey. Marr is who we need now."
Back In The Box
Johnny Marr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't stop can't stop
Oh and it's big time
Walk on the wind
Breaking me out
From the inside and the outside
A shock front
Rocked you and rocked you
Hold the whirlwind
Hanging me up
Like the first time and the last time
Hang on, hang on
The universe explodes
Hang on, hang on
Confusion controls
What's happening
It's shooting me up
Into the big sky
Just everything
Is breaking us out
From the inside
And the outside
Thoughts blown
Rocked and blocked me
Oh, I'm mystified
Chase the whirlwind
Waking us up
For the first time and the last time
Come on, come on
The universe exposed
Come on. come on
Confusion controls
Day by day by day
By North or South
You can't go home
Confusion controls
Hang on, hang on
The universe explodes
The opening lines of Johnny Marr's "Back in the Box," "Let me in, don't stop can't stop, oh and it's big time," seem to reflect the singer's desire to break free from something, to be a part of something bigger. As the song progresses, the lyrics continue to suggest this internal struggle to escape confinement, both from the inside and out. Throughout the verses, Marr's imagery of wind, shock fronts, double quicklime, and whirlwinds evoke a chaotic and unpredictable environment, one that the singer seems to both fear and crave. The lyrics also explore the idea of confusion and its control over our lives, a theme that culminates in the chorus of the song with the repeated refrain of "Hang on, hang on, the universe explodes, confusion controls."
Line by Line Meaning
Let me in
The singer wants to be included and accepted into a situation or relationship.
Don't stop can't stop
The singer emphasizes the importance of continuous action and progress, despite any obstacles or setbacks.
Oh and it's big time
The singer acknowledges the significance and importance of what is happening.
Walk on the wind
The artist is moving forward with swift and effortless motion.
Breaking me out
The artist is being freed from a restrictive or oppressive state of being.
From the inside and the outside
The singer is being released from internal and external factors that have been impacting them.
A shock front
The singer is experiencing a sudden and powerful wave of energy or force.
Rocked you and rocked you
The artist has been significantly impacted and affected by this wave of energy or force.
Double quicklime
The artist is being moved quickly and efficiently.
Hold the whirlwind
The artist is attempting to steady themselves amidst chaotic and turbulent circumstances.
Hanging me up
The singer feels suspended or trapped in a moment or situation.
Like the first time and the last time
The artist is experiencing something both for the first and last time, recognizing the rarity and significance of the experience.
Hang on, hang on
The singer emphasizes the need to persevere and hold on despite any challenges or obstacles.
The universe explodes
The singer is experiencing an intense and overwhelming moment that seems to transcend their individual experience.
Confusion controls
The singer is experiencing a sense of confusion and disorientation that is dominating their perception and experience.
What's happening
The artist is questioning what is occurring around them.
It's shooting me up
The artist is experiencing a rapid and intense ascent.
Into the big sky
The singer is being launched into a vast and expansive space.
Just everything
The singer is being overwhelmed by the extent of what is happening around them.
Is breaking us out
The artist and others are being freed from a state of confinement or restriction.
Thoughts blown
The artist's perceptions and ideas have been significantly altered or shifted.
Rocked and blocked me
The artist has been both impacted and hindered by recent events.
Oh, I'm mystified
The singer is feeling deeply curious or intrigued by what is happening.
Chase the whirlwind
The artist is attempting to pursue or catch up to a situation that is moving quickly and erratically.
Waking us up
The singer and others are being jolted awake or energized by recent events.
For the first time and the last time
The singer is experiencing something that is unique and fleeting.
Come on, come on
The singer is urging others to move forward or take action.
The universe exposed
The artist feels that the universe is being revealed or uncovered in a profound way, beyond their individual experience.
Day by day by day
The artist is experiencing a sense of repetition or routine in their life, possibly feeling stuck or stagnant.
By North or South
The singer is indicating that this feeling of stagnation or repetition is not limited to a specific location or direction.
You can't go home
The singer feels a sense of displacement or disconnect from their previous sense of home.
Confusion controls
The artist feels that they are being dominated by a sense of confusion and disorientation.
Hang on, hang on
The artist emphasizes the need to persevere and hold on despite any challenges or obstacles.
The universe explodes
The artist is experiencing an intense and overwhelming moment that seems to transcend their individual experience.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAMES DOVIAK, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Justin Wyffels
Let me in
Don't stop can't stop
Oh and it's big time
Walk on the wind
Breaking me out
From the inside and the outside
A shock front
Rocked you and rocked you
Double quicklime
Hold the whirlwind
Hanging me up
Like the first time and the last time
Hang on, hang on
The universe explodes
Hang on, hang on
Confusion controls
What's happening
It's shooting me up
Into the big sky
Just everything
Is breaking us out
From the inside
And the outside
Thoughts blown
Rocked and blocked me
Oh, I'm mystified
Chase the whirlwind
Waking us up
For the first time and the last time
Come on, come on
The universe exposed
Come on. come on
Confusion controls
Day by day by day
By North or South
You can't go home
Confusion controls
Hang on, hang on
The universe explodes
Justin Wyffels
Let me in
Don't stop can't stop
Oh and it's big time
Walk on the wind
Breaking me out
From the inside and the outside
A shock front
Rocked you and rocked you
Double quicklime
Hold the whirlwind
Hanging me up
Like the first time and the last time
Hang on, hang on
The universe explodes
Hang on, hang on
Confusion controls
What's happening
It's shooting me up
Into the big sky
Just everything
Is breaking us out
From the inside
And the outside
Thoughts blown
Rocked and blocked me
Oh, I'm mystified
Chase the whirlwind
Waking us up
For the first time and the last time
Come on, come on
The universe exposed
Come on. come on
Confusion controls
Day by day by day
By North or South
You can't go home
Confusion controls
Hang on, hang on
The universe explodes
Stuart Houston
Ronald Reagen cheers ronald mate. you were a great president
Edith Oops
i love jhonny marr, great song
Hoops590
This is the jam right here,
moth butt
Tfw you've heard every smiths song a million times and finally decide to look up the members names
bala wan
so now you know who influenced your current fav band.
DMF
Roxy Music
Mayara Helena
really loved this fucking album <3 saw you here in brasil this year, i'm gonna remember forever, love you!
Guilherme Silva
Johnny
Marr é o cara!!!
Ri Ri
Last great rocker. Cheers Jonny!