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.
Oh Well I'll Never Learn
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It said, "Please keep away"
And so in I ran, you see
I'll never learn
Oh, I'll never learn
I'll never learn
I found a fountain of youth and I fell in
How could I ever win?
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Why should I mind?
Why should I care?
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
The song "Oh Well I'll Never Learn" by Morrissey is about someone who continues to make the same mistakes despite being warned or having previous experiences. The first verse describes the person seeing a sign that says "Please keep away," but they ignore it and run in anyway. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for ignoring warning signs in life, such as red flags in a relationship or signs of danger.
In the second verse, the person is starting over again and finds something (the "fountain of youth") that makes them feel young and alive. However, they also realize that they will never be able to win in this cycle of making the same mistakes over and over again.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I'll never learn" three times, emphasizing the person's frustration with themselves for not being able to break the cycle. The final lines of the song, "Why should I mind?/Why should I care?" suggest a sense of resignation or giving up on trying to change.
Overall, the song speaks to the human tendency to repeat mistakes and the struggle to break free from harmful patterns of behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking up at the sign
It said, "Please keep away"
And so in I ran, you see
Ignoring the sign that warned me to stay away, I naively rushed in without caution.
I'll never learn
Oh, I'll never learn
I'll never learn
No matter how many times I make the same mistake, I never learn my lesson.
Chapter one again, here I go again
I found a fountain of youth and I fell in
How could I ever win?
I repeated the same mistake and fell for the illusion of everlasting youth, leaving me with no chance of success.
Why should I mind?
Why should I care?
I question why I should concern myself with the consequences of my actions when I keep repeating the same mistakes.
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Despite the consequences, I continue to make the same mistakes without ever learning from them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, STEPHEN STREET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pedro Henrique
Oh Well, I'll Never Learn
Looking up at the sign
It said: "PLEASE KEEP AWAY"
And so in I ran
You see
I'll never learn
Oh, I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Chapter one again
Here I go again
I found a fountain of youth
And I fell in
How could I ever win?
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Why should I mind?
Why should I care?
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Lori Rothenbush
Lyrics
Looking up at the sign
It said, "Please keep away"
And so in I ran
You see
I'll never learn
Oh, I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Chapter one again
Here I go again
I found a fountain of youth
And I fell in
How could I ever win?
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Why should I mind?
Why should I care?
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Songwriters: Steven Morrissey / Stephen Street
Yazzymin
His voice is so gorgeous, it soothes wounds I didn't even know I had..
John Smith
Wonderfully said.
Speed
Indeed❤️
decaffeinated african
saw this first when his voice cracked at the beginning
Davie Henry
It sure is gorgeous.I love this man.
THESM1THS
insightful
Mark Hatherley
still sounds amazing even after 21 years.
jtncclt
the man...the myth...the legend....nice video thanks for posting
martywhitevan
great job!!! first time i heard this song and i like it
Pedro Henrique
Oh Well, I'll Never Learn
Looking up at the sign
It said: "PLEASE KEEP AWAY"
And so in I ran
You see
I'll never learn
Oh, I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Chapter one again
Here I go again
I found a fountain of youth
And I fell in
How could I ever win?
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
I'll never learn
Why should I mind?
Why should I care?
I'll never learn
I'll never learn