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.
Neal Cassady Drops Dead
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And Allen Ginsberg's tears shampoo his beard
Neal Cassady drops dead
And Allen Ginsberg's lips tighten and thin
Neal Cassady drops dead
And Allen Ginsberg's hosed down in a barn
Neal Cassady drops dead
Everyone has babies
Babies full of rabies
Rabies full of scabies
Scarlet has a fever
Ring is full of ringworm
Angel of disdain
Poor little fella has got rubella
Liver full of fungus
Junior full of gangrene
Mine is melanoma
Tike full of gripe
Whippersnapper's scurvy
Urchin made of acne
Get that thing away from me
Victim, or life's adventurer
Which of the two are you?
Victim or life's adventurer
Which of the two are you?
The first thing that stands out about Morrissey's song "Neal Cassady Drops Dead" is the way he uses the tragic event of Cassady's death to express a sense of disillusionment and perhaps even despair. Ginsberg's reaction to Cassady's death is a key part of the song, as is the way the lyrics shift from mourning the loss of an iconic figure to painting a picture of a world full of disease and suffering.
The opening stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song, with Morrissey using vivid imagery to describe the impact of Cassady's death on Ginsberg. The tears shampooing Ginsberg's beard is a striking metaphor, suggesting a sense of deep grief and perhaps even a sense of loss of self. The repetition of the phrase "Neal Cassady drops dead" reinforces the sense that this event is both shocking and significant, and the way the lyrics shift to describe Ginsberg's howl becoming a growl suggests a transformation happening in response to the tragedy.
The second half of the song takes a different turn, with Morrissey painting a picture of a world full of disease and suffering. The line "everyone has babies, babies full of rabies" is a startling one, and the litany of illnesses that follow adds to the sense of chaos and despair. The final stanza asks a key question - are we victims of circumstance, or adventurers in life? It's a difficult question to answer, but Morrissey's lyrics suggest that even in the face of tragedy and disease, there may be some hope for those who choose to embrace life as an adventure.
Line by Line Meaning
Neal Cassady drops dead
The announcement of the death of a famous, influential writer, Neal Cassady
And Allen Ginsberg’s tears shampoo his beard
Allen Ginsberg, a close friend of Cassady, is crying so much that his tears are rinsing his beard while grieving the loss of his dear friend
Neal Cassady drops dead
The news of Cassady's death is being repeated to emphasize the tragic event
And Allen Ginsberg’s lips tighten and thin
Ginsberg's expression changes as he tries to hide his emotions, causing his lips to become tight and thin
Neal Cassady drops dead
The singer repeats the news of the death to emphasize its impact
And Allen Ginsberg’s hosed down in a barn
Ginsberg is being metaphorically washed off with a hose to cleanse himself of the sorrow he is feeling
Neal Cassady drops dead
The repetition of the news signifies its importance to the song's themes
And Allen Ginsberg’s howl becomes a growl
Ginsberg's emotional outburst changes from a cry to an angry growl in response to the tragedy
Everyone has babies
This line serves as a transition to a new set of lyrics with a different theme
Babies full of rabies
Babies are often innocent, but here they are portrayed as carrying a dangerous disease
Rabies full of scabies
The disease is further compounded by being covered in a skin infestation
Scarlet has a fever
Another disease, scarlet fever, is introduced to continue the idea of sickness and suffering
Ring is full of ringworm
A contagious skin parasite is compared to a ring, implying that its effects keep spreading
Angel of disdain
A metaphorical image of a heavenly being that looks down upon the suffering of humanity with contempt
Poor little fella has got rubella
Back to a literal reference to another disease, rubella, affecting a young child
Liver full of fungus
The focus now shifts to internal organs and a serious fungal infection that could be life-threatening
Junior full of gangrene
Continuing the focus on the body, gangrene reveals the extent of damage and decay
Mine is melanoma
Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, is a personal affliction affecting the singer
Tike full of gripe
A young child's stomach ailment adds to the list of ailments
Whippersnapper’s scurvy
An old-fashioned term refers to a specific ailment caused by a Vitamin C deficiency
Urchin made of acne
Finally, an image of suffering from acne as a young, scrappy child is introduced
Get that thing away from me
The singer's exasperation and desperation for relief comes through as he pleads to rid himself of all this suffering
Victim, or life’s adventurer
The final verse poses a philosophical question about how one views their own life
Which of the two are you?
The song ends on this rhetorical question, leaving the listener to ponder their own answer
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GUSTAVO ADOLFO JR MANZUR, STEVEN MORRISSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
EDINALDO ABREU DA COSTA
Neal Cassady drops dead
And Allen Ginsberg’s tears shampoo his beard
Neal Cassady drops dead
And Allen Ginsberg’s lips tighten and thin
Neal Cassady drops dead
Allen Ginsberg's hosed down in a barn
Neal Cassady drops dead
And Allen Ginsberg’s howl becomes a growl
Remover anúncios
Everyone has babies
Babies full of rabies
Rabies full of scabies
Scarlet has a fever
Ring’s full of ringworm
Angel of disdain
Poor little fella has got rubella
Liver full of fungus
Junior full of gangrene
Mine is melanoma
Tikes full of gripe
Whippersnapper’s scurvy
Urchin made of acne
Get that thing away from me
Victim, or life’s adventurer
Which of the two are you?
Victim or life’s adventurer
Which of the two are you?
Petr Fabián
Actually for me this is the best by Morrissey since The Smiths. Great songs and simple, almost teenage naive lyrics.
fliptag
I would say almost the same. Unfortunately there's also Viva Hate. I miss Vini Reilly on guitar.
collapsingquantumwav
Morrissey never ceases to amaze me with his significant and potent style of music and lyric.
Michael Godfrey
This album was fantastic
Fred Grave
still is :)
Char
It’s amazing
federico zarate
MORRISEY ES EL ULTIMO ROMANTICO ,GENIAL CANCION ,LOS CORTES DE GUITARRA SON NAVAJAS Y LA LETRA SON VERDADES
Pamela Hovanec
um this ought to be good, this guys lyrics are always sooo uplifting...
spiritov69
Great album
mathilda regnér
this is fucking art