"Kill Uncle", album, 1991, Morrissey
Kill Uncle, Morrissey's 2nd proper solo album, is best described as "quirky". Released in March 1991, the frankly bizarre sound and musical construction of this album, is almost, but not quite, pulled off with a certain charm. The album's inherent near-mythological quaintness is just irritating at first; it is only after many listens that it becomes bearable to listen to.
With the exception of "Our Frank", there are no songs trumpeting the usual Morrissey trademark - musically simplistic songs, highly melodic, and transformed by a fine lyrical tone and an ear for an interesting vocal. The track "Driving Your Girlfriend Home" hints towards further efforts such as Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself with its stark yet fulsome acoustic guitar and vocal arrangement. Interestingly enough, Linder, Morrissey's oldest friend, contributes backing vocals to this track, making it one of the more successful ones on this underachieving album.
This album preceded a large tour, where material from this album sometimes shone in live form, which is documented in the video "Live In Dallas".
Does anyone know why Morrissey called this album "Kill Uncle" ?
Our frank and open
deep conversations
they get me nowhere
they bring me down, so
give it a rest, won't you?
give me a cigarette
God give me patience
just no more conversation
Give us a drink
and make it quick
or else I'm gonna be sick
sick all over
your frankly vulgar
red pullover
now see how the colours blend
Our frank and open
deep conversations
they get me nowhere
they bring me down, so
give it a rest, won't you?
now will you just give over
the world may be ending
but look, I'm only human
Give us a drink
and make it quick
or else I'm gonna be sick
all over
your frankly vulgar
red pullover
now see how the two colours blend
Won't somebody stop me
from thinking all the time
about everything
so deeply
so bleakly
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Day oh so late
strangely the sun still shone
oh Asian boy
what are you on?
Day oh so late
strangely the sun still shone
what drugs are you on?
Tooled-up Asian boy
has come here to avenge
the cruel, cold killing
of his very best friend
Tooled-up Asian boy
has come here to take revenge
for the cruel, cold killing
of his only friend
Peace through the school
so quiet in the hall
it's a strange sign for one
of what's to come
Tough and hard and pale
oh they may just impale you on railings
oh English boys
it must be wrong
three against one?
Brakes slammed, and
a gun jammed, and
as far as I could tell
brave Asian boy
dealt a blow and fell
I'm just passing through here
on my way to somewhere civilised
and maybe I'll even arrive
maybe I'll even arrive?
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Sing your life
any fool can think of words that rhyme
many others do
why don't you?
do you want to?
Sing your life
just walk right up to the microphone
and name
all the things that you love
all the things that you loathe
sing your life
all the things that you love
all the things that you loathe
oh sing your life
oh sing your life
Others sang your life
but now's your chance to shine
and have the pleasure of
saying what you mean
the rare pleasure of
meaning what you sing
oh, make no mistake, my friend
all of this will end
so sing it now
all the things you love
all the things you loathe
oh sing your life
all the things that you love
all the things that you loathe
oh sing your, oh sing your
Don't leave it all unsaid
somewhere in the wasteland of your head
and make no mistake, my friend
your pointless life will end
but before you go
can you look at the truth?
You have a lovely singing voice
a lovely singing voice
and all of those
who sing on key
they stole the notion
from you and me
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Your poor witness
crying so loudly on the floor
oh but she's only trying to tell you
what it was that she saw
she is only trying to tell you
what it was that she saw
Now see her standing on the table
with her small arms flailing
and you feel such compassion
in your soul for
Your poor mute witness
still testing the strength
of our patience
oh but she's only trying to tell you
what it was that she saw
Now see her pointing to the frisbee
with a memory too fuzzy
as her silent words
describe the fright of last night
4 a.m. Norhtside, Clapham Common
who knows what she was doing there?
will she sketch the answer later?
Well, I'll ask her
"now dry your tears, my dear"
Now see her mime in time so nicely
it would all have been so clear
is only she had never volunteered
"your taxi is here, my dear"
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Your boyfriend, he
went down on one knee
well, could it be
he's only got one knee?
I tried to surprise you
with Vodka
or, Tizer
I can't quite remember
but you didn't thank me
you didn't even thank me
because you never do
Your boyfriend, he
has the gift of the gab
or, could it be
the gift of the grab?
I tried to surprise you
I lay down beside you
and...nothing much happened
and you didn't phone me
you didn't even phone me
because it's not your style
to dial
Your boyfriend, he
displays to me
more than just
a hint of cruelty
I tried to surprise you
I crept up behind you
with a homeless chihuahua
you gushed for an hour
you handed him back and said
"You'll never guess
I'm bored now"
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found found found found
found found
someone who's worth it
in this murkiness
someone who's never
seeming scheming
found found found found found found
someone who's worth it
in this murkiness
someone who's never
seeming scheming
Oh, but if I'd never found
oh, but if I'd never found
oh, but if I'd never found
I do believe that
the more you give your love
and I do believe that
the more you offer trust
the more you chase
the more you cry
the more you're bound to lose
the more you're bound to lose
Oh, but if I'd never found
oh, but if I'd never found
somebody
who wants to be
who wants to be
with me
all the time
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I'm driving
your girlfriend home
and she's saying
how she never chose you
"turn left", she says
so I turn left
and she says
"So how did I end up
so deeply involved in
the very existence
I planned on avoiding?"
and I can't answer
I'm driving
your girlfriend home
and she's laughing
to stop herself crying
"drive on", she says
so I drive on
and she says
"So how did I end up
attached to this person
when his sense of humour
gets gradually worser?"
and I can't tell her
I'm parking
outside her home
and we're shaking hands
goodnight, so politely
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THE HARSH TRUTH OF THE CAMERA EYE
Churchillian legs
hair barely there
the harsh truth of the camera eye
Your eyes signal pain
because of the strain
of smiling
the harsh truth of the camera eye
telling you all
that you never wnated to know
showing what
you didn't want shown
My so friendly lens
zooms into
"the inner you"
and it tells the harsh truth
and nothing but
Laugh with us all here
that's if you can
then take the pictures home
and screamtelling you all
that you never wanted to know
showing you what
you didn't want shown
This photographer
he must have really had it in for you
"Oh, I don't want
to be judged anymore
I don't wnat to be judged
I would sooner be Loved
I would sooner be
just blindly Loved..."
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(I'M) THE END OF THE FAMILY LINE
With no complications
fifteen generations
(of mine)
all honouring Nature
until I arrive
(with incredible style)
I'm the end fo the line
the end of the family line
the end of the line
No baby pulled screaming
out into this seething whirl
by chance or whim
(or even love?)
our family tree hacked into decline
and I'm spared the pain
of ever saying
("goodbye")
I'm the end of the line
the end of the family line
the end of the line
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THERE'S A PLACE IN HELL FOR ME AND MY FRIENDS
There is a place
reserved
for me and my friends
and when we go
we all will go
so you see
I'm never alone
there is a place
with a bit more time
and a few more
gentler words
and looking back
we do forgive
(we had no choice
we always did)
all that we hope
is that when we go
our skin
and our blood
and our bones
don't get in your way
making you ill
the way they did
when we lived
There is a place
a place in hell
reserved
for me and my friends
and if ever I
wanted to cry
then I will
because I can
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Still drinking on the corner
Just don't say I didn't warn you
Always nagging big brother
He's only looking out for you
Tony The Pony
Tony The Pony
You're still standing on the corner
Just don't say I didn't warn you
Old and jealous big brother
You had your time and you spent it
Crying
Now, Tony The Pony
Tony The Pony
So, that's what they call you now ?
When you're free outside
So cold and hard and in control
And ...
There's a free ride on
Tony The Pony
Oh, why do you always wanna stop me
From doing the things in life that make me happy ?
And when I'm outside with friends, laughing loudly
Why do you always wanna stop me ?
Oh, I would never
I would never
But you will carry the can for anyone
The free ride on
Gullible Tony
You're drunker quicker
And you're sicker even quicker
For something heavy is gonna fall on you
Oh ...
And what do they call you now ?
When you're free outside
So cold and hard and in control
And, oh ... been a lark
There's a free ride on
Fucked-up Tony
I will never say I told you so
Or how I knew that something bad
Would happen to you
I don't wanna say I told you so
Oh, but Tony, I told you so !!!
I told you so
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Other albums with all songs and lyrics:
The Smiths:
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Morrissey:
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This Page was created by David Rapava
22 May 1998