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 Just Want to See the Boy Happy
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I kneel down at my bed
Because soon I will be dead
Let's face it soon I will be dead
And I just want to
I want to see the boy happy
With some hope in his pale eyes
Is that too much to ask?
I have one final dream
For my own life I don't care anything
Lord these words I beg of you
As I kneel down at my bed
Let's face it soon I will be dead
And I just want to
I want to see the boy happy
With his arms around his first love
Is that too much to ask?
Before I die
I have one final dream
For my own life I don't care anything
And I just want to
I want to see this boy happy
Why is this such a bad thing?
The lyrics of Morrissey's song "I Just Want To See The Boy Happy" serve as a plea to a higher power as the singer approaches death. The song is essentially a request from Morrissey to see someone close to him happy before he dies. The lyrics have a sense of urgency and desperation to them, as Morrissey is asking for something simple yet important. The opening lines of the song are particularly revealing as Morrissey implies that he is not long for this world. He asks for a last wish, which is to see the boy in his life happy.
The repeated line "Let's face it soon I will be dead" is a stark reminder that the singer is in the twilight of his life, and his ultimate motivation is to see the person he cares about happy before he passes. Morrissey begs for just one thing, one final dream before he takes his last breath. The song's overall melancholic tone and Morrissey's emotional delivery evoke a deep sense of longing and longing. The lyrics remind us that life is precious and fleeting, and we should strive to make those around us happy while we still can.
Overall, the song is a poignant and emotional plea for something simple yet essential- happiness. The listener is left to ponder the importance of happiness in our lives and the significance of making others happy before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord these words I beg of you
I am praying and begging to a higher power.
As I kneel down at my bed
I am in a position of prayer.
Because soon I will be dead
I am aware of my impending death.
Let's face it soon I will be dead
I am acknowledging the inevitability of my death.
And I just want to
I have one simple desire.
I want to see the boy happy
I want to see someone else happy before I die.
With some hope in his pale eyes
I want the boy to have a sense of optimism in his life.
Is that too much to ask?
I am questioning whether my desire is excessive.
Before I die
I want to accomplish this goal while I am still alive.
I have one final dream
This is my last and only wish for myself in life.
For my own life I don't care anything
I am willing to sacrifice my own desires for the sake of this wish.
With his arms around his first love
I want the boy to experience the joy of first love.
Why is this such a bad thing?
I am questioning why it is wrong to want someone else to be happy.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JESSE ALEJANDRO TOBIAS, STEVEN MORRISSEY, STEVEN PATRICK MORRISSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind