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.
All You Need Is Me
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you constantly moan
But you don't ever go away
And that's because all you need is me.
You roll your eyes
Up to the skies
Mock horrified
All you need is me
There's so much destruction
All over the world
And all you can do is complain about me
You bang your head against the wall
And say you're sick of it all
Yet, you remain
'Cause all you need is me
And then you offer your one and only joke
And ask me "What will I be,
When I grow up to be a man"?
Me? Nothing!
There's a soft voice
Singing in your head
Who can this be?
I do believe it's me
There's a naked man standing
Laughing in your dreams
You know who it is
But you don't like what it means
There's so much destruction
All over the world
And all you can do is complain about me
I was a small fat child in a welfare house
There was only one thing I ever dreamed about
Fate has just handed it to me
Whoopee!
You don't like me but you love me,
Either way you're wrong
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You don't like me but you love me,
Either way you're wrong
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
The song "All You Need Is Me" by Morrissey is a scathing commentary on those who constantly complain and blame others for their problems without taking any responsibility for their own lives. In the first verse, Morrissey sings that despite the listener's constant moaning and groaning, they never go away because all they need is him. He suggests that these people thrive on negative attention and will continue to stick around and complain as long as there is someone to blame for their unhappiness.
The second verse speaks to the larger issues going on in the world, with destruction and chaos all around, yet the listener chooses to focus solely on their own problems and complaints. The line "you're sick of it all, yet you remain 'cause all you need is me" implies that the listener may be in a toxic relationship or situation but is too afraid to leave because they believe they cannot function without the other person.
The final verse takes a more personal turn, with Morrissey revealing that he was a small, fat child in a welfare house who dreamed of being something more. However, fate has brought him success and he revels in this fact ("Whoopee!"). The closing lyrics remind the listener that they may not like Morrissey, but they will miss him when he is gone, perhaps indicating that they will miss having someone to blame for their problems.
Overall, "All You Need Is Me" is a powerful indictment of those who refuse to take responsibility for their own lives and instead blame others for their problems. Morrissey's biting lyrics and passionate delivery make this song a standout in his catalog.
Line by Line Meaning
You hiss and groan
You show your displeasure with me through hissing and groaning
And you constantly moan
You complain frequently without doing anything about it
But you don't ever go away
Despite your complaints, you don't leave or stop interacting with me
And that's because all you need is me.
You depend on me for something, even if you don't like me
You roll your eyes
You express disbelief or annoyance through eye-rolling
Up to the skies
You direct your eye-rolling towards the heavens, as if searching for an escape
Mock horrified
You feign being shocked or offended in a sarcastic manner
But you're still here
Despite acting as if you want to leave, you remain in my presence
All you need is me
Your dependence on me is the reason you stay, regardless of your complaints
There's so much destruction
There are many global crises and issues causing damage
All over the world
These problems exist in all parts of the globe
And all you can do is complain about me
Despite the severity of these issues, you choose to focus your complaints on me
You bang your head against the wall
You become frustrated and exasperated with me
And say you're sick of it all
You claim to be fed up with everything, including me
Yet, you remain
Despite your protests, you continue to stay and interact with me
'Cause all you need is me
Your dependency on me persists, regardless of your complaints
And then you offer your one and only joke
You try to lighten the mood by offering a joke
And ask me "What will I be,
You inquire about your future
When I grow up to be a man"?
Asking what you will become when you reach adulthood
Me? Nothing!
Morrissey humorously suggests that you will not change or grow up
There's a soft voice
There is a gentle voice or message
Singing in your head
This message is playing in your thoughts
Who can this be?
You are unsure of the source of this voice
I do believe it's me
Morrissey reveals that he is the origin of this message
There's a naked man standing
You have a dream with a nude man
Laughing in your dreams
This man is laughing in your subconscious
You know who it is
You recognize this man from your dream
But you don't like what it means
You are uncomfortable or unhappy with the symbolism of this dream
I was a small fat child in a welfare house
Morrissey references his own difficult upbringing in a poverty-stricken environment
There was only one thing I ever dreamed about
Despite the challenges he faced, Morrissey had a singular goal he wished to achieve
Fate has just handed it to me
Morrissey has achieved his goal, though the language suggests it was not of his own doing
Whoopee!
Morrissey expresses his joy and excitement about achieving his goal
You don't like me but you love me,
You have conflicting feelings towards Morrissey
Either way you're wrong
Morrissey suggests that your feelings are incorrect or misguided
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Morrissey believes that you will realize his importance after he is no longer present
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Repetition of the previous line for emphasis
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JESSE ALEJANDRO TOBIAS, STEVEN MORRISSEY, STEVEN PATRICK MORRISSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind