Ambiguous lyrics, and your interpretations

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

There are several threads like this probably, so shoot me if you like.

What do you think are Morrissey's most ambiguous lyrics, and what would your interpretation of said lyrics be? I think that ambiguity is one of the greatest strengths and most interesting elements of Morrissey's work. More from me later.

 

[MuteWitness616]

There are several threads like this probably, so shoot me if you like.

What do you think are Morrissey's most ambiguous lyrics, and what would your interpretation of said lyrics be? I think that ambiguity is one of the greatest strengths and most interesting elements of Morrissey's work. More from me later.

**shoots you**

 

[Deleted member 132]

**shoots you**

Would you mind if I made sure they're dead?

 

[Dave]

A plastic bag stranded at the lights
This once was me ...

I don't know what this means.

edit: but the person's been shot now, so maybe I should forget it.

 

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

**shoots you**

Would you mind if I made sure they're dead?

Thanks guys. Your assassination attempts were much appreciated.

A plastic bag stranded at the lights
This once was me ...

I don't know what this means.

edit: but the person's been shot now, so maybe I should forget it.

I've never really understood that line either.

 

[Amy]

Thanks guys. Your assassination attempts were much appreciated.



I've never really understood that line either.

Pretty mundane, but I always thought he was referring to a pedestrian (carrying shopping, 'a plastic bag') being 'stranded' waiting for the lights to change so they could cross.

 

[Patrick!]

the "plastic bag" line has always reminded me of the film american beauty, even though the flick came out years later.

 

[Pokey]

Yeah I took it that it was just a way of saying "I used to be an average schmuck like that"

 

[JD93]

Deleted

 

[spandrel]

His lyrics are about not wanting to admit you're a fairy. But if you won't admit you're a fairy, you can't get with other fairies very well these days. Hence the grand predicament of our Moz.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Why does everything he write have to boil down to his sexuality? There's more to life than a dick and a vag.

 

[Neader]

But not much more!

 

[spandrel]

There's more to life than a dick and a vag.

Rectal love makes the world go round.

 

[dailyalice]

His lyrics are about not wanting to admit you're a fairy. But if you won't admit you're a fairy, you can't get with other fairies very well these days. Hence the grand predicament of our Moz.

Really? Really???? *decides it's not worth arguing about*

With cops being in the song, I thought it was about being left holding the baggie....

Does anyone else wonder if there's a demo out there somewhere in which he actually sings "I'm a poet" a la "Paint A Vulgar Picture?"

 

[Pokey]

theres a demo where he sings Paint a vulgar picture??

 

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

theres a demo where he sings Paint a vulgar picture??

Yes, it has an extra verse. I think the exact lyric is "And they paint a vulgar picture of the way they say you were" (cheers, Mozipedia!). Unfortunately the demo hasn't surfaced yet though.

Another ambiguous lyric (I think anyway) is "And your mother, she just never knew" in THTRTC. Am I right in remembering that live he once changed it to "your mother need never know"? Anyhow, I think that line and the majority of the song could be interpreted in several different ways.

 

[Raphael Lambach]

theres a demo where he sings Paint a vulgar picture??

You can find more 'bout that there

 

[King Leer]

Exactly. He's visualizing the old, unfamous, unglamorous Moz carrying some fruit and veg back from Tesco or something.

Love the song and its simple theme of Morrissey's own rise to fame.

Pretty mundane, but I always thought he was referring to a pedestrian (carrying shopping, 'a plastic bag') being 'stranded' waiting for the lights to change so they could cross.

 

[A Lonely Soul]

I think it means that life had been passing him by, paying him no heed as he was left there motionless, emotionless and inanimate...but now...

 

[georgejallen]

My God, I always thought that line was so obvious in meaning. I love Morrissey's ambiguity.

To me, "a plastic bag stranded at the lights, this once was me" is Morrissey talking about how he used to be so obsessed with the poetic in life. The stranded plastic bags (much like American Beauty, as Patrick mentioned earlier) whirling in the wind would stop the old Morrissey in his tracks, but now he is a seasoned pro at poetry and only tackles the big boys...

"Sister I'm a Poet" just seems to me like an indulgence of imagery. The kind of thing we've all scribbled down in a notebook at some point. Well, I have