Morrissey has said he wrote it, partly, as a potential victim, because the children were taken from the Manchester streets that he lived in and the shadow that the case cast over the area for the next few years
My Mum's family were from that area and it absolutely cast a shadow. She'd have been in her late teens when the first kid was taken and a first time mum just a couple of years after they were caught. The Moors murderers haunted Manchester for a long time.
Morrissey definitely did not write it as shock value, I might have mentioned that he wrote the words prior to being in a band. He is to this day still affected by the moor's murders. He recently wrote a piece/book about it. Leslie wore a white beaded bracelet which was found on her when they dug up her body, this traumatized the people who found her body. I read a transcript of the recording that Ian Brady and Myra Hindley made of the torture and murder upon this sweet little girl. The recording was played in court, Leslie's mother bravely chose to listen as she felt it was her duty as her mother to know what she had endured. The recording disturbed many people including hardened cops who had to leave the court room. There was a song playing on the radio in the background which when it came across the juke box in pubs in Manchester, made some patrons, cops, leave the pub. Even years after the court case. Reading the transcript is hard enough so I can't imagine how distressing it would be to hear the recording. This is from part of the transcript "Lesley Ann pleaded: "Can I tell you summat. I must tell you summat. Take your hands off me for a minute, please… Please, mum, please - I cannot tell you. I cannot breathe…Please God …Why? What are you going to do with me?" Man: "I want to take some photographs, that is all." Child: "I want to see my mummy…Honest to God. I will swear on the Bible… I have got to go because I am going out with my Mama. Please, please help me, will you." you can probably why Morrissey was so disturbed by the moor's murders, he said as a child he overhead the hushed voices of his family discussing the disappearence of the children, not forgetting the first victim who was 16 year's old. Morrissey felt years later as an adult that he could have been a potential victim. If Morrissey ever writes for shock value, he would never chose a subject matter such as the moor's murders. He is not shallow or desperate for attention, he also has said he doesn't write a song with his fans in mind. He feels no obligation as far as his art is concerned which is good because otherwise he would change who he is simply for attention. The Smiths donated 2 pence from the sale of every single sold to the victims families and as you said, visited Leslie's mum. She spoke about meeting him and said she saw that he felt very strongly about the moor's murders and felt great sadness for the victims and that was why he wrote those words.
This murder case was so fucked up.It will haunt Manchester forever. Morrisseys lyrics were very controversial back then, but what an eerie and beautiful song.
Morrissey grew up in the same area and was a similar age to the victims at the time of the murders, he has said in interviews that the murders cast a long shadow over his childhood and deeply affected the whole area. Morrissey is rarely as sincere as he makes out but I believe he is in this case.
Morrissey is very often sincere even if he uses humour this is his way of dealing with serious and confronting feelings and issues. A lot of people use humour in this way, if he is speaking flippantly or in a mocking tone it's usually obvious but may at times be misunderstood as his delivery is very dry, it's a bit of a Manchester thing, that kind of deadpan dry sense of humour. When you (I don't mean you specifically) get to learn about his personality, by reading or listening to interviews, you'll notice how seriously he can say something that he doesn't mean when he is actually joking. I have mentioned this elsewhere but at a live show back in the 80's he introduces This Charming Man by saying, very matter of factly "This is a song about a flat tire". If you listen or read his lyrics he is in majority of the songs utterly sincere, that's why people are so affected by the Smiths. I have a pet peeve about people summing up Morrissey in simple straightforward terminology. You can't even do that with people you know personally let alone someone you don't. And I mean summing up. He is, like all human beings, complex in nature and you would have to go back over all of the interviews he's given or read his biography to be in a position to comment.
This song caused a lot of controversy in Manchester,The grandmother of Keith Bennett wasn't to please d at the time the song was released. People accused Morrissey of trying to cash in on the horrific moors murders tragedy. Ive always loved the smiths and being from Manchester myself i myself don't like this song at all.
Singing about each victim is very emotional and it's giving them a voice after death, at least that's how it seems and may have been Morrissey's intention. "We will haunt you when you laugh, yes you could say we're a team"
I like the way Morrissey in various Smiths songs would sing from beyond the grave.... in ghostly detached tones, or like voices in his head. The paranormal world of Morrissey! Not surprisingly he would later sing about ouija boards, trying to get in touch with the spirit world, of the long dead.
