"Vauxhall and I": album, 1994, Morrissey
The launch of Morrissey's finest solo album, in 1994, was accompanied by several signing sessions across the country. I can't help but introduce thousands of superlatives when discussing this album; the word "beautiful" hardly does it justice. From the moving clarinets of "Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning" to the tear-inducing signpost that is "Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself", this album sparkles with a sadness unsurpassed by any other artist, ever. The frank admission of "Speedway", the chart-busting grower "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get", the gorgeous "Now My Heart Is Full"; ... oh !
The resignatory feeling that permeates the album served as a tonic for the fame-weary Morrissey; while recording it, he felt sure that this was his last album - a delicate farewell. I can't see how anyone can criticise anybody who has produced an album such as this, of such lasting elegance, meaning, and above all, humanity.
The background of the recent deaths of three close friends (Tim Broad, Mick Ronson and manager Nigel Thomas) simply makes this album all the more personal. The combination of writers Boorer and Whyte with the top-notch production by Steve Lillywhite (who is coincidentally married to Smiths collaborator Kirsty Maccoll) is god-touched, unreservedly.
The title is a clear reference to seminal British film Withnail And I. Vauxhall is a tube station in London near where Morrissey lived for a while (I think).
There's gonna be some
trouble
A whole house will need re-building
And everyone I love in the house
Will recline on an analyst's couch quite
Soon
Your Father cracks a joke
And in the usual way
Empties the room
Tell all of my friends
(I don't have too many
Just some rain-coated lovers' puny brothers)
Dallow, Spicer, Pinkie, Cubitt
Rush to danger
Wind up nowhere
Patric Doonan - raised to wait
I'm tired again, I've tried again, and
Now my heart is full
Now my heart is full
And I just can't explain
So I won't even try to
Dallow, Spicer, Pinkie, Cubitt
Every jammy Stressford poet
Loafing oafs in all-night chemists
Loafing oafs in all-night chemists
Underact - express depression
Ah, but Bunnie I loved you
I was tired again
I've tried again, and
Now my heart is full
Now my heart is full
And I just can't explain
So I won't even try to
Could you pass by ?
Could you pass by ?
Oh ...
Now my heart is full
Now my heart is full
And I just can't explain
So ... slow ...
Slow ... slow ... slow ... slow ... slow ...
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Spring-heeled Jim winks an
eye
He'll "do", he'll never be "done to"
He takes on whoever flew through
"Well, it's the normal thing to do" ... ah ...
Spring-heeled Jim lives to love
Now kissing with his mouth full
And his eyes on some other fool
So many women
His head should be spinning
Ah, but no !
Ah, but no !
But no !
Ah, no !
Spring-heeled Jim slurs the words :
"There's no need to be so knowing
Take life at five times the
Average speed, like I do"
Until Jim feels the chill
"Oh, where did all the time go ?"
Once always in for the kill
Now it's too cold
And he feels too
old
Too old
Mmm, old...
La, la, la, la-la, la ...
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Say, Billy Budd
So you think you should ?
Oh, everyone's laughing
Say, Billy Budd
So you think that you should ?
Everyone's laughing !
Since I took up with you
Things have been bad
Yeah, but now it's 12 years on
Now it's 12 years on
Yes, and I took up with you
I took my job application
Into town
Did you hear ? They turned me down
Yes, and it's all because of us
Oh, and what was in our eyes
Oh, what was in our eyes, yeah
I said, Billy Budd
I would happily lose
Both of my legs
I would lose both of my legs
Oh, if it meant you could be free
Oh, if it meant you could be free
(Don't leave us in the dark!)
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A bond of trust
Has been abused
Something of value
May be lost
Give up your job
Squander your cash - be rash
Just hold on to your friends
There are more than enough
To fight and oppose
Why waste good time
Fighting the people you like
Who will fall defending your name
Oh, don't feel so ashamed
To have friends
But now you only call me
When you're feeling depressed
When you feel happy I'm
So far from your mind
My patience is stretched
My loyalty vexed
Oh, you're losing all of your friends
Hold on to your friends
Hold on to your friends
Resist - or move on
Be mad, be rash
Smoke and explode
Sell all of your clothes
Just bear in mind :
Oh, there just might come a time
When you need some friends
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THE MORE YOU IGNORE ME, THE CLOSER I GET
The more you ignore me
The closer I get
You're wasting your time
The more you ignore me
The closer I get
You're wasting your time
I will be
In the bar
With my head
On the bar
I am now
A central part
Of your mind's landscape
Whether you care
Or do not
Yeah, I've made up your mind
The more you ignore me
The closer I get
You're wasting your time
The more you ignore me
The closer I get
You're wasting your time
Beware !
I bear more grudges
Than lonely high court judges
When you sleep
I will creep
Into your thoughts
Like a bad debt
That you can't pay
Take the easy way
And give in
Yeah, and let me in
Oh, let me in
Oh let me ...
Oh, let me in
IT'S WAR
IT'S WAR
WAR
WAR
Oh, let me in
Ah, the closer I get
Ah, you're asking for it
Ah, the closer I get
Ooh, the closer I ...
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WHY DON'T YOU FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF
The sanest days are mad
Why don't you find out for yourself ?
Then you'll see the price
Very closely
Some men here
They have a special interest
In your career
They wanna help you to grow
And then syphon all your dough
Why don't you find out for yourself ?
Then you'll see the glass
Hidden in the grass
You'll never believe me, so
Why don't you find out for yourself ?
Sick down to my heart
That's just the way it goes
Some men here
They know the full extent of
Your distress
They kneel and pray
And they say :
"Long may it last"
Why don't you find out for yourself ?
Then you'll see the glass
Hidden in the grass
Bad scenes come and go
For which you must allow
Sick down to my heart
That's just the way it goes
Don't rake up my mistakes
I know exactly what they are
And ... what do YOU do ?
Well ... you just SIT THERE
I've been stabbed in the back
So many many times
I don't have any skin
But that's just the way it goes
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I am hated for loving
I am hated for loving
Anonymous call, a poison pen
A brick in the small of the back again
I still don't belong
To anyone - I am mine
And I am hated for loving
I am haunted for wanting
Anonymous call, a poison pen
A brick in the ... ah ...
A brick in the small of the back again
I still don't belong
To anyone - I am mine
I am falling
With no-one to catch me
I am falling
And there's still
No-one to catch me
Ah ..
Anonymous call, a poison pen
A brick in the ... ah ...
A brick in the small of the back again
I just don't belong
To anywhere
I just don't belong
Mmm ...
Ah ...
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LIFEGUARD SLEEPING, GIRL DROWNING
Always looking for attention
Always needs to be mentioned
Who does she
Think she should be ?
The shrill cry through darkening air
Doesn't she know he's
Had such a busy day ?
Tell her ... sshhh
Somebody tell her ... sshhh
Slowest ...
It was only a test
But she swam too far
Against the tide
She deserves all she gets
The sky became marked with stars
As an out-stretched arm slowly
Disappears
Hooray
Oh hooray
No, oh, oh, woh, there's no movement
No, oh, hooray
Oh, hooray
Please don't worry
There'll be no fuss
She was ... nobody's nothing
(What's your name ?)
When he awoke
The sea was calm
And another day passes like a dream
There's no ... no way
(What's your name ?)
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Used to be a sweet boy
Holding so tightly
To Daddy's hand
But that was all
In some distant land
Blazer and tie
And a big bright healthy smile
Used to make all
Of our trials worthwhile
Used to be a sweet boy
And I'm not to blame
Something went wrong
And I know
I'm not to blame
Something went wrong
Can't be to blame
Ah ...
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A world war
Was announced
Days ago
But they didn't know
The lazy sunbathers
The lazy sunbathers
The sun burns through
To the planet's core
And it isn't enough
They want more
Nothing
Appears
To be
Between the ears of
The lazy sunbathers
Too jaded
To question stagnation
The sun burns through
To the planet's core
And it isn't enough
They want more
Religions fall
Children shelled
"...Children shelled ? That's all
Very well, but would you
Please keep the noise
Down low ?
Because you're waking
The lazy sunbathers ..."
Oh, the lazy sunbathers
The lazy sunbathers
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And when you slam
Down the hammer
Can you see it in your heart ?
All of the rumours
Keeping me grounded
I never said, I never said that they were
Completely unfounded
So when you slam
Down the hammer
Can you see it in your heart ?
Can you delve so low ?
And when you're standing
On my fingers
Can you see it in your heart ? ... ah ...
And when you try
To break my spirit
It won't work
Because there's nothing left to break
Anymore
All of the rumours
Keeping me grounded
I never said, I never said that they were
Completely unfounded
You won't sleep
Until the earth that wants me
Finally has me
Oh you've done it now
You won't rest
Until the hearse that becomes me
Finally takes me
Oh you've done it now
And you won't smile
Until my loving mouth
Is shut good and proper
FOREVER
All of the rumours
Keeping me grounded
I never said, I never said that they were
Completely unfounded
And all those lies
Written lies, twisted lies
Well, they weren't lies
They weren't lies
They weren't lies
I never said
I never said
I could have mentioned your name
I could have dragged you in
Guilt by implication
By association
I've always been true to you
In my own strange way
I've always been true to you
In my own sick way
I'll always stay true to you
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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