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.
Journalists Who Lie
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stealing the money
Prospering with spite
Hate-in-a-hurry
Oh, see how :
They're only trying to make their name
By spreading Biz myth-lies
Stick in the knife
Stick in the knife
Journalists who lie
The truth is, it happens
Praise, then crucify
Just follow this pattern
And see how:
They're only trying to make their name
By spreading sickening lies
About the ones who've made their name
Mate, give us the knife
Give us the knife
Journalists who lie
So happy in malice
Rock star - out of line
So happy in malice
Oh...
Journalists who lie
So sick and belabored
They only want to be favored
They only want to be favored
See how:
They're only trying to make their name
With unprovable lies
About the ones
Who've made their name
In the black hole
Of your soul
Still bargaining away the truth
So easily
Truth
Journalists who lie
Stealing the money
Prospering with spite
And hate-in-a-hurry
Journalists who lie
The truth is, it happens
Praise, then crucify
Just follow this pattern
Journalists who lie
So sick and belabored
They want to be favored
They only want to be favored
The song "Journalists Who Lie" by Morrissey is a commentary on the unethical practices of some journalists who spread lies and rumors to make a name for themselves. Morrissey employs a cutting sarcasm in his lyrics to highlight the destructive impact of sensationalist journalism on individuals and society as a whole. He suggests that ambition and greed motivate some journalists to fabricate lies and sensationalize stories, rather than report facts and educate the public.
In the opening lines, Morrissey accuses journalists of stealing money, prospering through spite, and spreading hate-in-a-hurry. He argues that these are the hallmarks of dishonest journalism and emphasizes that journalists who lie only seek to make their own name by spreading scandalous myths about those who have already made their name. He suggests that this merciless culture of journalistic competition promotes an atmosphere of backstabbing and treachery, represented by the metaphorical knife that they stick in the backs of their subjects.
The middle verses of the song continue to develop Morrissey's scathing critique of the contemporary media landscape, with the lyrics suggesting that journalists are not content to merely report on the truth but rather are engaged in a pattern of praise and crucifixion, designed to elevate some and destroy others. Ultimately, Morrissey realizes that journalists who lie are motivated by deep-seated malice and greed and that they are willing to bargain away the truth to achieve their goals.
Line by Line Meaning
Journalists who lie
The song talks about journalists who spread lies.
Stealing the money
The journalists gain money by creating fake news.
Prospering with spite
They are becoming successful by spreading malice.
Hate-in-a-hurry
They quickly jump to hatred and create fake stories.
Oh, see how :
The song is highlighting the pattern of how journalists lie.
They're only trying to make their name
The journalists want to become famous by spreading lies.
By spreading Biz myth-lies
They create fake stories about successful people to gain attention.
About the ones who've made their name
Journalists target the famous people to create fake and controversial stories.
Stick in the knife
Journalists aim to harm successful people's reputation by telling lies.
The truth is, it happens
The song states that such fake news and propaganda are common.
Praise, then crucify
Journalists change their stance and opinion for personal gains, as they crucify the same people they once praised.
Just follow this pattern
The song instructs the listeners to notice the pattern of how these journalists lie.
They're only trying to make their name
The journalists aim to become famous, even if it means spreading unprovable lies.
By spreading sickening lies
They spread disturbing and hurtful lies to gain attention and fame.
Mate, give us the knife
The song states how journalists use fake and controversial stories like a weapon to harm successful people's reputation.
So happy in malice
The journalists feel pleased in spreading lies and malice for their benefit.
Rock star - out of line
Journalists target celebrities or influential people to create fake and controversial stories.
So sick and belabored
The journalists are unwell and stressed by continuously spreading malice and lies.
They only want to be favored
Journalists only create sensational and fake stories to gain attention and favoritism.
In the black hole
The journalists' soul is dark due to their unethical work.
Of your soul
The song talks about the inner darkness of the journalists' soul.
Still bargaining away the truth
Journalists manipulate the truth to create fake stories.
So easily
Journalists quickly create fake news for their benefit.
Truth
The song talks about journalists' loss of honesty and integrity in their professional life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, STEPHEN STREET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ken Pudsey
yet again another brilliant b-side,he bloody hates journalists doesn't he ?,especially the music ones,which is ironic as he nearly became one himself lol
decaffeinated african
his voice was so beautiful during this era
Azuma Ninja 01
This song is about the forgotten 1990's youth in my life.
Jimmy The Clown
Don't they all?
Most of them
Unfortunately