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.
London
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lingers 'round your fingers
Train
Heave on - to Euston
Do you think you've made
The right decision this time
Oh...
You left
And you think they're sad because you're leaving
But did you see jealousy in the eyes
Of the ones who had to stay behind
And do you think you've made
The right decision this time
You left
Your girlfriend on the platform
With this really ragged notion that you'll return
But she knows
That when he goes
He really goes
And do you think you've made
The right decision this time
In Morrissey's melancholic song London, he narrates the story of someone who has made the decision to leave his hometown and move to the bustling city of London. The opening lines of the song paint a picture of someone who has been smoking and is now leaving the town by train. As the train heaves on towards Euston station, the singer questions whether the person has made the right decision by leaving his tired family who, he thinks, are sad because he is leaving. However, he poses the question if there was jealousy in the eyes of those who had to stay behind, suggesting that leaving the place might not be such a bad idea.
The second verse focuses on the person's girlfriend, who has a ragged feeling that he'll return, yet deep down knows that once he goes, he really goes. This part shows the emotions that are generally involved when someone makes a choice to leave everything behind and move to a big city, where everything is new and different, especially if they're leaving someone behind. Overall, the song seems to be questioning the decision to move to London, with the singer urging the singer to question whether the choice was suitable and the consequences attached to it.
Line by Line Meaning
Smoke
The air is polluted and filled with smoke in London
Lingers 'round your fingers
The smoke stays around your hand and fingers after you've been outside in London
Train
The singer is on a train heading towards Euston station in London
Heave on - to Euston
The train is arriving at Euston station in London and the artist must disembark
Do you think you've made
The artist questions whether they have made the right decision to leave
The right decision this time
Leaving may not have been the best decision for the singer
Oh...
An expression of sadness and regret
You left
The artist has left someone or something behind in London
Your tired family grieving
The artist's family is saddened by their departure and may be exhausted or worn down by life in London
And you think they're sad because you're leaving
The artist believes that their family is upset only because they are leaving
But did you see jealousy in the eyes
The singer suspects that those left behind may be envious of their escape from London
Of the ones who had to stay behind
The people left in London are those who did not choose to leave
You left
The singer has left someone or something behind in London
Your girlfriend on the platform
The singer has a girlfriend who is seeing them off at the train station in London
With this really ragged notion that you'll return
The girlfriend has a vague, uncertain hope that the singer will come back to her
But she knows
Despite her hope, the girlfriend recognizes that the artist may not return
That when he goes
The artist tends to leave without looking back
He really goes
The singer's departures are final and sometimes permanent
And do you think you've made
The singer questions whether they have made the right decision to leave
The right decision this time
Leaving may not have been the best decision for the artist
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Marr, Steven Morrissey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MrDLOC11
Best live musical moment of 2020!!!!!!!!!
LMBECIL
What a legendary intro!
Evocati Augusti (PLVS VLTRA)
When I got "Rank" it was like the song track of my life(all their work, and that's why we are so connected as fans)...and this song was really linked to what was going on in my life...I felt like the song was written for me...and a hard rock Smiths song... the cherry on top.
William
Great sense of humour from Morrissey
Simon Edgbaston
Great show, I loved the setlist ❤
Bri Car
Love it!!!❤❤❤
MrDLOC11
Brilliant opening 👌👌👌
Rafael Ramone
Morrissey was brave doing this concert during the beginning of a pandemic.
Rafael Ramone
Vatro Skok and Morrissey made the right decision this time!
Hugh
He sounds great.