I'm trying to learn the guitar part, 3 weeks in and i still can't play it. Johnny Marr was a genius guitar player and so young to compose such a beautiful tune.
The mention of Leslie Ann “with your pretty white beads” is a reference to when Leslie Ann’s body was discovered there was a bundle of clothes at her feet. When the authorities rolled out the bundle of clothes out fell a string of white beads. The string of white beads was given to her by her older brother that he had won in a fairway game at the same fair that she disappeared from.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Morrissey sought permission from those concerned before releasing the song. I don’t think it had anything to do with trying to shock. The murders had such an impact on people at the time I’m not the least bit surprised that Morrissey would want to bear testimon to what happened.
Myra Hindley's younger sister Maureen had married a man named David Smith. He had witnessed the murder of one of the children and reported it to the police. This led to the arrest of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady and helped uncover the mystery of the missing children buried in the moors. During the trial David and Maureen Smith caught quite a bit of flack for knowing the murderous couple and had to bare a lot of grief despite their part in bringing the killers to justice.
I was lucky enough to see the Smiths in 1986. The Smiths helped me through the awkward teenager years and I still listen to them to this day. Johnny Marr is a guitar master. Andy Rourke fantastic on the bass and Mike Joyce a great drummer. Morrissey is a poet and writes about life where he lives, once he left Manchester his lyrics didn't relate to me anymore. The greatest English band.
Notes - (1) The Moors are the grassy uplands in Lancashire and Yorkshire, (2) Hindley wakes is a pun on the play Hindle Wakes, which was better-remembered at the time, (3) The ghostly voice ("we will be by your side") is addressed entirely to Hindley and Brady, (4) Hindley did say to the police "whatever Ian has done, I have done" Other detail - There's a well-known outtake of the song where it grinds to a halt and then segues into a suitably funereal piano solo The heavy stuff - (5) It's unclear whether Brady raped Lesley-Anne before killing her - but it seems she was tortured in some way (based on Brady's audiotape), (6) If you go with the theory that The Hand That Rocks The Cradle is about a paedophile planning to kill himself and his son, it's describing a Brady-esque character (influenced also by someone known to Morrissey)
@@charlie891 It's the Troy Tate session. It's bloody good too. It is even more atmospheric than this. It is less clean and tidy in the performance and production, and the bassline when those low notes hit really rings with the chords. You feel it more. It is more dissonant and impressionistic, and somehow evokes the scene and mood better. Definitely give it a listen.
@@Yohodaify That joke isn't funny anymore is a beautiful song. I've just learnt the guitar part after weeks of trying. Johnny Marr is amazing at the guitar even though he was a young man.
Morrissey is the best lyricist. And Marr's compositions get better with each album. My personal fave LP is the US compilation "Louder Than Bombs". A reaction to any song from that would be lovely.
The Smiths are the greatest band for so many reasons. I've been a fan (fan is the wrong word, we are disciples) since I was 14 in 1985. I was lucky to be at Morrissey's first sole concert in Wolverhampton too. As for this song Morrissey lived in the same area as the crimes and was a child at the time so he could have been a victim himself. The lyric "What he has done I have done" is what Hindley said about the crimes. Also the song "The hand that rock's the cradle" Deals with protection of children from the evils of the World. My favourite song by the band can change however "I Know it's Over" is so powerful and only a genius is capable of producing a song like it.
I used to go to Saddleworth School. Camped out on the moors and it was scary as fuck. Horrible, desolate place. Really hope Keith Bennett is found one day.
The queen is dead you may like that one.....This band and it's morbid lyrics yet are experience and poetry as well as marrs guitar brings emotion out of the listener...
The song “Hate My Way” by Throwing Muses, which was released a year after this song (and is similarly influenced by both folk and punk) deals in a similar vein with the mass murder of children, in particular the murder of mostly Mexican children and adolescents by the mentally disturbed Oliver Huberty. It’s both tragic and frightening but the delivery is very different - Kristin Hersh is angry and hostile, the tempos shift from folk gentleness to visceral punk aggression without warning and sometimes she screams. Whereas Morrissey is contemplative. Child abuse is a huge topic running throughout Morrissey’s lyrical songbook - “Meat Is Murder” has two or three songs about abuse of children and in that album he sounds really angry and direct like Kristin Hersh. I recommend checking out “Hate My Way” by Throwing Muses (by the way they were teenagers when the song was written, which is kind of amazing).
As far as an artist taking the risk to tackle a controversial subject, listen to "kick the bride down the aisle" we've all probably known someone or had a friend who's girlfriend or wife takes advantage of their partner and contributes nothing financially and when they break up they a ruthless and malicious. Most men don't talk about this because they think they will be viewed as a misogynistic which is so unfair especially when it has happened to them personally. I was so proud of Morrissey when I heard the song, I thought he was very brave to sing about it, most people are afraid to even discuss it let alone sing about it. Bill Burr is another person who I've heard talk about the issue.
I know I’m late but I watched The Moors Murders and realized during it that Morrissey did this song about the incident!! LOVE The Smiths. Morrissey is KING...UNMATCHED lyrically and vocally.
It must be confusing listening to this without knowing anything about the moor's murders. Morrissey met with Lesley Ann Downey's mum. This was the first ever Smiths songs, Morrissey had written the lyrics before meeting Johnny Marr.
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This is my favourite Smith's song. Powerful and haunting lyrics, hypnotic rhythm, sophisticated and discordant harmony. It's a masterpiece.
Seconded
Morrissey has said he wrote it, partly, as a potential victim, because the children were taken from the Manchester streets that he lived in and the shadow that the case cast over the area for the next few years
My Mum's family were from that area and it absolutely cast a shadow. She'd have been in her late teens when the first kid was taken and a first time mum just a couple of years after they were caught. The Moors murderers haunted Manchester for a long time.
The Smiths are the greatest band of the 1980s IMO.
And mine
Morrissey definitely did not write it as shock value, I might have mentioned that he wrote the words prior to being in a band. He is to this day still affected by the moor's murders. He recently wrote a piece/book about it. Leslie wore a white beaded bracelet which was found on her when they dug up her body, this traumatized the people who found her body. I read a transcript of the recording that Ian Brady and Myra Hindley made of the torture and murder upon this sweet little girl. The recording was played in court, Leslie's mother bravely chose to listen as she felt it was her duty as her mother to know what she had endured. The recording disturbed many people including hardened cops who had to leave the court room. There was a song playing on the radio in the background which when it came across the juke box in pubs in Manchester, made some patrons, cops, leave the pub. Even years after the court case. Reading the transcript is hard enough so I can't imagine how distressing it would be to hear the recording. This is from part of the transcript "Lesley Ann pleaded: "Can I tell you summat. I must tell you summat. Take your hands off me for a minute, please… Please, mum, please - I cannot tell you. I cannot breathe…Please God …Why? What are you going to do with me?" Man: "I want to take some photographs, that is all." Child: "I want to see my mummy…Honest to God. I will swear on the Bible… I have got to go because I am going out with my Mama. Please, please help me, will you." you can probably why Morrissey was so disturbed by the moor's murders, he said as a child he overhead the hushed voices of his family discussing the disappearence of the children, not forgetting the first victim who was 16 year's old. Morrissey felt years later as an adult that he could have been a potential victim. If Morrissey ever writes for shock value, he would never chose a subject matter such as the moor's murders. He is not shallow or desperate for attention, he also has said he doesn't write a song with his fans in mind. He feels no obligation as far as his art is concerned which is good because otherwise he would change who he is simply for attention. The Smiths donated 2 pence from the sale of every single sold to the victims families and as you said, visited Leslie's mum. She spoke about meeting him and said she saw that he felt very strongly about the moor's murders and felt great sadness for the victims and that was why he wrote those words.
I had to skip past the transcript, just don't want to imagine what the poor girl went through 😢
This murder case was so fucked up.It will haunt Manchester forever. Morrisseys lyrics were very controversial back then, but what an eerie and beautiful song.
Morrissey grew up in the same area and was a similar age to the victims at the time of the murders, he has said in interviews that the murders cast a long shadow over his childhood and deeply affected the whole area. Morrissey is rarely as sincere as he makes out but I believe he is in this case.
Morrissey is very often sincere even if he uses humour this is his way of dealing with serious and confronting feelings and issues. A lot of people use humour in this way, if he is speaking flippantly or in a mocking tone it's usually obvious but may at times be misunderstood as his delivery is very dry, it's a bit of a Manchester thing, that kind of deadpan dry sense of humour. When you (I don't mean you specifically) get to learn about his personality, by reading or listening to interviews, you'll notice how seriously he can say something that he doesn't mean when he is actually joking. I have mentioned this elsewhere but at a live show back in the 80's he introduces This Charming Man by saying, very matter of factly "This is a song about a flat tire". If you listen or read his lyrics he is in majority of the songs utterly sincere, that's why people are so affected by the Smiths. I have a pet peeve about people summing up Morrissey in simple straightforward terminology. You can't even do that with people you know personally let alone someone you don't. And I mean summing up. He is, like all human beings, complex in nature and you would have to go back over all of the interviews he's given or read his biography to be in a position to comment.
This song caused a lot of controversy in Manchester,The grandmother of Keith Bennett wasn't to please d at the time the song was released. People accused Morrissey of trying to cash in on the horrific moors murders tragedy. Ive always loved the smiths and being from Manchester myself i myself don't like this song at all.
Singing about each victim is very emotional and it's giving them a voice after death, at least that's how it seems and may have been Morrissey's intention. "We will haunt you when you laugh, yes you could say we're a team"
I like the way Morrissey in various Smiths songs would sing from beyond the grave.... in ghostly detached tones, or like voices in his head. The paranormal world of Morrissey! Not surprisingly he would later sing about ouija boards, trying to get in touch with the spirit world, of the long dead.
I could listen to that guitar for hours at a time. Beautiful.
I'm trying to learn the guitar part, 3 weeks in and i still can't play it. Johnny Marr was a genius guitar player and so young to compose such a beautiful tune.
The mention of Leslie Ann “with your pretty white beads” is a reference to when Leslie Ann’s body was discovered there was a bundle of clothes at her feet. When the authorities rolled out the bundle of clothes out fell a string of white beads. The string of white beads was given to her by her older brother that he had won in a fairway game at the same fair that she disappeared from.
An absolute masterpiece
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Morrissey sought permission from those concerned before releasing the song. I don’t think it had anything to do with trying to shock. The murders had such an impact on people at the time I’m not the least bit surprised that Morrissey would want to bear testimon to what happened.
Myra Hindley's younger sister Maureen had married a man named David Smith. He had witnessed the murder of one of the children and reported it to the police. This led to the arrest of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady and helped uncover the mystery of the missing children buried in the moors. During the trial David and Maureen Smith caught quite a bit of flack for knowing the murderous couple and had to bare a lot of grief despite their part in bringing the killers to justice.
ty, I did not know this.
I was lucky enough to see the Smiths in 1986. The Smiths helped me through the awkward teenager years and I still listen to them to this day.
Johnny Marr is a guitar master. Andy Rourke fantastic on the bass and Mike Joyce a great drummer.
Morrissey is a poet and writes about life where he lives, once he left Manchester his lyrics didn't relate to me anymore.
The greatest English band.
Keith Bennett ‘s grave on the moors still remains undiscovered.
Notes - (1) The Moors are the grassy uplands in Lancashire and Yorkshire, (2) Hindley wakes is a pun on the play Hindle Wakes, which was better-remembered at the time, (3) The ghostly voice ("we will be by your side") is addressed entirely to Hindley and Brady, (4) Hindley did say to the police "whatever Ian has done, I have done"
Other detail - There's a well-known outtake of the song where it grinds to a halt and then segues into a suitably funereal piano solo
The heavy stuff - (5) It's unclear whether Brady raped Lesley-Anne before killing her - but it seems she was tortured in some way (based on Brady's audiotape), (6) If you go with the theory that The Hand That Rocks The Cradle is about a paedophile planning to kill himself and his son, it's describing a Brady-esque character (influenced also by someone known to Morrissey)
Well the moors can mean anywhere that is a moor not just the uplands of Lancashire and Yorkshire for example the moors of Manchester
You know your stuff for sure thanks for sharing
where is that take with the funeral piano?
Saddleworth Moors above Oldham
@@charlie891 It's the Troy Tate session. It's bloody good too. It is even more atmospheric than this. It is less clean and tidy in the performance and production, and the bassline when those low notes hit really rings with the chords. You feel it more. It is more dissonant and impressionistic, and somehow evokes the scene and mood better. Definitely give it a listen.
One of the Smith's saddest tunes for sure. For more upbeat Smiths, I recommend Ask, Panic, Cemetry Gates or I Want The One I Can't Have.
I've had some requests for a bunch of these. You'll definitely see them here in the future!
Or if you want to go in the opposite direction you can listen to Meat Is Murder or That Jokes Isn't Funny Anymore :)
@@Yohodaify That joke isn't funny anymore is a beautiful song. I've just learnt the guitar part after weeks of trying. Johnny Marr is amazing at the guitar even though he was a young man.
Morrissey is the best lyricist. And Marr's compositions get better with each album. My personal fave LP is the US compilation "Louder Than Bombs". A reaction to any song from that would be lovely.
How soon is now was a b side it just shows what an awesome band The Smiths were.
I'm 43 I have been a Smiths fan since 97 when I was 10.
one of the saddest but beautiful songs ever. I was a kid in the north when the brady beast and Hindley beast was about
It's a fantastic tune
You are diggin' like one of the best band of XX century
The Smiths are the greatest band for so many reasons. I've been a fan (fan is the wrong word, we are disciples) since I was 14 in 1985. I was lucky to be at Morrissey's first sole concert in Wolverhampton too.
As for this song Morrissey lived in the same area as the crimes and was a child at the time so he could have been a victim himself.
The lyric "What he has done I have done" is what Hindley said about the crimes.
Also the song "The hand that rock's the cradle" Deals with protection of children from the evils of the World.
My favourite song by the band can change however "I Know it's Over" is so powerful and only a genius is capable of producing a song like it.
I used to go to Saddleworth School. Camped out on the moors and it was scary as fuck. Horrible, desolate place. Really hope Keith Bennett is found one day.
a year since you posted this, thank god he has been found🙏
The queen is dead you may like that one.....This band and it's morbid lyrics yet are experience and poetry as well as marrs guitar brings emotion out of the listener...
Very enjoyable reaction to such a beautiful but somber song. Appreciate all the effort to get to the heart of the song and its controversies.
Great reaction to great band. You could also try rubber ring, there is a light that never goes out and still ill
I've been listening to the smiths since 1983...
The song “Hate My Way” by Throwing Muses, which was released a year after this song (and is similarly influenced by both folk and punk) deals in a similar vein with the mass murder of children, in particular the murder of mostly Mexican children and adolescents by the mentally disturbed Oliver Huberty. It’s both tragic and frightening but the delivery is very different - Kristin Hersh is angry and hostile, the tempos shift from folk gentleness to visceral punk aggression without warning and sometimes she screams. Whereas Morrissey is contemplative. Child abuse is a huge topic running throughout Morrissey’s lyrical songbook - “Meat Is Murder” has two or three songs about abuse of children and in that album he sounds really angry and direct like Kristin Hersh. I recommend checking out “Hate My Way” by Throwing Muses (by the way they were teenagers when the song was written, which is kind of amazing).
As far as an artist taking the risk to tackle a controversial subject, listen to "kick the bride down the aisle" we've all probably known someone or had a friend who's girlfriend or wife takes advantage of their partner and contributes nothing financially and when they break up they a ruthless and malicious. Most men don't talk about this because they think they will be viewed as a misogynistic which is so unfair especially when it has happened to them personally. I was so proud of Morrissey when I heard the song, I thought he was very brave to sing about it, most people are afraid to even discuss it let alone sing about it. Bill Burr is another person who I've heard talk about the issue.
It's about the Moor murder's. Sad story.
A morbid masterpiece love you
I know I’m late but I watched The Moors Murders and realized during it that Morrissey did this song about the incident!! LOVE The Smiths. Morrissey is KING...UNMATCHED lyrically and vocally.
One more thing. Although I understand your thoughts...Morrissey nor The Smiths would do songs for “shock value”. ❌🤷🏽♂️
Please review next -The Smiths - Meat is Murder
Look .. when even the cat runs off when you mentioned old Moz. Hilarious stuff. Either way. Viva Morrissey
Sorry I only noticed you read about the moor's murders afterwards. You did a great job!
Ross from friends with a beard? 😂
Lol! I get that a lot.
Please do Hand That Rocks The Cradle next
It must be confusing listening to this without knowing anything about the moor's murders. Morrissey met with Lesley Ann Downey's mum. This was the first ever Smiths songs, Morrissey had written the lyrics before meeting Johnny Marr.
Most of Britain still suffer PTS over this awful crime
Check out joy division Ian Curtis tragic....
The saying was chanted to Hindley in prison no by her.
Ha cat knew how sad the song was gonny be...
Sorry I missed the video just playing gta but as usual it’s a great reaction
em.. sad in a great way..
If you know the context this is a very disturbing song!