Customer Reviews

Irish Blood English Heart

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great CD!! 'Irish Blood, English Heart' is a triumphant return to form for Morrissey.

1) Irish Blood, English Heart

A great Pop song. Should be a top 10 hit in the UK & Ireland. His best single since "Now My Heart Is Full" in 1994.

2) It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small

An excellent b-side. Destroys any notion that Moz can't hit the high notes. From the lines "I burst into the public baths and I throw my weight around" the song takes an unexpected twist. "Compadre" is the new "I need advice."

3) Munich Air Disaster 1958

Brilliant. The line "I wish I had gone down with them..." is spine tingling. And when he sings "To where mother nature makes their bed" recalls the famous line from: I Know It's Over - "oh mother I can feel the soil falling over my head."

4) The Never-Played Symphonies

Possibly his best Solo b-side ever. You really feel as though you are in the depths of someone's mind who is dying. As they can see the light fade...we can hear the light fade. Morrissey seems to be singing a song about songs to songs addressed to one song in particular. Who else on Earth could write a pop song in such a way? Nobody. This is an ode to the songs that were never recorded or simply came to him in a flash of the muse like a fairy who dances around you in glitter & glow and then just goes. Moz speaks to that fleeting, ephemeral song/moment that is gone before you have time to grab it and bottle it. The lyrics also suggest a man who is looking back on his life at all the things that did not work out: lost ideals & dead dreams, that as you get older, become part of you and haunt you...for you are no longer young and so become resigned to them. And as he passes away with a tone of regret, sorrow and nostalgia but above all *peace* - these songs/things that never came to be (and not his family, friends and foes) are all that he can see.

I own all of Morrissey's cd's as well as all of The Smiths and let's just say, Morrissey can do no wrong in my eyes. I'm glad to see he's back and as good as ever. Moz is a crooner and he actually has natural vocal ability. He enunciates and has a pleasant enough voice that you can actually understand what he is saying. There's always a message in his words, and he communicates the raw emotion behind those messages with his great voice.

Forget Morrissey's personal life and just listen to his music and you understand more about Morrissey's thoughts and feelings on an array of issues and life events. I'll always be haunted by Moz classics like "Seasick, Yet Still Docked" with it's ghostly and despairing lyrics. Then there's the infectious and catchy rockabilly-esque, "Sing Your Life" (one of Moz's best videos in all it's simplicity and purity.).

The song "Irish Blood, English Heart" let me know right away that Morrissey is back in all his conflicting glory and talent. I've ordered his newwest CD, "You are the Quarry"; I can't wait until it arrives and I have no doubt that I will not be disappointed.

Now if I can just see Moz, in concert, at least once before I die,then, I will be a truly satisfied individual.

I love the three new songs and quite frankly if you want to take in the full essence of Morrissey 2004. This singles album is an indispensable addition.
Five stars would have been given, but hey I already have "You are the Quarry" and don't need to hear "Irish blood, English heart", a second time or third if you include the DVD video version. Moz can get redundant at times!
The exquisite nature and creative beauty found on the three new tracks makes this well worth your while to purchase! Enjoy!

Reflecting from my deathbed
I'm balancing life's riches against the ditches
and the flat gray years in between
All I can see are the never-laid
That's the never-played symphonies

I can't see those who tried to love me
All those who felt they understood me
and I can't see those who very patiently put up with me
All I can see are the never-laid
Or the never-played symphonies

You were one, you meant to be one
and you jumped into my face and laughed
and kissed me on the cheek and then were gone forever
...not quite

Black sky in the daytime
and I don't much mind dying
When there is nothing left to care for anymore
Just the never-laid, the never-played symphonies

You were one, you knew you were one
and you slipped right thru my fingers
No not literally but metaphorically
and now you're all I see as the light fades

First, I want to answer something that was brought up by Henry Platte. Let me say that the song, "It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small" has nothing to do with making fun of Mexicans. It makes references to bath houses and has a sexual innuendo in the title. I would say that Moz is talking about something often used in a bath house.

Anyway, this single is solid and well worth the $7. Irish Blood, English Heart is his best single since he was a member of the Smiths. The rest are typical b-sides, good but not quite good enough for the album. So just think, if these are the leftovers, the album will be great.

Finally something new from the Moz. And what a pleasure to the ears and more! I got this disc thinking that the lead track would be the only reason to keep it for posterity, but boy was I wrong. Every song is worth the last penny I paid for it and leaves us craving for an extra second of music. Let us hope that the album explodes with the same energy and voracious quality of "Irish blood, english heart". A must have for everyone.

Wow. I heard "Irish Blood, English Heart" on the radio and immediately knew I had to have it.. The dark music, Morrissey's voice.. it just strikes some chord with me. And it's lyrically strong, too. The song actually made me get out the encyclopedia and look up Oliver Cromwell (forgive me for not knowing this ahead of time - I'm a Yank). It's thought-provoking stuff here, not anywhere near the usual FM drivel.

I just can't stop listening to this. You have my full recommendation.. PLEASE listen to this! You'll be doing yourself a favor. I can hardly wait until May 18th, when You Are the Quarry comes out.

"The world is made by the singer for the dreamer" - Oscar Wilde, 1886

What a fabulous CD. It really reminded me of what a wonderful vocalist Morrissey is. His vocal skills are at their peak and he sounds absolutely delicious...very velvety and sensual. He even retained the breath intakes in a few of the songs (a la Tori Amos), and the end result will leave you weak in the knees.

The disc contains 3 b-sides, all of which are good. It's so refreshing to see that Sanctuary doesn't want to just take your money and run -- most singles these days contain a few mediocre remixes or a live track and that's it, but this release is just fantastic.

I don't possess the single (YET), but I saw his video for the single last night on CD:UK.

To put it bluntly I was blown away. I've always been a huge fan of political lyrical content and this is certainly that!

'Irish Heart, English Blood' should easily get the guy in the top ten - if not number one in my book.

At last, I've found a male contender who's lyrics similarise those of Thea Gilmore....Now if you ain't heard of her then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT...AND QUICK, SHE IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!!

I've been a fan since Meat Is Murder so anything from Morrissey is cherished. Having said that, there have been ups and downs over the last decade or so and I am happy that this is an up. IBEH is stuck in my head and I've played it over and over and over - until my 11 year old dropped the CD on the driveway and ruined it. Tracks 2 and 4 are also great, but 3 is one of those songs that is missing something.

Buy it. There is hardly anything else out there worth being a devoted listener to anyway...