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.
That's How People Grow Up
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to fall in love
Disappointment came to me and
Booted me and bruised and hurt me
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
Looking for love
Someone must look at me
And see their sunlit dream
I was wasting my time
Praying for love
For a love that never comes from
Someone who does not exist and
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
Let me live before I die
Not me, not I!
I was wasting my life
Always thinking about myself
Someone on the deathbed said
"There are other sorrows too"
I was driving my car
I crashed and broke my spine
So yes, there are things worse in life than
Never being someone's sweetie
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
As for me I'm okay
For now anyway
The lyrics of Morrissey's "That's How People Grow Up" are a reflection on the disillusionment and disappointment experienced by the singer in their pursuit of love. The song's opening lines convey a sense of wasted time and effort in trying to fall in love as the singer experienced hurt and disappointment. However, Morrissey suggests that these experiences are how people grow up - learning from their mistakes and becoming wiser.
The second verse sees the singer continuing to "waste" their time searching for love, but they hope that someone will see them as their "sunlit dream." Yet, the reality is that the love and affection they crave may never come from someone who does not exist. Morrissey seems to be suggesting that it's important to move beyond these idealistic notions of love and focus on personal growth, which is how people mature.
The chorus provides a key message of the song: "That's how people grow up." The singer acknowledges that failure and hardship play an essential role in the process of growing up, and it's crucial that we accept these difficulties. The bridge of the song contains Morrissey's wish to live before dying and to experience life before it's too late, making the most of each moment.
In the final verse, the singer is confronted with a powerful reminder that there are more significant sorrows in life; someone on their deathbed tells them that "other sorrows" exist, implying a kind of wake-up call. The singer then experiences a car crash that results in a broken spine. Here, Morrissey drives home the point that there are indeed worse things in life than not having someone to love, and we should appreciate the simple things that we take for granted.
Overall, "That's How People Grow Up" is a song about learning, growing, and accepting the harsh realities of life. Morrissey delivers a powerful message, urging his listeners to embrace disappointment and find meaning in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I was wasting my time
I spent too much time on fruitless endeavors
Trying to fall in love
Attempting to establish a romantic relationship
Disappointment came to me and
I suffered from disappointment
Booted me and bruised and hurt me
It caused me tremendous pain and affected me negatively
That's how people grow up
The hardships in life are what help people mature
I was wasting my time
I wasted my time
Looking for love
Trying to find romantic love
Someone must look at me
Someone must find me attractive
And see their sunlit dream
They must see me as the embodiment of their ideal partner
I was wasting my time
I was wasting my time
Praying for love
Seeking romantic love through prayer
For a love that never comes from
Seeking an unattainable love from
Someone who does not exist and
A non-existent partner
That's how people grow up
The disappointments and unattainable desires in life are what help people mature
Let me live before I die
I want to experience life before it's too late
Not me, not I!
I won't let life pass me by!
I was wasting my life
I was wasting my life
Always thinking about myself
I was too self-centered
Someone on the deathbed said
Someone close to me on their deathbed
"There are other sorrows too"
Reminding me that there are other types of pain and suffering in life
I was driving my car
I was driving alone
I crashed and broke my spine
I had a serious accident and was injured
So yes, there are things worse in life than
There are worse things in life than
Never being someone's sweetie
Not having a romantic partner
That's how people grow up
Life's hardships help us grow and mature beyond our self-centered desires
That's how people grow up
Life challenges make us stronger and help us mature
As for me I'm okay
At the moment, I am fine
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, MARTIN JAMES BOORER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miiranda X
I was wasting my time
Trying to fall in love
Disappointment came to me and
Booted me and bruised and hurt me
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
I was wasting my time
Looking for love
Someone must look at me
And see their sunlit dream
I was wasting my time
Praying for love
For a love that never comes from
Someone who does not exist and
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
Let me live before I die
Not me, not I!
I was wasting my life
Always thinking about myself
Someone on the deathbed said
"There are other sorrows too"
I was driving my car
I crashed and broke my spine
So yes, there are things worse in life than
Never being someone's sweetie
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
As for me I'm okay
For now anyway
Ryski Dewanto
I was wasting my time
Trying to fall in love
Disappointment came to me and
Booted me and bruised and hurt me
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
I was wasting my time
Looking for love
Someone must look at me
And see their sunlit dream
I was wasting my time
Praying for love
For a love that never comes from
Someone who does not exist and
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
Let me live before I die
Not me, not I!
I was wasting my life
Always thinking about myself
Someone on the deathbed said
"There are other sorrows too"
I was driving my car
I crashed and broke my spine
So yes, there are things worse in life than
Never being someone's sweetie
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
As for me I'm okay
For now anyway
sea gull
Dear Morrissey...you've been helping me so much to face life lately... I'm very grateful to you...
Elias Correia
Yes ! I feel the same
Michael Dooley Project
same.
M WOLF
+sea gull Man... my exact same thoughts
Gordão Magro
Minha infância assistindo esse clipe na MTV, adorava. Sabia que essa música era do Morissey mas não sabia o nome porque quando era criança não entendia inglês e não lembrava de jeito nenhum nenhuma palavra da música mas felizmente achei.
Claudio Pereira Santos
A letra dessa Musica tem um dos mais Puro sentimentos na letra ke eu ja ouvi é só ouvir a intro ke é de arrepiar.. Muito FOda....
Ruby
Lo amo
Miiranda X
I was wasting my time
Trying to fall in love
Disappointment came to me and
Booted me and bruised and hurt me
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
I was wasting my time
Looking for love
Someone must look at me
And see their sunlit dream
I was wasting my time
Praying for love
For a love that never comes from
Someone who does not exist and
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
Let me live before I die
Not me, not I!
I was wasting my life
Always thinking about myself
Someone on the deathbed said
"There are other sorrows too"
I was driving my car
I crashed and broke my spine
So yes, there are things worse in life than
Never being someone's sweetie
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up
As for me I'm okay
For now anyway
Tormentors
I absolutely love this song describes my situation perfectly,I used to look for love all the time and I always got dissapointed ,hurt and sad. I realised that Morrissey is right,there are worse things in life than never have loved or been loved by somebody.Morrissey has changed my life for the better,he doesn´t know it...yet.
Stevie P
Same here, this song changed my life immeasurably. For years I agonised about being single. Then I heard this song on the radio and it cured me! Pretty much instantly, I learned to just be happy being single and concentrate on all the good things about my life. Absolute life-changer