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.
Bengali in Platforms
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bengali, Bengali
No no no
He does not want to depress you
Oh no no no no no
He only wants to impress you
Oh...
He only wants to embrace your culture
And to be your friend forever
Forever
Bengali, Bengali
Bengali, Bengali
Oh, shelve your Western plans
And understand
That life is hard enough when you belong here
A silver-studded rim that glistens
And an ankle-star that...blinds me
A lemon sole so very high
Which only reminds me; to tell you
Break the news gently
Break the news to him gently
"Shelve your plans; shelve your plans, shelve them"
Bengali, Bengali
It's the touchy march of time that binds you
Don't blame me
Don't hate me
Just because I'm the one to tell you
That life is hard enough when you belong here
That life is hard enough when you belong here
Oh...
Shelve your Western plans
Oh...
Shelve your Western plans
'Cause life is hard enough when you belong
Life is hard enough when you belong here
Oh...
Shelve your Western plans
Oh...
Shelve your best friends
'Cause life is hard when you belong here
Oh...
Life is hard enough when you belong
Bengali in Platforms is a song by Morrissey, the former lead vocalist of the English rock band The Smiths. The song was released in 1991 as a single from his debut solo album titled "Kill Uncle". The song aims to convey a message of cultural appreciation and acceptance. Morrissey sings the chorus "Bengali, Bengali, it's the touchy march of time that binds you." This line seems to refer to the struggles faced by immigrants and their efforts to hold on to their cultural identities, which can be challenging in a new and foreign land.
In the first verse, Morrissey states that he does not want to depress the listener, but rather impress them. He then goes on to describe the singer of the song, "Bengali in platforms," a Bengali immigrant who is trying to embrace and integrate Western culture while still trying to remain true to his own. The singer wants to befriend and connect with everyone, regardless of their cultural backgrounds. Morrissey uses the metaphor of a silver-studded rim and an ankle-star that blinds him to describe the singer's dazzling personality and the lemon sole that represents how the singer stands above Morrissey's expectations.
The chorus advises listeners to shelve their Western plans and to understand that life is difficult enough when you belong in a place. The song unites Bengalis and Westerners with empathy, urging them to embrace common bonds rather than heedlessly pursue social recognition. Morrissey advises to respect and acknowledge cultural differences even when it means keeping your plans aside.
Line by Line Meaning
Bengali, Bengali
Repeating "Bengali" emphasizes the importance of the culture he's referring to and draws attention to it.
No no no
Morrissey doesn't want the listener to misinterpret his intentions, hence he is clear that he doesn't intend to depress them.
He does not want to depress you
Morrissey clarifies that he's not trying to bring the listener down with his words.
Oh no no no no no
Emphasizes Morrissey's point. He's trying to captivate the listener's attention so they can understand his message.
He only wants to impress you
This line provides insight into why Morrissey is emphasizing Bengali culture - he wants to grab the listener's attention and make them appreciate it.
Bengali in platforms
The singer is identified and described. The use of "platforms" is also intended to appeal to the indie/alternative crowd listening to the song.
He only wants to embrace your culture
Reiterates Morrissey's intentions of becoming familiar with and appreciating Bengali culture.
And to be your friend forever
Morrissey hopes to forge a lasting relationship with the culture he's admiring.
Forever
Emphasizes the long-lasting nature of the friendship Morrissey hopes to build with the Bengali culture.
Oh, shelve your Western plans
Morrissey advises listeners to put their plans of westernization on hold in order to better appreciate natural cultures around them.
And understand
Morrissey encourages an appreciation of different cultures and traditions.
That life is hard enough when you belong here
Emphasizes the importance of belonging in a society and the difficulties that come along with it.
A silver-studded rim that glistens
The singer's accessories are described in detail, using descriptive language to paint a picture in the listener's head.
And an ankle-star that...blinds me
Like the previous line, describes the singer's accessories. Morrissey might be drawing a parallel between the flashiness of these accessories and Western materialism.
A lemon sole so very high
Again, this description of the singer's shoes is intended to capture the imagination and provide more detail about the character he is singing about.
Which only reminds me; to tell you
Morrissey uses the artist's shoes to segue into his next message intended for the listeners.
Break the news gently
Morrissey wants the listener to understand that when breaking away from the status quo, it should be done with sensitivity.
Break the news to him gently
Reaffirms the previous statement.
"Shelve your plans; shelve your plans, shelve them"
Reiterates Morrissey's argument that Westernization can wait, and that we should turn our attention towards appreciating other cultures.
It's the touchy march of time that binds you
The passage of time is out of one's control and can limit their ability to explore and understand other cultures.
Don't blame me
Morrissey asserts that he's not responsible for the limited time we have in our lives, and that we must make the most of it.
Don't hate me
Morrissey recognizes that what he's saying can be difficult to hear, but he's saying it out of love and concern.
Just because I'm the one to tell you
Morrissey takes responsibility for making the uncomfortable truths he sings about clear to his listeners.
Shelve your Western plans
Morrissey again encourages his listeners to hold off on the Westernization and return the focus to other, more natural cultures.
'Cause life is hard enough when you belong here
Morrissey is empathetic towards those trying to belong to a culture or society.
Shelve your best friends
This line could be interpreted as saying that one may need to cut ties with friends or make other sacrifices in order to gain a deeper understanding of cultures different from one's own.
Oh...
Emphasizes Morrissey's points, making them stand out and resonate with the listener.
Life is hard enough when you belong
Just like belonging to a community can be rewarding, it can also bring its own set of challenges.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, STEPHEN BRIAN STREET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind