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.
The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The boy next door turned out,
Have a care,
But don't stare,
Because he's still there
Lamenting policewomen policemen silly women taxmen,
Uniformed whores,
They who wish to hurt you, Work within the law
So full of crashing bores,
And I must be one,
'Cos no one ever turns to me to say
Take me in your arms,
Take me in your arms,
And love me
You must be wondering how,
The boy next door turned out,
Have a care,
And say a prayer,
Because he's still there
Lamenting policewomen policemen silly women taxmen,
Uniformed whores,
Educated criminals,
Work within the law
This world is full,
Oh oh,
So full of crashing bores,
And I must be one, 'cause no one ever turns to me to say
Take me in your arms,
Take me in your arms,
And love me,
And love me
What really lies,
Beyond the constraints of my mind,
Could it be the sea,
With fate mooning back at me
No it's just more lock jawed pop stars,
Thicker than pig shit,
Nothing to convey
They're so scared to show intelligence,
It might smear their lovely career
This world, I am afraid,
Is designed for crashing bores,
I am not one, I am not one
You don't understand,
You don't understand,
And yet you can,
Take me in your arms and love me,
Love me,
And love me
Take me in your arms and love me,
Love me, love me,
Take me in your arms and love me,
Take me in your arms and love me
Would you do,
Would you do,
What you should do,
Oh oh oh, oh oh
The first verse of Morrissey's The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores delicately sets up the tone of the song as Morrissey inviting the listener to wonder about how someone they knew in their youth turned out. However, he immediately follows that up further lines that might come off as accusatory: "Have a care, but don't stare". The second verse plays out to a similar tune, stating the world is full of "silly women taxmen, uniformed whores" and other societal figures that are there to "hurt you," but all within the boundaries of the law. The refrain of the song is where Morrissey laments his own fate in being another crashing bore, someone who no one ever turns to or acknowledges their existence.
The following verse is almost philosophical; Morrissey seems to ponder the meaning of life and all the constraints that define perception. He questions whether something beyond what we can comprehend exists, and if it's just the "lockjawed pop stars" around us. The song ends with Morrissey being clear about his own standing, stating that he is not a crashing bore, and urging the listener to take him in their arms and love him.
Line by Line Meaning
You must be wondering how,
The singer acknowledges that others may be curious about the eccentric boy next door.
The boy next door turned out,
The singer reflects on the life choices of the aforementioned boy.
Have a care,
The singer urges listeners to be cautious.
But don't stare,
The artist warns against being invasive or impolite.
Because he's still there
The boy next door remains present in the artist's life.
Lamenting policewomen policemen silly women taxmen,
The singer laments the bureaucratic and legal forces that often cause distress.
Uniformed whores,
The singer derides the superficial and corrupt individuals that permeate society.
They who wish to hurt you, Work within the law
The artist comments on the hypocrisy and unfairness of the legal system.
This world is full,
The artist believes that the world is overpopulated by uninspired and tedious individuals.
So full of crashing bores,
The artist views many people as uninteresting and monotonous.
And I must be one,
The singer self-deprecatingly includes themselves as a boring person.
'Cos no one ever turns to me to say
The artist remarks on their lack of ability to attract meaningful attention from others.
Take me in your arms,
The singer desires physical and emotional intimacy.
And love me
The singer wants to feel loved and appreciated.
What really lies,
The singer muses on the nature of existence.
Beyond the constraints of my mind,
The artist considers possibilities beyond what they currently comprehend.
Could it be the sea,
The artist poses a hypothetical scenario.
With fate mooning back at me
The singer suggests that life may have a playful or mocking quality.
No it's just more lock jawed pop stars,
The singer criticizes the vapid and insipid state of contemporary popular music.
Thicker than pig shit,
The artist regards mainstream music as unintelligent and crass.
Nothing to convey
The artist thinks that the music industry lacks anything meaningful to say.
They're so scared to show intelligence,
The artist accuses popular musicians of being afraid to express anything thoughtful or intellectual.
It might smear their lovely career
The singer speculates that artists avoid profundity to preserve the façade of their glamorous lifestyle.
This world, I am afraid,
The artist expresses fear about the nature of humanity.
Is designed for crashing bores,
The singer believes that society is structured in a way that stifles creativity and discourages uniqueness.
I am not one, I am not one
The singer seeks to distinguish themselves from the masses.
You don't understand,
The singer believes that others cannot comprehend their viewpoint.
And yet you can,
Despite this, the artist still desires emotional connection.
Take me in your arms and love me,
The artist longs for affection and closeness.
Love me,
The singer reiterates their desire for love.
Would you do,
The singer poses a question.
Would you do,
The artist repeats the same question.
What you should do,
The question concerns the listener's actions.
Oh oh oh, oh oh
This is an emotional exclamation without specific meaning.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, MARTIN JAMES BOORER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind