Morrissey vs. Prince POLL

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed

Okay, look folks. I told you I don't hate Prince, he has his own place in my life and I don't hate people who love him and I don't have a problem at all, you know? But we need to settle this fair & square or I'm just not satisfied.

Poll Results

OptionVotes
Prince 98
Morrissey 62


Lucking Faptop (Bimble), Saturday, 11 April 2009 20:28 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey without even the slightest momentary hesitation.

Alex in NYC, Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:05 (seventeen years ago)

Haha. Let's remember that Alex also prefers Bowie to Prince.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:09 (seventeen years ago)

Honor the paisley!

_Rockist__Scientist_, Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:09 (seventeen years ago)

xpost to Alex: Hahahha woohoo! But I think we don't stand a chance, man.

Lucking Faptop (Bimble), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:10 (seventeen years ago)

Damnit where are the UK-ers when I need them? It's 10pm there, they're probably out at pubs. Jesus christ.

Lucking Faptop (Bimble), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:11 (seventeen years ago)

Haha. Let's remember that Alex also prefers Bowie to Prince.

...as any sane, awake, cognizant being with a brain and even an iota of sense & taste would. I mean, Prince plays his guitar well and sure can pick out fetching pairs of assless pants, but Bowie's so far above that overrated, oversexed, Bible-poisoned newt that his ears must be popping.

Alex in NYC, Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:14 (seventeen years ago)

lololololololol

Lucking Faptop (Bimble), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:41 (seventeen years ago)

okay but what's this about "assless pants"? Inquiring minds want to know!

Lucking Faptop (Bimble), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:42 (seventeen years ago)

oh man alex, you and i have a ton of tastes in common (C$C love trumps all) but this is going to be one of those strenuously disagree moments

xpost youve gotta be kidding me dude, that is kind of definitional prince wtfness right there

sonned by a burger beef (jjjusten), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:44 (seventeen years ago)

Somehow I knew you'd be on the wrong side of this debate, John. I liked your haircut on the WDYLL thread, though.

Lucking Faptop (Bimble), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:45 (seventeen years ago)

are you sure you're not actually from england?

http://www.stanleylieber.com/images/prince_ass.jpg

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:45 (seventeen years ago)

i don't even really need to say it, but i am a huge prince stan and have never been into morrissey at all.

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:47 (seventeen years ago)

xpost

That is fucking photoshopped and I will not be duped. You Tube it or die, punk.

Lucking Faptop (Bimble), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:47 (seventeen years ago)

dude, everyone is familiar with prince's assless pants at the vma's. it used to be on youtube, but it got taken down like everything else prince-related on youtube.

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:48 (seventeen years ago)

alright, alright. Jesus. Can't a guy get to look at some assless pants around here? SHEESH.

Lucking Faptop (Bimble), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:49 (seventeen years ago)

citation: http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20223762_1,00.html

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:50 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey. Never really got into Prince, whose greatest albums sound dated now.

zeus, Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:55 (seventeen years ago)

That is fucking photoshopped and I will not be duped. You Tube it or die, punk.

― Lucking Faptop (Bimble)

wat, those pants are legend

lil waynes babymama (musically), Saturday, 11 April 2009 21:58 (seventeen years ago)

Haha. Let's remember that Alex also prefers Bowie to Prince.

I don't think this is that radical or unjustifiable opinion.

Veteran of the Psychic Wars (Abbott), Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:06 (seventeen years ago)

Good thing Morrissey doesn't sound dated at all now xxp

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO (Colonel Poo), Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:08 (seventeen years ago)

this is harder than it should be because morrissey put out a pretty good album this year and prince put out two mediocre albums htis year

banned like this (k3vin k.), Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:09 (seventeen years ago)

but duh come on it's prince

banned like this (k3vin k.), Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:09 (seventeen years ago)

good poll. and tough! I'm going to have to think on this.

Imaginary Dead Baseball Players Live in My Cornfield (Pillbox), Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:11 (seventeen years ago)

sorry Bimble but it's Prince all the way for me...

jagged-electronically mäandernden underbody (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:26 (seventeen years ago)

lol are you guys even fucking joking?

this is like prince w/o even a second of hesitation

mark cl, Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:32 (seventeen years ago)

lol morrissey yea right

mark cl, Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:33 (seventeen years ago)

i dunno for me it's like 'dirty mind' >>>>>>>>>>>> morissey's entire ouvre

mark cl, Sunday, 12 April 2009 02:40 (seventeen years ago)

There was a time, many many years ago, when Prince made good records. Morrissey still can. Voting Moz.

Johnny Fever, Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:05 (seventeen years ago)

as any sane, awake, cognizant being with a brain and even an iota of sense & taste would. I mean, Prince plays his guitar well and sure can pick out fetching pairs of assless pants, but Bowie's so far above that overrated, oversexed, Bible-poisoned newt that his ears must be popping.

I adore Bowie, but I heard Scary Monsters tonight: an album I like a lot, but one burdened by terrible singing and lyrics to boot.

I mean, whatever else, when Prince is at his worst, he can still cough up throwaways for The Time, Sheila E, and Vanity. He knows what motivates human beings. Bowie, at his best, can only write to his strengths. He has no special gift, as Christgau said, for tunes or for genuine emotions.

Plus, again, Bowie, when he tries hard, is one of the worst singers in rock history, god help him.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:10 (seventeen years ago)

Sign 'O' The Times >>>>> any Bowie album ever (and I adore Bowie)

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:12 (seventeen years ago)

I like the Smiths a lot but Morrissey better than Prince? I just can't do that.

DAT recorder delmar (Curt1s Stephens), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:16 (seventeen years ago)

I adore Prince, but I'll take The Smiths-era Morrissey over him. And, FWIW, Morrissey's had a monster comeback this decade, with three top-notch albums long after his eighties "prime."

Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:16 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey had no monster comebacks.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:22 (seventeen years ago)

If anyone can find performances and songwriting as "If I Was Your Girlfriend," "Strange Relationship," and "When You Were Mine" in Moz's catalogue, despite his considerable strengths, I'll relisten to Maladjusted.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:25 (seventeen years ago)

De gustibus non est disputandum. To me, You Are The Quarry and Ringleader of the Tormentors constitute a "monster comeback."

And there are plenty of songs in The Smiths catalogue as strong as those three Prince songs, I think.

Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:28 (seventeen years ago)

"He has no special gift, as Christgau said, for tunes or for genuine emotions.

Plus, again, Bowie, when he tries hard, is one of the worst singers in rock history, god help him"

dude.

banned like this (k3vin k.), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:37 (seventeen years ago)

De gustibus non est disputandum

take it to de subjectivisten

banned like this (k3vin k.), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:38 (seventeen years ago)

yes.

Prince vs Bowie.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:38 (seventeen years ago)

take it to de subjectivisten

That board frightens me.

Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:40 (seventeen years ago)

A couple of weeks ago, a good friend and I played Never Let Me Down. As a devoted non-fan of Bowie, he was horrified by how badly Bowie sounded on that damn thing. Bowie, at his worst, has affectations as a base, while Prince has that incredible voice and instrumental dexterity to create above average R&B. Nothing Prince has done at his worst reeks as much as Tonight or Never Let Me Down.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 April 2009 03:42 (seventeen years ago)

wait how did bowie even get dragged into this

banned like this (k3vin k.), Sunday, 12 April 2009 04:01 (seventeen years ago)

PRINCE is a way better dancer. Morrissey only know the 'weeping willow'

nicky lo-fi, Sunday, 12 April 2009 04:07 (seventeen years ago)

Prince is my all time fave, but I'm currently going thorough as Moz/The Smiths renaissance. Very tough choice. In the end, I went for his Royal Badness.

undeadsinatra, Sunday, 12 April 2009 05:26 (seventeen years ago)

http://gothdance.ytmnd.com/

tits akimbo (kenan), Sunday, 12 April 2009 05:38 (seventeen years ago)

Prince ftw.

tits akimbo (kenan), Sunday, 12 April 2009 05:52 (seventeen years ago)

even though i like bowie way more than morrissey, the idea that bowie is better than prince makes me way more irritated for some reason

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Sunday, 12 April 2009 07:30 (seventeen years ago)

I like bowie more than morrissey, morrissey more than prince, and prince more than bowie

iatee, Sunday, 12 April 2009 07:33 (seventeen years ago)

Prince >>>>> Bowie >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Morrissey

P is for Pussy (The Brainwasher), Sunday, 12 April 2009 07:50 (seventeen years ago)

"Nothing Prince has done at his worst reeks as much as Tonight or Never Let Me Down"

lol. theres plenty of prince songs that are complete and utter shit.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Sunday, 12 April 2009 10:06 (seventeen years ago)

morrissey is funnier... tbh idk why americans would like morrissey. kind of like british people who dig springsteen? both have been rubbish for nigh-on two decades now, but prince had worse quality control during his good era. otoh it's wrong to credit morrissey alone for the smiths.

FREE DOM AND ETHAN (special guest stars mark bronson), Sunday, 12 April 2009 10:15 (seventeen years ago)

The Smiths >>>>>>>> Prince >>>>>>> Solo Morrissey. Voted Morrissey.

a hoy hoy, Sunday, 12 April 2009 13:49 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey's flirtation with racism not only makes me hate him, but also makes me think that anyone who would seriously pick him over Prince us a fuching racist, or at least doesn't actually give a shit about racism (which is just as bad).

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Sunday, 12 April 2009 15:53 (seventeen years ago)

Also, The Smiths were about Morrissey/Marr, not just Morrissey, whereas pretty much every permutation of Prince's band has been about Prince.

The fact that this is even a question makes me furious.

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Sunday, 12 April 2009 16:00 (seventeen years ago)

xpost: isn't ILX all about being racist, tho?

SORCEROUSES..roll on stage! (Pillbox), Sunday, 12 April 2009 16:03 (seventeen years ago)

Me and my ex-girlfriend, who's a big Morrissey fan, once got into a big argument when I mentioned Morrissey's alleged racism. I didn't even say that he's a proper racist, just that he was flirting with racist ideas, but she wanted to hear none of that.

Tuomas, Sunday, 12 April 2009 16:06 (seventeen years ago)

also bands & artists that rip off prince >>>>>>>>> bands & artists that rip off morrissey

DAT recorder delmar (Curt1s Stephens), Sunday, 12 April 2009 16:16 (seventeen years ago)

It surprises me that we had to wait this long for being told we are racists.

zeus, Sunday, 12 April 2009 16:18 (seventeen years ago)

im totally into and supportive of the idea that morrissey fans are racist - sorry morrissey fans!

c?rvel (ice cr?m), Sunday, 12 April 2009 16:24 (seventeen years ago)

mexicans aren't racist.

obscure reference (Stevie D), Sunday, 12 April 2009 16:53 (seventeen years ago)

tbh idk why americans would like morrissey. kind of like british people who dig springsteen?

???

kind of like british people who dig the sopranos? americans who dig charles dickens?

horseshoe, Sunday, 12 April 2009 17:11 (seventeen years ago)

i want to say something about morrissey and racism but it keeps coming out apologist. :/

horseshoe, Sunday, 12 April 2009 17:12 (seventeen years ago)

Prince. Although Morrissey has made more good music after 1992 or so.

Geir Hongro, Sunday, 12 April 2009 17:13 (seventeen years ago)

I mean, whatever else, when Prince is at his worst, he can still cough up throwaways for The Time, Sheila E, and Vanity.

This was correct 25 years ago.

Geir Hongro, Sunday, 12 April 2009 17:14 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2008/11/24/081124ta_talk_hoffman


When asked about his perspective on social issues—gay marriage, abortion—Prince tapped his Bible and said, “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’ ”

iatee, Sunday, 12 April 2009 17:14 (seventeen years ago)

Anyway, I mean, in the late 90s, Prince released singles under his own name (well, "logo") that wouldn't even have been considered for a Martika or Sheena Easton b-side in the 80s.

Geir Hongro, Sunday, 12 April 2009 17:16 (seventeen years ago)

anyone who would seriously pick him over Prince us a fuching racist

Yes, because GOD FORBID someone not share your blinkered opinion or bad taste. Yes, they MUST be racists. Maybe some people just prefer Morrissey's music over Prince's. Ever consider that?

Morrissey's alleged racism is dwarfed by Prince's CONFIRMED religious (i.e. intollerant) zeal (see quote above).

Alex in NYC, Sunday, 12 April 2009 18:27 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey's music is exciting 2% of the time, Prince about 80%.

Veteran of the Psychic Wars (Abbott), Monday, 13 April 2009 01:14 (seventeen years ago)

anyone who would seriously pick him over Prince us a fuching racist

i'd probably go with prince here but this really is like a blindingly stupid thing to say.

(The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Monday, 13 April 2009 01:20 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey's music is exciting 2% of the time, Prince about 80%.

(a) You can't mean this with regard to Morrissey's work with The Smiths, right? and (b) the key to Morrissey's songs are his lyrics.

Daniel, Esq., Monday, 13 April 2009 01:25 (seventeen years ago)

lol are you guys even fucking joking?

this is like prince w/o even a second of hesitation

Yes.

ilxor, Monday, 13 April 2009 01:40 (seventeen years ago)

I'll take Prince in concert and Morrissey in the studio.

EZ Snappin, Monday, 13 April 2009 01:41 (seventeen years ago)

No no no Daniel, I mean Morrissey solo. Smiths were exciting about 80% of the time. I am assuming this is Morrrissey solo, this question.

Veteran of the Psychic Wars (Abbott), Monday, 13 April 2009 01:42 (seventeen years ago)

geir otm itt

europeen handball (k3vin k.), Monday, 13 April 2009 01:42 (seventeen years ago)

One can write songs, one can sing. And both of them are Prince.

Matos W.K., Monday, 13 April 2009 01:50 (seventeen years ago)

Hahahhah. I would expect as much from you, Matos. Look, I'm not going to even get involved in this anymore. You guys can fight it out amongst yourselves.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Monday, 13 April 2009 02:03 (seventeen years ago)

i like to listen to Morrissey about once a year. i like to listen to Prince a few times a week. to compare them in any way is pretty ridiculous i think, Prince is so obviously superior in just about every category except for appeal to whiny white people. i almost agree with the racist bit, that's how obviously superior Prince is.

pipecock, Monday, 13 April 2009 03:39 (seventeen years ago)

Prince's best asset is his assless pants.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Monday, 13 April 2009 04:10 (seventeen years ago)

aren't you going to post something about masturbating to Wendy & Lisa?

Matos W.K., Monday, 13 April 2009 05:27 (seventeen years ago)

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL okay WOAH don't get me started. This is a Prince vs. Morrissey thread. I am trying to keep calm and stay out of this. You're not helping.

Gross Chapel British Grenadiers (Bimble), Monday, 13 April 2009 05:43 (seventeen years ago)

Racist vs Jehovah's Witness amirite?

Blancmange Is Playing At My House (King Boy Pato), Monday, 13 April 2009 10:37 (seventeen years ago)

Prince is obviously far more innovative and talented but he also gave us Graffiti Bridge so I gotta give this one to the Big Man.

Blancmange Is Playing At My House (King Boy Pato), Monday, 13 April 2009 10:39 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey also gave us Meat is Murder, Kill Uncle, Southpaw Grammar, Maladjusted...shall I stop?

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 April 2009 10:58 (seventeen years ago)

^at least two really good albums in there

DavidM, Monday, 13 April 2009 11:04 (seventeen years ago)

graffiti bridge is a really good album if you include just the prince tracks.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Monday, 13 April 2009 11:09 (seventeen years ago)

I should have added "the film" in brackets.

Blancmange Is Playing At My House (King Boy Pato), Monday, 13 April 2009 11:26 (seventeen years ago)

Even the worst Prince album between 1979's s/t and Sign o' the Times >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Morrissey

Nurse Detrius (Eric H.), Monday, 13 April 2009 12:21 (seventeen years ago)

and I think I'm including the protégé albums in that equation.

Nurse Detrius (Eric H.), Monday, 13 April 2009 12:23 (seventeen years ago)

Battle of the proteges! Morris Day/Sheila E/Vanity 6 versus ...um, Bradford?

Blancmange Is Playing At My House (King Boy Pato), Monday, 13 April 2009 13:00 (seventeen years ago)

Smoking Popes!

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 April 2009 13:05 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey is a much better lyricist than Prince in my opinion but the question isn't "who's a better lyricist," it's "who on the average makes better records"

so, Prince

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Monday, 13 April 2009 14:03 (seventeen years ago)

but that said can we grow out of "even the worst Prince is better than the best Morrissey omg my preference rules yours drools!!1!" plz

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Monday, 13 April 2009 14:04 (seventeen years ago)

Prince is party music. And we're not always up for a party, are we?

Koo Koo Butter (u s steel), Monday, 13 April 2009 14:05 (seventeen years ago)

Prince isn't always party music. Sometimes he makes music for stay-at-homes too.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 April 2009 14:06 (seventeen years ago)

alfred otm but it should also be noted that he says things like "let's look for the purple banana til they put us in the truck" when he needs a rhyme for "let's get nuts" & then pretty audibly thinks he's been quite clever

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Monday, 13 April 2009 14:07 (seventeen years ago)

I dig both these guys but yeah Prince, he does more and does it better than Morrissey or just about anyone.

Euler, Monday, 13 April 2009 14:08 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey also gave us Meat is Murder, Kill Uncle, Southpaw Grammar

Southpaw Grammar is LIGHT YEARS BETTER than the entirety of Prince's output since 1992.

Alex in NYC, Monday, 13 April 2009 14:09 (seventeen years ago)

Kill Uncle is crap, though, I'll give ya that.

Alex in NYC, Monday, 13 April 2009 14:10 (seventeen years ago)

anyone who would seriously pick him over Prince us a fuching racist

jeez

pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Monday, 13 April 2009 14:11 (seventeen years ago)

but that said can we grow out of "even the worst Prince is better than the best Morrissey omg my preference rules yours drools!!1!" plz

Not when the topic is something as arbitrary as Prince vs. Morrissey FITE!

Nurse Detrius (Eric H.), Monday, 13 April 2009 14:12 (seventeen years ago)

but that said can we grow out of "even the worst Prince is better than the best Morrissey omg my preference rules yours drools!!1!" plz

yes. hell, threads like this make me wish i didn't like prince.

(The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Monday, 13 April 2009 18:38 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey's flirtation with racism not only makes me hate him, but also makes me think that anyone who would seriously pick him over Prince us a fuching racist, or at least doesn't actually give a shit about racism (which is just as bad).

― maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Sunday, April 12, 2009 3:53 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

man..dan...c'mon.

i think i will go with prince in this case.

buuuuut that whole argument seems pretty suspect esp. if you flipped it and used prince's recent comments and jehovah ballerstatus and moz's persona to say that anyone who votes prince is hates gays

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Monday, 13 April 2009 18:53 (seventeen years ago)

I am not going to retract that. It's unreasonable and illogical but it pretty much sums up exactly how I feel about solo Morrissey, which is why I never discuss him.

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 18:55 (seventeen years ago)

yr thoughts on prince's homophobia, dan?

iatee, Monday, 13 April 2009 18:56 (seventeen years ago)

do you hate the smiths dan? cuz that seems like it would be stuff you like overall

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Monday, 13 April 2009 18:56 (seventeen years ago)

The fact that this is even a question makes me furious. but a good thread. Never liked vests, so voted Prince.

ogmor, Monday, 13 April 2009 18:58 (seventeen years ago)

i just have a really hard time ever taking Morrissey seriously - dont know if it comes from buying that "november spawned a monster" CDEP and going "wtf r u doing to me here" or just sort of a general "oh come on you maudlin whining douchebag" thing, but i just cant quite get with the love.

i realize that the fact that i can take the maker of "batdance" seriously in contrast probably seems a little odd, but

PWNYTALE===========+ (jjjusten), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:02 (seventeen years ago)

honestly it all works better if you understand morrissey was the david lee roth of sad UK indie rock

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:03 (seventeen years ago)

(like it's funny absolutely, but also awesome)

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:03 (seventeen years ago)

If anything, this thread has proved that evaluating any musician on their beliefs (no matter what they are) is useless.

In other news, sky blue.

Carroll Shelby Downard (Elvis Telecom), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:04 (seventeen years ago)

yr thoughts on prince's homophobia, dan?

I think his stance on gay marriage sucks and makes me think less of him. I think the entire quote shows that he doesn't really have any idea of what he's talking about with regards to the issue (in its entirety, he said the people trying to legislate love are wrong, regardless of whether they are pro- or anti- gay marriage, which kind of makes you wonder how exactly things are supposed to work in nonsensical Prince land). There are also conflicting things surrounding the Prince homophobia thing, where Perez Hilton had something from the Prince camp claiming he was misquoted or whatever, but I think the truth is closer to Prince doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about because he has been crazy and self-indulgent for too many years. I only listened to his latest albums once and will likely never play them again, so I don't know if he is recording songs about how wrong it is to be gay. I do know that he has officially stopped recording music I have any vested interest in listening to.

Morrissey, meanwhile, totally went British Power for several years in both his music and interviews and, based on a combination of that and thinking everything I've heard from his solo career is really lackluster and substandard compared to The Smiths, I never want anything to do with him again.

do you hate the smiths dan? cuz that seems like it would be stuff you like overall

The Smiths are one of my favorite bands. Most of this is due to the synergy between Morrissey and Marr; one of the reasons I dislike Strangeways... so much is because of how disconnected the two of them seem from each other on most of its songs.

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:07 (seventeen years ago)

his solo career is really lackluster and substandard compared to The Smiths

This, definitely. I didn't understand the thread to be "exclusively solo" Morrissey v. Prince throughout his career. If that's the limitation, I'd switch my vote.

Daniel, Esq., Monday, 13 April 2009 19:38 (seventeen years ago)

That's how I was thinking about it, because as I say upthread I really do see all of Prince's bands as being sockpuppets for his muse; you really can't say that about Morrissey and The Smiths.

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:39 (seventeen years ago)

The Smiths are one of my favorite bands. Most of this is due to the synergy between Morrissey and Marr; one of the reasons I dislike Strangeways... so much is because of how disconnected the two of them seem from each other on most of its songs.

― maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, April 13, 2009 3:07 PM (32 minutes ago) Bookmark

But they got along just fine when they put Strangeways together. Despite the fact the Smiths would break up shortly after, I think both Moz and Marr have said that the Strangeways sessions went without a hitch and if I'm not mistaken, Marr says Strangeways is his favorite Smiths record. Could you perhaps be hearing the disconnect because of the knowledge that they broke up shortly afterwards?

BusDriverStu (Bus Driver Stu), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:46 (seventeen years ago)

Possibly. I do know, though, that The Smiths are one of the few (if not the only) band I really, really like where exploring their back catalog made me hate the album that introduced me to them. It was kind of like, "Well, this is pleasant I supposed, but holy shit they used to put out albums where almost every single song was the greatest thing ever recorded; what the hell happened and why do so many of their final songs sound so detached, bored and uninvested in comparison?" Some of it may be production; their first album sounds like hot garbage but the songs from it on the Peel Sessions recordings that ended up on "Hatful of Hallow" are easily the best of their career.

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:52 (seventeen years ago)

yeah if this is exclusively solo Morrissey vs. Prince then I'd change my vote too. I voted for him because The Smiths mean a little more to me personally than Prince's career (and because I wanted to vote against the landslide) - but I don't think there's any question about who's a more accomplished and diverse artist. Er...does Morrissey even play any instruments?

iatee, Monday, 13 April 2009 19:53 (seventeen years ago)

The Smiths/Morrissey vs Prince would still probably go to Prince for me, if only because I do genuinely find something of worth in everything he's released right up to his new crap sandwich, which could have been distilled down to the "Crimson and Clover" cover and saved everyone a lot of tears and anguish (actually, a Prince covers album would be incredibly badass and probably the only way his current modus operandi could generate a full album of awesome material rather than boring self-indulgent bullshit).

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:56 (seventeen years ago)

A whole album of covers as good as "One of Us," please.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 April 2009 19:58 (seventeen years ago)

i'd like a recording of his version of "sweet thing".

he even covered sheryl crow and made it kinda hot.

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:00 (seventeen years ago)

I'd definitely buy a Prince covers album too. "One of Us" is great, and the other two covers on Emancipation aren't bad either. Could be though that he still thinks of himself as a too much of a genius songwriter to ever release a full covers album.

Tuomas, Monday, 13 April 2009 20:12 (seventeen years ago)

i find it difficult to believe that prince has an inflated sense of self worth

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:13 (seventeen years ago)

alfred otm but it should also be noted that he says things like "let's look for the purple banana til they put us in the truck" when he needs a rhyme for "let's get nuts" & then pretty audibly thinks he's been quite clever

I'm so glad Morrissey never audibly thinks he's quite clever.

Matos W.K., Monday, 13 April 2009 20:18 (seventeen years ago)

gonna vote morrissey, i've always kinda liked prince but i'm also kinda 'whatever' on him

fucken cumlord (omar little), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:19 (seventeen years ago)

i assumed everyone was operating under the assumption that we are dealing with two of the biggest self-impressed douchebags ever

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:19 (seventeen years ago)

Could you perhaps be hearing the disconnect because of the knowledge that they broke up shortly afterwards?

This is actually a really interesting topic, though it probably belongs on a Smiths thread. I've said elsewhere that I think the Smiths left behind a nearly perfect catalogue, but I do recall that when Strangeways came out, I had the feeling that they'd pretty much done what they needed to do. The flower had fully bloomed, so to speak and there were some petals that were starting to show a hint of decay, there.

Gross Chapel British Grenadiers (Bimble), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:24 (seventeen years ago)

Bimble, you started the thread. What was your intent: Morrissey solo v. Prince or Morrissey (Smiths and solo) v. Prince?

Daniel, Esq., Monday, 13 April 2009 20:25 (seventeen years ago)

I assumed that we were always talking about Morrissey solo vs. Prince. I probably didn't read all of the other (non-Poll) thread, but that was always my assumption.

Gross Chapel British Grenadiers (Bimble), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:28 (seventeen years ago)

I might actually vote for The Smiths over Prince just because I hate his new triple album so much and I'm feeling spiteful (good thing it was cheap).

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:29 (seventeen years ago)

Well, then I'd change my vote. But I think Smiths v. Prince would be a more interesting poll, TBH (Morrissey solo v. Prince I'm surprised is even a question, given you're comparing an artist -- not past his prime -- but definitely beyond some/much of his A+ prime v. an artist through his early experiments, prime and late-career catalogue).

Daniel, Esq., Monday, 13 April 2009 20:31 (seventeen years ago)

Put differently, Smiths v. Morrissey as a solo act is a no-brainer (to me).

Daniel, Esq., Monday, 13 April 2009 20:32 (seventeen years ago)

man what if prince had stopped recording after lovesexy?

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:32 (seventeen years ago)

We would never have gotten "P Control".

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:33 (seventeen years ago)

(although, the counterpoint is that we also would never have gotten "Dolphin")

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:34 (seventeen years ago)

I'm w/ ya daniel

iatee, Monday, 13 April 2009 20:37 (seventeen years ago)

Well, put another way, I just kindof thought of it as Morrissey and all that he is (i.e. inclusive of what he himself brought to the Smiths) vs. Prince. I can see how that might be a tough thing for people to parse, though.

Gross Chapel British Grenadiers (Bimble), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:38 (seventeen years ago)

morrissey is obv better out of the two in 2009. princes new/recent music is pretty shitty. morrisey pretty much makes the same song and over and over but its at least more respectable and decent than princes. i was going to say morrisey at least crafts his material more while prince still seems to think its 1987 and he can run purely on inspiration argument but then they both seem a bit guilty of that at times. prince is def the worst offender tho. also they might be boring and indistinct but at least moz's recent bands dont sound like wedding bands.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:41 (seventeen years ago)

If Morrissey's band showed up at my wedding, I would be furious.

If Prince's band showed up at my wedding, we would party until noon the next day.

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:43 (seventeen years ago)

I'm prolly more or less repeating something someone said but:

the comparison is sorta unfair to morrissey to begin with, in that the two artists' strengths are so different and have almost zero overlap. of course, prince is obviously a superior musician and composer - as far as natural gifts for music go, he's prolly in the top 5 of the 20th century, so that's gonna be the case nobody who you compare him to. yet he couldn't write 'frankly mr. shankly' because he completely lacks the things that make people want to listen to morrissey (irony/wit/self-effacement etc.)

iatee, Monday, 13 April 2009 20:48 (seventeen years ago)

er nobody = no matter

iatee, Monday, 13 April 2009 20:48 (seventeen years ago)

man what if prince had stopped recording after lovesexy?

We wouldn't have gotten the Love Symbol album and Emancipation, which are both among his 10 best works. Some may disagree with me here, but I think even among his 80s albums only 1999 and SOTT are better than the Love Symbol album. Despite it's excesses (or because of them) it's a brilliant record, it simply has everything that's great about Prince, from tight funk to pretty ballads to motoric dance grooves to overblown rock opera.

Tuomas, Monday, 13 April 2009 20:51 (seventeen years ago)

I agree with Tuomas here only I'd say Parade and SOTT.

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:53 (seventeen years ago)

and 3121 gives me hope that he can make a great album once per decade. i don't think that's too little to ask, at this point.

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Monday, 13 April 2009 20:54 (seventeen years ago)

I think the best bits on Parade are great ("Mountains", "Kiss", and especially "Sometimes It Snows in April", the one Prince song most likely to bring tears to my eyes), but the shorter tunes feel too much like vignettes instead of properly fleshed out songs. And the extremely dry sound the album has kinda leaves me cold, except on "Kiss", where it obviously fits quite well. Could be that the sound problem is with the CD mastering though (could someone please finally remaster all of Prince's 80s albums), I haven't really heard the album on vinyl.

Tuomas, Monday, 13 April 2009 21:00 (seventeen years ago)

parade does sound pretty sterile and thin except for kiss.

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Monday, 13 April 2009 21:01 (seventeen years ago)

I played Parade on vinyl more than any other album I own.

maybe u should tell that to your laughing vagina (HI DERE), Monday, 13 April 2009 21:05 (seventeen years ago)

Everything Tuomas said is what I love about Parade.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 April 2009 23:00 (seventeen years ago)

man what if prince had stopped recording after lovesexy?

Cats and dogs would live harmoniously.
We wouldn't be in Iraq
Taxes would have been abolished
A rich reserve of ecologically-sound fuel would have been discovered
We'd have found a cure for Tinnitus
The Zodiac killer would have turned himself in
Iceland wouldn't have gone bankrupt
Courtney would have killed herself instead of Kurt
The Smiths would have gotten back together

Alex in NYC, Monday, 13 April 2009 23:46 (seventeen years ago)

has everyone forgotten how badass "Black Sweat" was?!?!?! he still makes a couple nice jams here and there....

pipecock, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 00:45 (seventeen years ago)

I'm very fond of "Chelsea Rodgers." The Little Guy can still cum when he wants to.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 00:46 (seventeen years ago)

I'm so glad Morrissey never audibly thinks he's quite clever.

well, but he is. Prince is musically 1,000,000x more clever than Morrissey, but when Prince is being goofy/funny I've always found it kind of y'know "LOL, Dad, hilarious." You know? Like: "she walked in through the out door" as a payoff line? Really? Redeemed later by "I could tell when she kissed me/she knew how to give me a kiss" but is one of many many instances in Prince's lyrics where it would have been nice if there'd been somebody around to tell him "that's not worthy of the other stuff you're doing here, work on it a little more." When Mozz lets you know he's trying to be clever, it's usually because he knows he's going to hit the bullseye. Whereas for Prince it's like "nobody around here is ever going to look me in the eye and say 'that's not actually that funny,' because it says right there in their contracts that they're not allowed to look me in the eye."

But don't be mad remember I voted Prince here.

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 01:06 (seventeen years ago)

only prince could make these lyrics sound like deep, heartfelt sentiment:

I promised myself not to come until she does
And she took both hands and a liar I was
No man in this world could ever hope 2 last
When my baby down shifts and starts pumpin' fast

Everything I want is what she does to me
She don't blush 'cause she's so damned free
When she makin' love it's like surgery
And she say, ooh
I love U in me

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 03:52 (seventeen years ago)

The 'Prince really needs an editor' thing is as true musically as it is lyrically. So much amazing unreleased Prince stuff, so much horrible released Prince stuff.

iatee, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 03:59 (seventeen years ago)

yes completely otm
i'm always surprised that that song really gets to me and doesn't make me laugh (xpost)

turtles all the way down (Face of Wolf), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 03:59 (seventeen years ago)

haha John I'm not mad at all (and yr explanation is superb)

Matos W.K., Tuesday, 14 April 2009 06:29 (seventeen years ago)

Look dudes, I mean no offense, but Morrissey is simply the greatest lyricist the world has ever known, and whatever talents Prince has been blessed with, he is never going to match the best of Morrissey's lyrics. You Prince folks had better tackle this battle from another angle, cause lyrically Morrissey can beat him every single time.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 08:04 (seventeen years ago)

"has everyone forgotten how badass "Black Sweat" was?!?!?!"

nope.

prince did used to genuinely be funny. now hes just funny in an old/fuzzy not exactly lucid uncle way.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 08:10 (seventeen years ago)

Bimble, Morrissey is not the greatest lyricist the world has ever known :(
also, plenty of people are tackling this from different angles
also
Prince>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Morrissey (and almost everyone else) everyday of the week for me

turtles all the way down (Face of Wolf), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 10:34 (seventeen years ago)

Yes, Morrissey is and the Prince lyric quoted above, divorced from its musical context (I don't believe I'm familiar with the song) looks pretty boring and average compared to Morrissey's lyrics. I don't honestly have any time for people who don't appreciate that guy's lyrics. I don't care whether Prince is your fave artist or not, if you don't have any appreciation for Morrissey's wit in the midst of what should be on the surface, extremely depressing songs, then we are speaking different languages and I'm not even going to argue with you.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 10:47 (seventeen years ago)

well... i believe the point of posting that lyric (the one Jordan posted, right?) was that it's pretty fucking ridiculous divorced from Prince's performance but Prince is one of the few people who could somehow deliver it completely straight-faced without the listener bursting in laughter but instead somehow makeing it hit deep.
I mean, Prince isn't really about witty lyrics that stand by themselves away from the music while that is a huge part of Morrissey's appeal

(I wasn't arguing that Prince is a greater lyricist than Morrissey, I was pointing out that saying Morrissey is the greatest lyricist the world has ever known is ridiculous - i don't think you were completely serious when saying that, though?)

If this was a whose lyrics would you rather read I would choose Morrissey in a heartbeat

turtles all the way down (Face of Wolf), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 11:22 (seventeen years ago)

WHY DO PEOPLE WANT LYRICS TO "STAND ALONE"? WHO CARES? They're LYRICS, not POEMS.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 11:33 (seventeen years ago)

Hahha ooh! Alfred gets all excited and uses capital letters! I love it! ;) I don't want lyrics to stand alone, I don't think they have to. But they can, and Morrissey's sometimes do in a remarkable way no one else can match.

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 11:49 (seventeen years ago)

is morrissey worth a dylan comparison, in that their lyrics might read fantastically but unfortunately (for a great many people) both of them keep insisting on singing them?

Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 12:01 (seventeen years ago)

What are morrissey's best lyrics?

and captain (kingkongvsgodzilla), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 12:05 (seventeen years ago)

i hesitate to ask but what are Morrissey's sexiest and/or most fun (subject-wise) lyrics? xp

Hard House SugBanton (blueski), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 12:10 (seventeen years ago)

What are morrissey's best lyrics?

my favorite is the one about how birthdays were the worst days but now he sips champagne when he's thirsty

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 12:58 (seventeen years ago)

btw here is a partial list of better lyricists than Morrissey, even though I like Mozz's lyrics a whole whole lot:

Biggie
Tupac
Scarface
Ghostface Killah
Donald Fagen
Christine Fellows
Sarah Dougher
Nick Cave
Chuck Berry
Bill Callahan

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:02 (seventeen years ago)

What are morrissey's best lyrics?

My favorites are "This Night Has Opened My Eyes", "Half A Person", "Reel Around The Fountain", "Girl Afraid" and "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out".

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:11 (seventeen years ago)

Declaration: Morrissey has never written anything as abjectly embarassing as "Partyman" or "Darling Nikki"

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:23 (seventeen years ago)

Declaration: Morrissey has never written anything as abjectly embarassing as "Partyman" or "Darling Nikki"

Rebuttal: "Accept Yourself," "Unhappy Birthday," "King Leer," "The Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye," "Dagenham Dave," "I Like You."

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:26 (seventeen years ago)

Declaration: Morrissey has never written anything as abjectly embarassing as "Partyman" or "Darling Nikki"

"Asian Rut" makes "Darling Nikki" read like Tennyson

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:29 (seventeen years ago)

also, that last track on "Maladjusted," the "lawyer/liar" one - "Sorrow Will Come in the End," that's it

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:29 (seventeen years ago)

"Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others"
"Unhappy Birthday"
"Death At One's Elbow"
"Still Ill"
"Asian Rut"
"Margaret On The Guillotine"
"Bengali In Platforms"
"Ouija Board, Ouija Board"

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:30 (seventeen years ago)

lol xpost

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:30 (seventeen years ago)

Dudes, "Unhappy Birthday" is brilliant.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:31 (seventeen years ago)

hahaha maybe if you are 12

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:32 (seventeen years ago)

I'm not sure what's more abject on "Asian Rut": the lyrics, Morrissey's singing, or those strings.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:32 (seventeen years ago)

Yeah, I don't understand the crucifixion of 'Unhappy Birthday' either.

zeus, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:32 (seventeen years ago)

Seriously, it's a great song. Are the lyrics ridiculous? OF COURSE, but that's what makes Morrissey great.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:33 (seventeen years ago)

It's not like Prince hasn't done any embarrassing bullshit but come on. "Unhappy Birthday"? Aren't you the one who's always telling people to raise their standards? How can you fall for lowest-common denominator pandering bullshit like that?

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:33 (seventeen years ago)

A grown man has no business writing those words.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:33 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey writing "Unhappy Birthday," that is, not Dan's response.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:34 (seventeen years ago)

Declaration: Morrissey has never written anything as abjectly embarassing as "Partyman" or "Darling Nikki" that got me laid.

and captain (kingkongvsgodzilla), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:35 (seventeen years ago)

After that Batman soundtrack, Prince should have been fed to pack of famished hyenas.

"Unhappy Birthday" might have been relegated to the discard pile had it not been for the contributions of Mr. Marr, but the ridiculousness of the lyric "...and if you should die, I may feel slightly sad but I won't cry" are so goddman hilarious I can't stand it. Grow a sense of humor.

Is that all you require of music -- that it gets you laid? Pfft.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:35 (seventeen years ago)

lowest-common denominator pandering bullshit

Remember, you're the one defending the "this music gets me laid" faction, not me.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:36 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey has more goddamn hilarious lyrics on Strangeways than that tripe: "I Started Something..." and "Death of a Disco Dancer," for starters.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:37 (seventeen years ago)

Remember, you're the one defending the "this music gets me laid" faction, not me.

That was me, not Dan. And I'm just being a jerk.

and captain (kingkongvsgodzilla), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:37 (seventeen years ago)

I'm not defending any "faction", I am defending a superlative musical talent who has recently started sucking against an excellent lyrical talent who started sucking in 1987.

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:38 (seventeen years ago)

Incidentally, I think we're straying from the original debate. I can't think of a single artist who hasn't written a crap lyric at one point or another. Shouldn't we be looking at the gestalt of these artists' work?

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:40 (seventeen years ago)

actually v. important point in this bit - Morrissey sets up his persona so nicely that when he's being ridiculous, it's part of the schtick - part and parcel of the whole poetic effort a fair bit of the time. (Not always; when he misses, it registers.) Whereas when Prince gets ridiculous, he can't really legitimately claim "part of the whole deal is to notice that I'm poking fun at myself, or at the 'myself' I've set up in my work."

Having said that, "Still Ill" is a beautiful lyric about being closeted - I have always been really moved by "in a darkened underpass/I thought: 'oh God, my chance has come at last'/but then a strange fear gripped me and I just couldn't ask."

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:40 (seventeen years ago)

but yeah Alex is right: the "who has sunk lower?" argument is really not a good one - it doesn't really answer the question "who's better?"

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:41 (seventeen years ago)

Declaration: Morrissey has never written anything as abjectly embarassing as ... "Darling Nikki"

― Alex in NYC, Tuesday, April 14, 2009 6:23 AM Bookmark

You'd probably do well not to use one of Prince's best in your example of Embarrassing Prince Songs.

The Reverend, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:42 (seventeen years ago)

(Full disclosure: I didn't notice that Morrissey sucked until 1989; I used to like Viva Hate a lot and I still have fondness for 3 of its songs, but a large portion of that is tied to me being an agnsty 15-year-old when it came out, which is really the only circumstance under which I understand liking something like "Margaret On The Guillotine".)

"Still Ill" is a little unfair of me, probably. I just hate that song, mostly because of the way he sings it.

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:42 (seventeen years ago)

Having said that, "Still Ill" is a beautiful lyric about being closeted - I have always been really moved by "in a darkened underpass/I thought: 'oh God, my chance has come at last'/but then a strange fear gripped me and I just couldn't ask."

This is "There is a Light That Never Goes Out," no?

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:42 (seventeen years ago)

And in all candor, comparing/contrasting the work of Morrissey vs. Prince is a bit ludicrous. For a start, Prince's output completely dwarfs Morrissey's (pardon the pun -- Prince being a runty midget and all). Secondly, as has been pointed out, their respective oeuvres serve rather entirely different ends. Morrissey doesn't make music for you to party and bump'n'grind to (although to each their own, i guess), and Prince doesn't seek to provide solace to the emotionally conflicted (or maybe he does, but i can't imagine any waifish wallflower finding any comfort in "Diamonds & Pearls"). They've both written legitimately timeless music, but they're ultimately apples and oranges.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:44 (seventeen years ago)

You'd probably do well not to use one of Prince's best in your example of Embarrassing Prince Songs.

Honestly, you think that's one of his best? Really?

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:45 (seventeen years ago)

Prince doesn't seek to provide solace to the emotionally conflicted (or maybe he does, but i can't imagine any waifish wallflower finding any comfort in "Diamonds & Pearls").

This is not a dig at you, but Prince has made plenty of bedsit music as shattering as Morrissey; some have even been cited above. "When You Were Mine," "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore," "Sometimes It Snows in April," "The Cross" are just a few examples.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:46 (seventeen years ago)

Fair enough.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:47 (seventeen years ago)

haha yes, stupid me, Alfred OTM (and that song is one of the ones I think of as one of The Smiths' best)

"Still Ill" is the "Does the body rule the mind\Or does the mind rule the body ?\I dunno..." one

They've both written legitimately timeless music, but they're ultimately apples and oranges.

This is very OTM, although this is not: Prince doesn't seek to provide solace to the emotionally conflicted

After my brother died, I spent three days playing "Sometimes It Snows In April" on endless repeat. Nothing else made me feel any better.

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:48 (seventeen years ago)

Yes, but by the same token, I'd wager that Prince is more renowned for his funkier stuff than for his laments. Likewise, while not everything Moz has done has been a depressive dirge, he's certainly not revered as a lord of the dancefloor.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:53 (seventeen years ago)

I spent three days playing "Sometimes It Snows In April" on endless repeat. Nothing else made me feel any better.

John Coltrane's Blue Train does this for me. Off-topic, I know. Apologies.

(xp)

Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 14 April 2009 13:58 (seventeen years ago)

And "apples v. oranges" + "not a fair comparison of these artists" to this whole thread.

Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 14 April 2009 14:00 (seventeen years ago)

This is "There is a Light That Never Goes Out," no?

oh wait yes you're right. why have I conflated these two I wonder. oh wait! it's because of "under the iron bridge, we kissed/and although I ended up with sore lips/it just wasn't like the old days any more" - same underpass in my mind

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 14:00 (seventeen years ago)

Honestly, you think that's one of his best? Really?

alex, do you hate darling nikki because it's fake metal? it's got to be his most metal riff, and it's got that double bass drum break...

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 14:21 (seventeen years ago)

or because the foo fighters covered it?

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 14:21 (seventeen years ago)

It's just a dumb song.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 17:12 (seventeen years ago)

nah wai bumbleclot it's super amazing!

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 17:16 (seventeen years ago)

it's got to be his most metal riff

As if.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 17:22 (seventeen years ago)

lol

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 17:50 (seventeen years ago)

I am far more of a Morrissey (or The Smiths, tbh) fan than a Prince fan but how can one really hate on 'Darling Nikki'?

Décidément, on ne sait plus faire les miroirs (Michael White), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:04 (seventeen years ago)

ask tipper gore

Mr. Que, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:05 (seventeen years ago)

but how can one really hate on 'Darling Nikki'?

For a start, I'm not hating on anything, I'm simply hating. The only thing I'm on is this chair. Secondly, I'm not even really hating. I just think the song in question is indicative of Prince's rather shoddily expressed need for everyone to examine how sexy he believes himself to be. And I'm sorry, but I find that rather dull as dishwater. In turn, you may be similarly put off by Morrissey's arguable penchant for informing the world of how miserable he is. Again, apples and oranges.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:45 (seventeen years ago)

I kind of thought the whole point of that song was how sexy Nikki was, since he spends the whole time talking about her and not himself.

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:49 (seventeen years ago)

He's still the one singing.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:49 (seventeen years ago)

And you're still the one not making sense wrt this song.

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:50 (seventeen years ago)

The point I'm making is that I find Prince's songs about sex (and there's a lot of them) kinda boring and pathetic.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:50 (seventeen years ago)

alex likes angry music, not sexy music

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:51 (seventeen years ago)

For the most part that's true, but I think sexy music shouldn't have to try so hard.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:56 (seventeen years ago)

I really, really like Prince. But I'm gonna sorta side w/ Alex - his lyrics being 80% of the time about sex = probably my biggest problem with listening to him.

iatee, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 18:59 (seventeen years ago)

basically my quota for listening to prince-like music is way higher than my quota for listening to darling nikki-esque lyrics.

iatee, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 19:01 (seventeen years ago)

Everybody knows Prince's most metal riff is "Bambi"!

Serious question, then: what is Morrissey's most metal moment? (Despite my lol carping upthread I do like some of the Smiths and solo stuff but I clearly don't know it well enough to answer this question myself.)

Matos W.K., Tuesday, 14 April 2009 19:47 (seventeen years ago)

I really, really like Prince. But I'm gonna sorta side w/ Alex - his lyrics being 80% of the time about sex = probably my biggest problem with listening to him.

so is 80% of music!

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 19:50 (seventeen years ago)

yeah but + subtlety

iatee, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 20:04 (seventeen years ago)

s "Bambi"!

Serious question, then: what is Morrissey's most metal moment?

this answer owes more to xhuk's understanding of the term "metal" than I will admit under oath, but: "The Boy Racer" is pretty goddamn metal imo

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 20:12 (seventeen years ago)

^^^^^ by far my favorite track from the post-Vauxhall wilderness years.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 20:32 (seventeen years ago)

Morrissey's most metal moment?

I'd cite "The Teachers are Afraid of the Pupils," the opening cut off Southpaw Grammar

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 20:47 (seventeen years ago)

your arsenal is sort of pre-metal glammy power chord

shit on the new album sounds like LA metal, soundwise

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 20:48 (seventeen years ago)

Eeek. I haven't heard it, but that doesn't exactly compell me to.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 20:59 (seventeen years ago)

mostly just the production and the guitar tone, not really the songwriting

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:01 (seventeen years ago)

I kind of like it.

Décidément, on ne sait plus faire les miroirs (Michael White), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:02 (seventeen years ago)

i can see moz really really loving bullet boys and and la guns and stuff!

goole, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:03 (seventeen years ago)

He'd probably love Bullet Boys and L.A. Guns too.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:04 (seventeen years ago)

all this time and you're making a capitalization joke now?

goole, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:06 (seventeen years ago)

look who thinks he's the big dick mcgee of capitalization?

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:42 (seventeen years ago)

That joke isn't funny anymore.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:50 (seventeen years ago)

too near the bone?

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:57 (seventeen years ago)

What difference does it make?

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:58 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.falmouthvisitor.com/images/McGee%20and%20Co.jpg

fucken cumlord (omar little), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 22:00 (seventeen years ago)

That joke isn't funny anymore.

Bahahahahahahahahaha

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 22:36 (seventeen years ago)

Was I your every fantasy?
That's why, until the end of time
I'll be there 4 U
U own my heart and mind
I truly adore U
If God one day struck me blind
Your beauty I'd still see
Love is 2 weak 2 define
Just what U mean 2 me
When we be makin' love (When we be makin' love)
I only hear the sounds
Heavenly angels cryin' up above
Tears of joy pourin' down on us
They know we need each other
They know U are my fix (I know)
I know, that U know that I ain't cheatin' baby
They know this is serious
I ain't funkin' just 4 kicks
No, this condition I got is crucial, crucial baby
U could say that I'm a terminal case
U could burn up my clothes (U could burn up my clothes)
Smash up my ride (U could smash up..) Well maybe not the ride...

see, PRINCE is just laying it on thick for the girl. He wants in and out fast, so that he can get back in his ride and be on his way. He has other things to do, but the girl has to be conquered first. How do music critics come on to girls? Maybe with their encyclopedic knowledge of '78-81 post-punk?

nicky lo-fi, Tuesday, 14 April 2009 22:48 (seventeen years ago)

with their measured analysis of prince lyrics

fucken cumlord (omar little), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 22:52 (seventeen years ago)

by using Morrissey's adverb-to-adjective ratio.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 22:54 (seventeen years ago)

man first time i met my wife i was choppin' up some mad game about the comsat angels...poor girl couldn't help herself

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 14 April 2009 22:59 (seventeen years ago)

see, PRINCE is just laying it on thick for the girl. He wants in and out fast, so that he can get back in his ride and be on his way. He has other things to do, but the girl has to be conquered first.

this isn't what the song is about in any way, shape, or form

Matos W.K., Tuesday, 14 April 2009 23:49 (seventeen years ago)

it is in way, but not in shape or form

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 00:54 (seventeen years ago)

No, not in its way, either. He doesn't want in and out fast; he offers to let her crash his car and then backs off on that. It's a pledge of lifetime devotion; any other way of hearing it is, to be charitable, willful.

Matos W.K., Wednesday, 15 April 2009 01:02 (seventeen years ago)

a pledge of lifetime devotion is what the woman wants to hear, so this could get circular. I guess my point is PRINCE has things in perspective. It might seem like he's over the top, but I'll bet it's finely measured.

nicky lo-fi, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 02:45 (seventeen years ago)

Okay I am going to try, try to capture some good Morrissey lyrics for folks. But it's hard because I'm lazy and I feel like people should know this if they care about his music either with or without the Smiths.

For starters:
"And the pain was enough to make a shy, bald buddhist reflect and plan a mass murder"

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 02:47 (seventeen years ago)

bad terry pratchett opening line

Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 02:49 (seventeen years ago)

Well, what about

So, I broke into the palace
With a sponge and a rusty spanner
She said : "Eh, I know you, and you cannot sing"
I said : "That's nothing - you should hear me play piano"

Sundar, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 03:02 (seventeen years ago)

Or "Frankly Mr Shankly"?

Sundar, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 03:02 (seventeen years ago)

Thanks Sundar!

Take The Gothheads Bowling (Bimble), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 03:25 (seventeen years ago)

No, not in its way, either. He doesn't want in and out fast; he offers to let her crash his car and then backs off on that. It's a pledge of lifetime devotion; any other way of hearing it is, to be charitable, willful.

I was just goofin on the phrase "way shape or form"

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 12:39 (seventeen years ago)

"Trudging slowly over wet sand
Back to the bench where your clothes were stolen"

^it getz no ruffer

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 15:41 (seventeen years ago)

"No, I've never had a job...because I'm too shy"

^dude is super funny too, which some ppl never seem to understand

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 15:42 (seventeen years ago)

Whereas Prince is rarely (intentionally) funny.

Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 15:55 (seventeen years ago)

Dude, you need to spend more time with Prince. Seriously. Off the top of my head, "Sister," "Head," "International Lover," all have good lines and are self-deprecating.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 15:58 (seventeen years ago)

Fair enough. I haven't really listened to a second of the man's music post his "artist"/symbol days.

Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 15:59 (seventeen years ago)

those songs are all from '82 or earlier

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 16:01 (seventeen years ago)

but anyway prince is pretty ridic, but at his best i can't see not loving his whole sex gnome new wave electro funk boy genius schtick, esp the classic era shit. i mean, it's like yeah it's silly and awesome and he's a crazy egomaniac but isn't that the point?

wassup rockers? (M@tt He1ges0n), Wednesday, 15 April 2009 16:02 (seventeen years ago)

Ha, that "never had a job because I'm too shy" line gets in my head like everyday.

Sundar, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 18:54 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Thursday, 16 April 2009 23:01 (seventeen years ago)

I don't even want to know the results of this. Anyone who has heard the Morrissey b-sides "Disappointed" and "Will Never Marry" knows who should win this poll.

"Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference" notwithstanding.

"wielding a bicycle chain
why won't you change
change and be nice
Leave me alone/I was only singing..."

For me it's that melodic thing right after that when he goes "ah ah ah ah ah ah" that seals the deal for me. It's the melody he spins with his voice, right there.

"Drank too much and I said too much and there's nowhere to go but down"

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 01:28 (seventeen years ago)

"Young girl, one day you will be old/but the thing is, I love you now/
This is the last song I will ever sing/oh I've changed my mind again/good night and thank you"

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 01:30 (seventeen years ago)

not selling me at all

I will destroy you all, starting with your tiny ridiculous bathtubs (jjjusten), Friday, 17 April 2009 04:52 (seventeen years ago)

Everyone knows those songs and we still prefer Prince

Niles Caulder, Friday, 17 April 2009 05:45 (seventeen years ago)

I can't help if if you're insane.

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 06:02 (seventeen years ago)

Woo Morrisey's sad, if yr scared of sex he wins easy I guess. Personally my life got a lot better once I switched my default preferences from indie Morrissey types to Prince type stuff, really (not that I don't love Morrissey! Once you've been dumped by the girl you talked to cos Prince gve you the balls to do it he comes in v handy).

Niles Caulder, Friday, 17 April 2009 06:04 (seventeen years ago)

Insane? Or sober?

Niles Caulder, Friday, 17 April 2009 06:04 (seventeen years ago)

Both?

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 06:05 (seventeen years ago)

I mean, this is pretty funny when I think about it. You've just called me drunk and afraid of sex and afraid to break up with a girl. I've just called you insane. We're really getting somewhere, I reckon.

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 06:08 (seventeen years ago)

Oh I didn't mean to! I thought you were usually drunk on ILX, tho. Also I don't understand how anyone could pick M over P except for some reason like that, honestly. Tbh it was Alex in NYC who was being weird about sex, really.

Niles Caulder, Friday, 17 April 2009 06:18 (seventeen years ago)

Regardless of who wins this poll I think we can all agree that it was a big mistake that Prince and Morrissey never co-starred in a mid 90s NBC Thursdays sitcom (working title: "Is It Really So Strange") about two guys from opposite backgrounds living together.

Cunga, Friday, 17 April 2009 06:21 (seventeen years ago)

or, failing that, that bimble and niles weren't offered the parts.

Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Friday, 17 April 2009 06:23 (seventeen years ago)

Usually drunk on ILX: affirmative.

Alex In NYC being weird about sex: LOL Wtf??? Where?

Cunga: OTM

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 06:28 (seventeen years ago)

Episode: "Let's Spend The Night 2gether" PLOT RECAP: Roger (Morrissey) attempts to finish a Phillip Larkin biography in time to catch "Rebel Without A Cause" on TV, but little did he know that roommate Jules (Prince) is hosting the weekly orgy at their flat that night. GUEST STAR Terrance Stamp.

Cunga, Friday, 17 April 2009 06:29 (seventeen years ago)

Oh just the oversexed thing he brings up couple times, I think. It could be that I'm oversexed myself I guess

Niles Caulder, Friday, 17 April 2009 06:36 (seventeen years ago)

listening to prince'll do that to ya

Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Friday, 17 April 2009 06:44 (seventeen years ago)

I would have gladly watched this sitcom !

AleXTC, Friday, 17 April 2009 12:53 (seventeen years ago)

yes but the character names must be changed to Stephen and Christopher...

jagged-electronically mäandernden underbody (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 17 April 2009 13:57 (seventeen years ago)

Oh just the oversexed thing he brings up couple times, I think. It could be that I'm oversexed myself I guess

Thanks so much for misrepresenting me. Really appreciate that. My point was that the majority of Prince's output (up until becoming a Jehovah's Witness) was primarily about sex. I don't think that observation makes me "weird about sex."

Alex in NYC, Friday, 17 April 2009 17:02 (seventeen years ago)

morrissey isn't that shy about sex anymore he had all that sexed up talk on you are the quarry like there's a powder keg between my legs or something, coulda sworn bon scott ghost wrote that from the grave

4,000 hoes in blackburn, lancashire (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 17 April 2009 17:13 (seventeen years ago)

interesting, alex, interesting. vy do you think you're so defenzive about being veird about zex?

Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Friday, 17 April 2009 17:40 (seventeen years ago)

Bimble, full disclosure here, you'd vote Clan of Xymox over Prince, right?

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Friday, 17 April 2009 17:59 (seventeen years ago)

I'm guessing Bimble would vote Nasa over Prince.

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Friday, 17 April 2009 18:00 (seventeen years ago)

Of course I would, John D. Never heard of Nasa, though.

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 18:17 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.amazon.com/Insha-Allah-Nasa/dp/B000008IT3

Sadly, I can't find any audio clips anywhere.

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Friday, 17 April 2009 18:35 (seventeen years ago)

Just to make sure we are all on the same page this is NOT the same Nasa as the Swedish synth-pop group. The two artists have the same name, but VERY different music.

This Nasa's music has to be one of the more unique styles of hard rock out there. Imagine tablas and dombeks playing rhythms with melodis sitars and accompanied surnas. Then add some synthesized strings playing Middle Eastern melodies with some techno bass line or embellishments. In the middle of all this put solid-as-steel power rock chords and hard rock vocals you get a good idea what this album is about.

Sounds like a mess? Far from it. All of these elements weave in and out and meld together with deliberate precision. Bandmates Momo and Cash knew what they were doing and enlisted the help of some great talent like ex-Cult drummer Les Warner, Killing Joke bassist Paul Raven, and Isreali superstar Ofra Haza (RIP). The music packs a lot of punch and is practically in your face about it. The music is also very dancey and 80's techno fans might appreciate the rock/electronic/world hybrid sound. The lyrics have as much arabic references as the music does. While most of the time the lyrics won't be considered high concept they fare much better than most glam rock offerings.

I consider every song on this album great in some shape or fashion. In spite of me crooning about this being an aggressive sounding album it actually has some variety within its own hybrid sound. Here's a breakdown of the more notable tracks:

SHA SHA - Probably the most obvious example of the rock/arabian/techno hybrid style. This was song they released as a single. I don't consider this the best representation of the band's sound, but it is the archetype.

WOMAN - This is a slower song that reminds me of Lawrence of Arabia. The vocals work for the most part until you get to the song's bridge, which then sounds too harsh. In spite of that shortcoming it's still a very lush and atmospheric song.

MAGIC JEWELLED LIMOUSINE - This is the kind of song I can really appreciate both artistically and as a listener. The song shifts gears from a breezy middle eastern vibe to a hard edged rock tune to a chorus that I can only decribe as an update to an early 70's hook. Very nice.

UFO OVER CAIRO - This song shifts gears in a heavy way. First gear is a slow and mechanical metal trip. The second gear is overdrive as you kick into punkish dissonant metal madness. I would call the second part speed metal only in that the tempo difference is drastic between the two 'gears'.

SEROPHIA - The most catchy song in the album. This should have been their single release. It's the most dance-oriented song in the bunch too and it's a shame I never heard it at the clubs during this time. Probably the most pop-friendly song in the set as well without really being pop.

WILD WAYS - The only song in this album that doesn't have any persian instruments. All guitar rock with a little keyboard accents. That doesn't mean the middle eastern flavor is gone. Just pounded into electric guitars instead of sitars. Musically this is a great song that makes perfect use of the hard lines and catchy melodies Nasa put together. Another contender for a single release.

INSHA-ALLAH - The cream of the crop. This is the song that got me to buy this CD and it is still the absolute king of the hill. Nasa's hybrid sound comes to full bloom. No single element is dominant. Arabic instruments and synths take you there. Techno elements keep the song driving. The rock power chords and electric guitar solos keep it real. You can tell this song got the most attention in the studio and the pay off is big. If there is any reason to get this album the title track is it... in spades.

If you are into 80's hard rock you will probably need to have an open mind with this one considering the mix of genres. Anybody with any ecclectic tastes will love this album. As will old club goers who enjoyed dancing to The Cult and Danielle Dax. This is a rare gem, and at the current prices it's an absolute steal. Don't delay. Buy it!!

(NOTE: This album is not a rare gem, it is a bag of shit.)

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Friday, 17 April 2009 18:41 (seventeen years ago)

As will old club goers who enjoyed dancing to The Cult and Danielle Dax.

lol who danced to The Cult?

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 17 April 2009 18:44 (seventeen years ago)

I danced to She Sells Sanctuary at the club a few months ago.

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 18:47 (seventeen years ago)

there you go, Alfred

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Friday, 17 April 2009 18:51 (seventeen years ago)

TS: any warmed-over derivative dull-as-toast English act from the Sainted 80s vs. Prince

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Friday, 17 April 2009 19:34 (seventeen years ago)

J0hn I think you missed this scathing satire from Tuesday:

Taking Sides: Random White Indie-Leaning Artist vs Random Black Pop-Leaning Artist

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Friday, 17 April 2009 19:38 (seventeen years ago)

lol who danced to The Cult?

btw guilty as charged, She Sells Sanctuary was a straight-up awesome post-midnight/pre-2 a.m. track at the City Niteclub in Portland, where I danced Thursday through Sunday in '85/'86, along with many extremely fabulous friends, all of whom knew that no matter how much we loved our fresh British import 12"s, not a one of them could hope to hold a candle to "Erotic City," one of Prince's b-sides, for Christ's sake

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Friday, 17 April 2009 19:38 (seventeen years ago)

xpost lol Dan

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Friday, 17 April 2009 19:39 (seventeen years ago)

Yeah, I remember 'She Sells Sanctuary' in nightclubs.

Décidément, on ne sait plus faire les miroirs (Michael White), Friday, 17 April 2009 19:42 (seventeen years ago)

I remember thinking "wow I'm glad I'm at a nightclub that's playing DJ Dick and not 'She Sells Sanctuary'".

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Friday, 17 April 2009 19:49 (seventeen years ago)

Oh, yeah? Oh, yeah? Well, I remember thinking "Man, I hear it's fucking brutally cold in Minneapolis. Maybe we don't get to hear those awesome DJ Dick singles, but at least we're not freezing our nuts off."

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Friday, 17 April 2009 19:58 (seventeen years ago)

touche

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Friday, 17 April 2009 20:07 (seventeen years ago)

douche

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Friday, 17 April 2009 20:07 (seventeen years ago)

ferme la bouche

Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Friday, 17 April 2009 20:42 (seventeen years ago)

wow... i remember insha-allah from this...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/411VWN1HS3L._SL500_AA240_.jpg

and yup definitely remember hearing "she sells sanctuary" up in the club back in the day

butt-rock miyagi (rogermexico.), Friday, 17 April 2009 21:02 (seventeen years ago)

nothing is more important than what is songs are hypothetically being danced to at clubs we don't actually ever go to by fictional argument settling dancers

4,000 hoes in blackburn, lancashire (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 17 April 2009 21:07 (seventeen years ago)

To be fair, I danced to "Unskinny Bop" several times.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 17 April 2009 21:08 (seventeen years ago)

The Coldcut remix?

I can sit in my car all day, and that doesn't make me a car. (HI DERE), Friday, 17 April 2009 21:12 (seventeen years ago)

Frankie Knuckles.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 17 April 2009 21:29 (seventeen years ago)

One Japanese import had Bernard Sumner rapping.

I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 17 April 2009 21:29 (seventeen years ago)

was that vini reilly/jellybean benetiz record any good?

4,000 hoes in blackburn, lancashire (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 17 April 2009 21:37 (seventeen years ago)

Wow -- did we just get a "Sha Sha" allusion here? Holy crap.

Alex in NYC, Friday, 17 April 2009 21:38 (seventeen years ago)

Oh, what a tangled thread we weave.

Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Friday, 17 April 2009 21:57 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Friday, 17 April 2009 23:01 (seventeen years ago)

Finally!

Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 17 April 2009 23:12 (seventeen years ago)

oh look, ilx is right

I will destroy you all, starting with your tiny ridiculous bathtubs (jjjusten), Saturday, 18 April 2009 06:49 (seventeen years ago)

um also the fact that this wasnt a landslide = CRAZY TALK

I will destroy you all, starting with your tiny ridiculous bathtubs (jjjusten), Saturday, 18 April 2009 06:50 (seventeen years ago)

If Moz had won this, I wouldn't have been able to relate to ilm on a very fundamental level.

My Neighbor Toronto (kingkongvsgodzilla), Saturday, 18 April 2009 10:02 (seventeen years ago)

four years pass...

Prince 98
Morrissey 62

this fucking place sometimes ... i mean, Morrissey is good (even great). but he's not even close to being in the same league w/ Prince -- Prince should be compared to the likes of the Beatles, PFunk, Bowie, and not some British guy who's been basically releasing the same record over and over for the past 20 years.

عليك ارتداء ماكياج من مهرج مثلي الجنس المتداول مائة عميق في سيارة مصغر (Eisbaer), Sunday, 12 May 2013 00:26 (thirteen years ago)

Morrissey without even the slightest momentary hesitation.

― Alex in NYC, Saturday, April 11, 2009 5:05 PM

this is like meeting libs who voted for Reagan in '84.

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 May 2013 00:26 (thirteen years ago)

yeah, for some reason i thought that Alex liked Prince more than he apparently does. perhaps if he's still around and feels so inclined, he can explain his logic?!?

عليك ارتداء ماكياج من مهرج مثلي الجنس المتداول مائة عميق في سيارة مصغر (Eisbaer), Sunday, 12 May 2013 00:38 (thirteen years ago)

He's hilarious on the Bowie vs Prince thread, in which he also chooses....someone not Prince.

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 May 2013 00:40 (thirteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

I do like Prince. I just happen to like Morrissey more (although not lately). It's just my own preference.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 28 May 2013 20:48 (twelve years ago)

Prince's recent stoner-metal makeover of "Let's Go Crazy" is better than anything Morrissey's done in a dang long time, I'll say that.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 28 May 2013 20:49 (twelve years ago)

Meanwhile...

...as any sane, awake, cognizant being with a brain and even an iota of sense & taste would. I mean, Prince plays his guitar well and sure can pick out fetching pairs of assless pants, but Bowie's so far above that overrated, oversexed, Bible-poisoned newt that his ears must be popping.

No wonder people think I'm an asshole. Well, I do still genuinely prefer Bowie to Prince, but I can see how opinions expressed in this manner would piss people off.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 28 May 2013 20:51 (twelve years ago)

I forget that I should stay away from ILX. Bye again.

Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 28 May 2013 20:52 (twelve years ago)

no don't go!

they are either militarists (ugh) or kangaroos (?) (DJP), Tuesday, 28 May 2013 20:53 (twelve years ago)

this thread is admittedly hilarious but it's a bit misconceived -- prince vs. the smiths would be more of a fair fight, morrissey without the smiths is just a very odd old guy who keeps getting interviewed for some reason.

(The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Tuesday, 28 May 2013 20:55 (twelve years ago)

Blimey, I was going to Add AlexNY to the 'sadly missed' milk carton thread, and boom!

Mark G, Tuesday, 28 May 2013 21:17 (twelve years ago)

twelve years pass...

62 ilxors are/were insane.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 4 September 2025 17:53 (eight months ago)

I have a strong suspicion that Prince passing away prior to COVID and the current political moment saved us from some not-great opinions he would have had.

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 4 September 2025 18:34 (eight months ago)

Wow...what would a redo of this poll yield? Suspect it'd be a lot more lopsided now.

Indexed, Thursday, 4 September 2025 18:40 (eight months ago)

62 ILMers wanted to see Morrissey in assless pants.

hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 4 September 2025 18:45 (eight months ago)

Prince could sing "Piccadilly Palare" and "Glamorous Glue," but let's hear Morrissey sing "Gett Off" or "Delirious."

hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 4 September 2025 18:46 (eight months ago)

62 ILMers wanted to see Morrissey in assless pants.

― hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn)

well he certainly does spend a lot of time showing his ass

Kate (rushomancy), Thursday, 4 September 2025 19:08 (eight months ago)

let's hear Morrissey sing "Gett Off" or "Delirious."

― hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, September 4, 2025 1:46 PM (thirty-three minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

lol i would love to hear this

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 4 September 2025 19:20 (eight months ago)

have you heard Bowie's cover of "Sexy MF"?

hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 4 September 2025 19:26 (eight months ago)

I have a strong suspicion that Prince passing away prior to COVID and the current political moment saved us from some not-great opinions he would have had.

That's for sure - just look what happened with the Netflix doc and some of the stuff his estate objected to showing. (Not that much of it was a secret, but some of it clearly wasn't that well-known given the reaction even Questlove had.)

birdistheword, Friday, 5 September 2025 01:13 (eight months ago)

It's kind of well known Prince was as much - if not worse - as an insufferable asshole as Morrissey is.

I like The Smiths music fine, but going for musical achievements and influence alone these two aren't really comparable to me.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Friday, 5 September 2025 20:23 (eight months ago)

My only response to how monstrous Prince could be: Sinéad O'Connor.

hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 September 2025 20:25 (eight months ago)

Yeah I wont defend him as a person - I think most famous artists are terrible people.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Friday, 5 September 2025 20:33 (eight months ago)

coughing baby v. hydrogen bomb

il lavoro mi rovina la giornata (PBKR), Friday, 5 September 2025 20:42 (eight months ago)

Pains me to say this, but I think Prince might've been worse to be around. Morrissey's said much more vile things, but Prince would actually intimidate and lash out at people, even physically. There's just way too many anecdotes from those who worked with him, many of which came out right after he died.

birdistheword, Friday, 5 September 2025 21:27 (eight months ago)

Definitely.

From descriptions on the shelved documentary I can gather it’s a study on how fame can amplify the most toxic narcissistic traits of an artist.

With Prince you had a persona he created to control the perception of him and those around him. With Morrisey you get a more authentic kind of asshole. With Prince you were never seeing the real person behind it.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Friday, 5 September 2025 22:20 (eight months ago)

Maybe someone who knows more about Morrissey can answer, but I never got the impression Morrissey was really intimidating, much less terrifying. Obnoxious, infuriating, deceitful (see what the judge wrote of him when he lost his royalties case against Mike Joyce)...all reason enough to avoid him...but I don't know of any stories where people were fearful of him the way Prince's associates were of him.

birdistheword, Friday, 5 September 2025 23:37 (eight months ago)

Real person? How do you mean?

It seems bizarre to me anyone who was a 'fan' or whatever would think he was anything other than completely insane, intense and a total nightmare. It's all there in his work too, I mean Purple Rain (the film) ffs.

Surprising Questlove and the like are all like 'on a pedestal' etc. Musically, sure. But the bizarre combination of where he grew up, violence at home, his issues with himself and confidence and then getting that famous, that young. If you haven't checked out the Susan Rogers interviews I think she puts it best, doesn't make excuses for him, but basically "His life was very complicated and very sad... He could be an asshole and he could also be the best."

Got 'Princed' once when I got a guest list for a show and passed by him as he came off stage, my body language must've said 'I wanna say hello!'... Got a look that said "what you looking at, honky' lol and yeah... Prince, eh.

(I pretty much listened exclusively to Prince, Hendrix and err, Eric Clapton, lol till I was early teens and found this board back in 2000, ha. My first post..)

foghorn, Friday, 5 September 2025 23:38 (eight months ago)

Re: “the real person”

I’m going from reviews of the documentary: it is explored that Prince had some deep trust issues so he hated feeling vulnerable and losing so he carefully curated this “persona”. The documentary explores the situations that created these deeply rooted insecurities and how he concealed them and as a consequence made him an intense, controlling and even violent nightmare of a person when things weren’t going his way or he got challenged about anything.

The only way he knew how to be vulnerable was through his music.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Saturday, 6 September 2025 03:23 (eight months ago)

https://i.imgur.com/0X4CRsP.gif

hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 6 September 2025 13:14 (eight months ago)

xpost

yeah that makes total sense. also corroborated by people around him re: the huge change he went through after those initial interviews where he looks like he's having a full on panic attack.

the estate is a total shitshow, i think they were posting AI garbage recently. a real shame about the doc, because it sounds like

my sis always jokes prince was our family 'religion' growing up- i was completely obsessed with him and his music and by proxy hendrix, sly, stevie, parliament, funkadelic, earth wind and fire, ohio players etc. bullied to fuck at school for it 'ur gay for liking this' 'he had his rib removed to suck his own dick' etc. so it completely sucks to hear it went a lot deeper than him just being a typical ego-maniac asshole and was abusive to women / people around him. essentially ended up like his father, which, as anyone with family trauma like that can probably relate, is a worst nightmare.

i grew up in the most racist / awful part of the UK and pretty grateful to him for the whole 'black, white puerto-rican' - 'am I black/white straight/gay' gender exploration / sun-ra-esque music 'spirituality' and devotion to the art form and stuff- completely shaped who i am- otherwise reckon i'd be typically corny indie fuxxor to use the old terminology here, haha, and i'd have voted morrissey on this thread. i only found this place back then because he mentioned cocteau twins' garlands as an influence, which led to me discovering MBV and then Ned's blog and freaky trigger. the only other place I went on the internet back then was alt.music.prince!

anyway, maybe I'm grown up enough to post here now, i did back then in 2001/2 and got the early version of the treatment a certain oxbridge educated chap got a few years later and couldn't deal with it. and i don't write much so usually come across as an idiot, lol.

the only morrissey thing I like is that cover by schneider tm of 'there is a light' and the original song too. on the list to check out at some point, but recently (after being told repeatedly i'd love em) got into felt / lawrence - who weirdly reminds me of prince in a lot of ways and that's enough to satisfy the itch in that world, also seems like maurice was a huge influence on marr and was talking to deb g recently who was saying that kevin mbv is a huge huge fan, which all makes sense. okay, this is why I shouldn't post here, what a tangent. haha.

foghorn, Saturday, 6 September 2025 18:01 (eight months ago)

* because it sounds like its not some attack on him, but just the whole picture...

foghorn, Saturday, 6 September 2025 18:02 (eight months ago)

Yeah from what I gather the documentary is actually really good at putting into context the music he was making and what he was going through at the time and it’s not an attack on him it rather reveals the person behind the mask and how alienating and destructive fame can become.

So anyways, comparing which one of these two was/is the worst person isn’t really what I’d rank in here. Prince’s output for me towers way above what Morrissey has ever done and the amount of artists I love he influenced makes it a no contest for me.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Saturday, 6 September 2025 18:26 (eight months ago)

Lovely post, foghorn.

hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 6 September 2025 20:56 (eight months ago)

Yeah I agree you shouldn’t post less, you should post more.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 7 September 2025 07:09 (eight months ago)

Agree

brimstead, Sunday, 7 September 2025 15:04 (eight months ago)

Loved that, foghorn

assert (matttkkkk), Sunday, 7 September 2025 21:17 (eight months ago)

co-sign, great post foghorn

birdistheword, Sunday, 7 September 2025 22:12 (eight months ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.