Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known as Morrissey, is a British singer an… Read Full Bio ↴Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known as Morrissey, is a British singer and lyricist of Irish descent born in Davyhulme, Manchester, United Kingdom on May 22, 1959.

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.

Southpaw
Morrissey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You were a boy before you became a man
I don't see the joy
And you ran with your pals in the sun
You turned around and they were gone
Again...

A sick boy should be treated
So easily defeated

Oh, I just don't understand
So you ran with your pals in the sun
You turned around
You were alone
Again...
And you ran back to Ma
Which set the pace for the rest of your days
Oh, you ran back to Ma
Which set the pace for the rest of your days
Oh, you ran back to Ma
Which set the pace for the rest of your days

And now, there is something that you should know
There is something that you should know
The girl of your dreams is
Here all alone
Girl of your dreams is
Here all alone
The girl of your dreams is
Sad and all alone
The girl of your dreams is
Here all alone
There is something that you should know
There is something that you should know
Girl of your dreams is
Here all alone
The girl of your dreams is
Sad and is all alone
The girl of your dreams is
Sad and is feeling all alone
Oh, there is something that you should know

Help me, help me, help me...

Overall Meaning

The song "Southpaw" by Morrissey tells the story of a man who is struggling with loneliness and his past. The lyrics depict him as someone who never really grew out of his childhood and is still fixated on his past experiences. The line "You were a boy before you became a man, I don't see the joy" implies that the man's inability to move on from his carefree childhood days has resulted in a lack of enthusiasm and enjoyment in his adult life.

The song also touches on mental health, with the lines "A sick boy should be treated, so easily defeated. Oh, I just don't understand" suggesting that the man may be suffering from some sort of illness that is not being properly addressed. Additionally, the repeated refrain of "the girl of your dreams is here all alone" indicates that the man may be longing for companionship and struggling to connect with others, despite the presence of potential partners in his life.

Overall, "Southpaw" is a poignant portrayal of a man who is trapped in his past and struggling to find his place in the present.

Line by Line Meaning

You were a boy before you became a man
You had a younger, more innocent phase before you matured

I don't see the joy
I don't understand what makes you happy

And you ran with your pals in the sun
You used to spend time with your friends outdoors

You turned around and they were gone
Your friends left or abandoned you

Again...
This happened more than once

A sick boy should be treated
A child who is physically or emotionally unwell deserves care and attention

So easily defeated
So vulnerable and easy to harm or overcome

Oh, I just don't understand
This situation is confusing or perplexing to me

You were alone
You didn't have anyone with you

And you ran back to Ma
You sought comfort and support from your mother