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.
I'm OK by Myself
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, surely the hand contains a knife
It's been so all of my life
Why change now? - "It hasn't!"
Now this might surprise you, but
I find I'm OK by myself
And I don't need you
Or your morality to save me
Then came an arm around my shoulder
Well surely the hand holds a revolver
It's been so all of my life
Why change now? - "It hasn't!"
Now this might disturb you, but
I find I'm o.k. by myself
And I don't need you
Or your benevolence to make sense
No, no, no!
After all these years
I find I'm OK by myself
And I don't need you
Or your homespun philosophy
No, no, no, no
This might make you throw up in your bed
I'm o.k. by myself!
And I don't need you
And I never have, I never have
No, no, no, no!
In "I'm OK by Myself," Morrissey talks about his self-reliance and how he does not need anyone's help or companionship, even if someone seemed like a welcome presence. He starts with the lines, "Could this be an arm around my waist? Well, surely the hand contains a knife. It's been so all of my life. Why change now? - 'It hasn't!'" This illustrates his mistrust in others and how he has always been alone, finding it really hard to trust anyone. Even though someone might come as a comforting presence, Morrissey thinks that they might bring danger about, which is why he would rather be alone. He continues to sing, "Now this might surprise you, but I find I'm OK by myself, And I don't need you or your morality to save me." Here, Morrissey refers to people who would mask their inherent motive of being moralistic towards Morrissey. Morrissey is at ease by himself, and he does not need anyone's guidance on how to live his life.
Furthermore, Morrissey talks about how someone comes close to him, "Then came an arm around my shoulder, Well surely the hand holds a revolver It's been so all of my life Why change now? - "It hasn't!"' He feels the threat of imminent danger even though someone is trying to come near him. The way in which he repeats the phrase "Why change now?" highlights his reluctance to allow anyone to get closer to him. Morrissey believes that he does not need anyone else's help, and he is comfortable on his own. The lyrics convey Morrissey's disillusionment with society and how he has learned to be self-sufficient in a world where he saw no reason to trust those closest to him.
The overall message of "I'm OK by Myself" is Morrissey's sense of self-reliance and his unwillingness to rely on anyone. Morrissey prioritizes his independence and is better off without someone. He even seems to take pride in it and ends the song with the assertion, "This might make you throw up in your bed. I'm OK by myself! And I don't need you, and I never have, I never have. No, no, no, no!"
Line by Line Meaning
Could this be an arm around my waist?
Is someone trying to embrace me? But wait, they might be concealing a weapon.
Well, surely the hand contains a knife
The hand that is embracing me might be holding a knife.
It's been so all of my life
I've always been wary of physical affection due to possible hidden intentions.
Why change now? - "It hasn't!"
There's no reason for me to start trusting people now since my experience has always been the same.
Now this might surprise you, but
I know this may be unexpected to some.
I find I'm OK by myself
I am content with my own company and do not feel the need for companionship.
And I don't need you
I do not require anyone's assistance or support.
Or your morality to save me
I do not need anyone to tell me what is right or wrong.
No, no, no, no, no
Absolutely not.
Then came an arm around my shoulder
Someone has now tried to embrace me from a different angle.
Well surely the hand holds a revolver
The hand that is now embracing me might be concealing a gun.
It's been so all of my life
I've always been suspicious of people and their intentions, even in acts of supposed affection.
Why change now? - "It hasn't!"
There's no reason for me to start trusting people now since my experience has always been the same.
Now this might disturb you, but
This next statement may be unsettling for some to hear.
I find I'm o.k. by myself
I have come to accept and enjoy my solitude.
And I don't need you
I do not need anyone else to make me happy or feel complete.
Or your benevolence to make sense
I do not need anyone's kindness or generosity to understand the world around me.
No, no, no!
Absolutely not!
After all these years
Despite the passage of time and my experiences, my outlook has not changed.
I find I'm OK by myself
I am still comfortable with my own company and do not require anyone else to be content.
And I don't need you
I do not need anyone's help, guidance, or companionship.
Or your homespun philosophy
I do not need anyone to give me their personal wisdom or beliefs about life.
No, no, no, no
Absolutely not.
This might make you throw up in your bed
This statement may make some listeners sick to their stomach.
I'm o.k. by myself!
I am completely content being alone and do not feel the need for anyone else's companionship.
And I don't need you
My happiness and contentment do not depend on anyone else's presence or involvement in my life.
And I never have, I never have
I have always been self-sufficient and have never felt that I needed anyone else to make me happy.
No, no, no, no!
Absolutely not!
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JESSE ALEJANDRO TOBIAS, STEVEN MORRISSEY, STEVEN PATRICK MORRISSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind