Imagine, if you can, the worst literal interpretation of the phrase ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’.
Then imagine it’s the title of a song by an immature, repellent controversialist from Manchester.
Then steel yourself to listen to this, should you choose to.
https://consequence.net/2022/10/morrissey-bonfire-of-teenagers-album/
Bonfire of old men who behave like teenagers is more apt.
On reflection, I choose NOT to listen to it.
Stretch out and hate
Reichstag Ruffians
Stormtroopers of the world unite
Wouldn’t listen if I was paid to, but confess to being disappointed in Mr Osterberg.
I’ve just read the lyrics in full; they confirm what I thought I heard, and they are just… utterly beyond belief. They manage to combine jaw-dropping crassness, juvenile triteness, excruciating mawkishness, and, worst of all, breathtaking self-centredness. I’ve never seen anything remotely like it.
I thought about copy-pasting them here but decided against it as posters so far have said they won’t be listening to it.
Apparently, it was released in July this year; I’m astonished that we haven’t heard about the reaction in Manchester…unless somebody’s already covered it on here and I’ve missed it?
I’ve just gone to read them. It’s a very long way from Suffer Little Children to this.
Oh Morrissey, so much to answer for…
I remember him being completely vilified for Suffer the Children by the tabloid press in the 80s. So a real similarity
The first time I heard that phrase from the Bible, “Suffer little children…”, I didn’t realise that ‘suffer’ meant ‘allow’ rather than ….. well, rather than the common meaning of ‘suffer’.
My take on the comparison is tender compassion vs malicious spite.
Haven’t hear the new song yet so can’t comment, but yes, however the tabloids viewed it differently. I was aware of the biblical meaning having been forced to go to church most of my life up until then
ugh
I didn’t know he had a short residency at Caesar’s Palace. I remember seeing The Smiths at Kent Uni in 1984. They, and he especially, were thrilling. Gladioli everywhere. I would never have predicted a Las Vegas residency awaited. Mind you, same goes for Sting.
In that intro he says: “Obviously, in jolly old England, most people won’t talk about it. But I will.” What can he mean? Surely he can’t think most people won’t talk about the Manchester Arena tragedy, as that was covered by every news outlet and discussed, analysed, talked about a great deal. Perhaps he means most people won’t talk about his new song, because it’s so crap? If that’s the case, he’s probably right. It is really crap. (A far worse sin than being controversial.)
This analysis is hilarious:
https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/07/morrisseys-bonfire-of-teenagers-exposes-pop-treachery/
I read that earlier as I wasn’t sure what he was referring to in his comments. Made it a bit clearer but still a shite ‘song’ though.
Good grief.
I thought Armond White was just a paint colour, but that piece reads like it could also be Morrisey’s pen-name.
Extraordinary, shallow apologism.
He used to be a thin Oscar Wilde. Now he’s a fat Katie Hopkins.
I remember the appalling abuse Paul McCartney et al used to get in the NME etc. in the dire 1980s while this crock o’shite was heralded as some sort of Archangel Gabriel.
Hmm… I was right. 100% right.
I expect Paul’s old group was outselling the smiths 50 to 1 in the States even then.
NME…standard operating procedure…man, I hated the NME in the eighties.
Of course, that doesn’t detract from you being 100% right, top banana, etc.
To be fair, The Smiths were much better than Macca in the 80s, better than most acts. Some might say they were the best British band since The Beatles. That was 35-40 years ago though which is a long time. These days he offers nothing except controversy, but he was good once
Some might…some might not.
I prefer The Stones myself, but The Smiths were something new and pretty unique in the 80s, clearly very talented and I think The Queen is Dead has the edge over Press to Play
Just because “The Queen is Dead has the edge over Press to Play” doesn’t necessarily mean that The Smiths “were the best British band since The Beatles”.
No it doesn’t. That was more about the post I replied to. They were better than all that prog nonsense in the 70s though 😉
You rascal you! …and don’t call Will on your father!
I like a hell of a lot of the “prog nonsense” from the 70s. Can’t imagine many current bands being as imaginative or daring as Van Der Graaf Generator say. Or even classic era Yes come to that. And I’ve always adored Morrissey too. A truly brilliant pop star who never bores me , who always challenges me and who always writes the most incredible lyrics.
Dai is just poking me with a stick – he knows that progressive music is my thing. Much to his surprise, I didn’t start a war of attrition with him…
Yeah, a joke. I like Pink Floyd, but probably prefer The Smiths
Are Pink Floyd prog, though?
Difficult to keep up with these internecine wars when you’re just an occasional visitor like myself…
The Stones in the 80s? I thought I was the only one who liked “Dirty Work”.
You keep your personal proclivities to yourself!
No, more the (early) 70s
If sales = quality then X Factor made masterpieces and the good can go bad, just like Van.
TBH, I’m more concerned about the truly cynical rage-bait from our glorious Home Secretary.
Apparently “annoying all the right people” is the best way to govern a country.
Well, if that’s true, why wasn’t the NME governing the country in the 1980s, eh? Eh? Answer that and stay fashionable, clever trousers!
Tchuh. I’m writing to Gasbag about this. Ian Penman will call me egregious, but I won’t care. Much.
Is it possible to hate a song without hearing it?
In this particular case, it’s imperative.
hearing it will just further the hatred. it certainly has for me.
Morrissey really is a helmet isn’t he?
Is he directly saying that the Manchester Arena bombing was a good thing? It seems that way.
No, he’s saying that he’s angry about the Manchester Arena Bombing, and that the pacifistic nature of the response was insufficient.
The implication of the song is anti-Muslim.
It seems to me that whether he implied it or not, you’re all inferring it.
BTW, I’m no fan of Morrissey and, TBH, think the Smiths are vastly over-rated (yeah, OK you can play jangly guitar and write some good tunes but this has all been done better before…) but I do find the opprobrium he attracts from former fans who can’t bear their hero holding different political views to their own hugely amusing. I suspect he does too.
He’s annoying all the right people. It’s all the rage.
I have to admit, I have some sympathy with your view here.
When I first saw this thread and some of the comments, my immediate reaction was to wonder why Morrissey attracts the singular opprobrium he seems to. Yes, he says disagreeable things, but plenty of others worshipped unreservedly on this blog have both said and indeed done awful things, and yet do not take this sort of stick.
But, I’ll be honest: I then read the lyric referred to above, and I can see why it offends people. You’re right that he’s not explicitly saying anything bad, but it’s a pretty audible dog whistle, particularly given some of his previous comments.
I should probably correct myself above; the implication isn’t anti-Muslim per se. It’s that we are too willing as a culture to overlook/find excuses for acts of barbarism by Muslims. That’s probably an important distinction. You can argue the two sentiments are one and the same, but they’re not (although they tend to go hand in hand).
Personally, I think he knows what he’s doing here, and how close to the wind he’s sailing, but maybe that’s uncharitable.
Many thanks for the thoughtful reply.
I think “sailing close to the wind” covers what he’s doing here. It may be questionable to some and it may be in poor taste. However, it’s not a bad thing to be taking risks and his formative years coincided with punk so…
Personally, I think he knows he’s winding people up – but then I was never a fan so maybe I’m being a bit cynical.
But surely the main point here is… it’s shite. It’s rubbish. My ears are well befuddled and defective but even they can hear that this is not a memorable or interesting tune. And as for the lyrics: “vaporised”? Really?
I don’t think it’s shiteness is what’s being debated here. But, for the avoidance of any doubt, I heartily concur with your view.
I read the lyrics and started to write something but fuck it, it’s Morrissey I don’t need to explain his attention seeking but I think Bingo’s got it right. An unnecessary attention seeking song but I wasn’t necessarily offended by it. Ultimately he’s angry about a load of kids being blown to bits on a night out and a section of the publics instagrief. I think…..
To be honest, I missed the final repeated phrase when reading the lyrics, and so picked up no anti-Muslim sub-text/dog-whistle; I therefore thought the song was just both incredibly emotionally crude and ugly in its imagery, and also incredibly repulsive and trite in terms of his decision to introduce some inter-MancBand politics, of all things.
However, I’ve just come across this quote, below; make of it what you will:
“In an interview with his nephew Sam, who runs morrisseycentral.com, Morrissey said:
SAM:
‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ the track is magnificent, but you must be expecting some manufactured paranoia … the usual ‘you can’t sing about THAT’ pearl fumblers.
M:
… because?
SAM:
It’s about the Manchester Arena Bombing.
M:
It’s about the kids who were murdered, yes. We are not encouraged to look beneath the surface because it’s dark and hidden. But the song is anti-terror, and anyone who finds that offensive can only be devoid of personal morality. As your brother once said to me, the Manchester Arena Bombing was Britain’s 9/11. We should appreciate anyone who asks questions”.
I would add that, fwiw, my view is that Morrissey is nowhere near sufficiently intellectually or emotionally equipped to critique the attempts by the people and the communities of Manchester to try to heal and find a positive way forward. I think he’s profoundly emotionally obtuse.
And he’s chosen to “critique the attempts by the people and the communities of Manchester to try to heal and find a positive way forward” via the medium of a pop song. That may not be the best way to do it, but we are people on this particular forum who are peculiarly obsessed with that medium.
I dunno… I can’t believe it’s me of all people saying this but, maybe we should cut the guy some slack? He’s trying to say something and maybe not doing it that well. At least he’s trying. I doubt anyone is going to be committing terrorist acts or even something that might be deemed a “hate crime” as a result of hearing a Morrissey song. Even if it is 3-4 minutes of their life they’re never going to get back.
Ah, good old Morrissey. In his sixties and he still manages to rile, annoy and inspire adulation in almost equal amounts. Honestly, if he didn’t exist already I would dearly love to have invented him.
Wow, that’s some take-away.
Enjoy
It’s provoked a lot of interest which I guess was one of his aims.
No idea what the lyrics are and no interest in finding out.
Don’t like him when he is not being controversial so even less interest here.
I think someone has to point out that Morrissey is looking better the older he gets. Someone should offer him the 007 movie job.
I was just browsing the recent MOJO special on The Smiths, and the skinny flower-carrying singer is clearly no competition to the current gorgeous-looks Mozman. Even his quiff is better nowadays.
Oh, my!
He’d be a great Bond. He’d wither SMERSH with his sarcasm alone. No need for those tedious car chases.
I mean, the man is a hoot. And he clearly adores pop music (of a certain kind admittedly). I’m with him on ‘I’m a Tiger’ completely although I did once play in a band supporting Lulu and there was more than a ‘trace’ of showbiz about her. The way she insisted on clearing us unwashed types out a room before she entered it for instance. But I forgive her.
https://youtu.be/bas9EXd38QM
Pop royalty, ya bas!
“Get these wee nyaffs oot o’ ma room! I didn’t leave Dennistoun to share ma room wi’ glaikicy personified!! Ah’m goin’ ma duster here!!!”
Word for word. Uncanny.
To be honest I assumed the wee yin would clear any room in nanoseconds with her terrifying cry of Weeeeeeeeeeee-eeeeeeeeeellllll!
Thought Morrissey was a cunt right from day one.
Still think he’s a cunt.
Ah, such blissful constancy.
He’s always had the whiff of the right wing about him. National Front Disco and waving a Union Jack at a concert with a high skinhead proportion was 30 years ago!
I don’t think his latest release is any worse than that. The only difference it’s not a very good song
Attracted by the fact that Morrissey and Flowered Up were supporting, I went to that gig. It took me by surprise that Madness had such a lairy, skinhead crowd. They were very much a pop band in my eyes.
Woah, reading through I’m amazed at the amount of hate.
As I’m always telling my kids, ‘It’s only an opinion.’
And why does it matter so much what Morrissey says? It’s because his band from nearly 40 years ago still makes people feel like this. The responses to this thread make it one of my very favourites