Morrissey A-Z: "Father Who Must Be Killed, The"

Like most Ringleader tracks, I don’t skip it when it plays on shuffle, but it’s not one I’d go out of my way to listen to.
 
It just doesn't do much for me. I guess the best thing I can say is that Morrissey's voice sounds good. But that's a bit of a given at this point in his career. Overall it just feels bland - there's nothing particularly witty or quotable in the lyrics. To me it seems like Morrissey is just putting a vocal down on top of some music... but I don't feel the inspiration. IDK, maybe there's something bigger here that I'm not getting...?
 
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I thinkt it is a beautiful song! It's my number 4 on the album.
1 On the streets I ran
2 To me you are a work of art
3 I'll never be anybody's hero now
4 The father who must be killed
 
I don't want to be too unkind, but this is one of the least memorable pop songs I've ever heard. (Made even stranger by the fact that it's followed on the album by a truly great song.)
 
Difficult one. Sometimes, I do think it sounds like 90s Mozzer, then again, I think, it goes nowhere @ all.
 
The lyrics are what saves this song. When you sit down and read them, they actually impress. The tune, however, is not much to write home about, nor the thick, heavy arrangement. And I don’t think highly of the children’s choir.
 
One of the least impressive songs on a fine album.

Morrissey does his best to inject some drama with both his lyrics and vocal performance, but the tune is just too dull and repetitive. It's another of those songs where Morrissey has to try to manufacture a melody because the musicians have given him very little to work with.

Thematically it's also not that the kind of song that I am so keen on.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 150th from 264 solo songs.
 
its a horror story,its about abuse,its about getting your comeuppance for your crimes.always liked having a childrens choir on something so dark.
i like it though not many people do.
 
An OK song, one of many on Ringleader that is handicapped by the thin and dynamic-less production: disappointing considering Visconti's great catalogue of productions for Bowie, Bolan etc. Using the children's choir so close after "Youngest Was The Most Loved" also makes this fade into the background that much more. The tune is nothing to write home about: even Moz's vocal melody isn't very creative compared to usual. No, not one of my favourites.
 
I think it's the weakest song on that album. He doesn't even seem to be too excited about singing it.
Some of the music is interesting. I'd give it a 2/10
 
I just finished reading a long book about a woman who sought to have her father killed. It's a sad story, about Patricia Columbo, and Frank DeLuca.
 
I like the line about how he chews his food ripping through her senses.
 
Here's what Morrissey had to say about ROTT & this track in Autobiography:
"Alain's writing for ROTT had elegantly surpassed itself , with what would become Life is a pigsty, I will see you in far-off places and The father who must be killed defined for all time as the very best."

Regarding the latter, it is definitely an overstatement, as Alain has written better songs for this album as well as other albums. Lyrics are fine, nothing that irritates me but nothing quotable either. In sum, this track doesn't rise above the average album track (for me).
 
I respect the effort as the structure of the song is a bit unusual, at least for Morrissey, but it is just an okay song for me.
 
Bouncy horror story... he's very detached sounding. Suspect it's repressed rage.
 
There is one masterpiece and 11 very strong songs on the Ringleader of the Tormentors album. The Father To Be Killed is not a masterpiece, but a very important song. When I'm in a bad mood, I play it very loud.... Then... so shall you
 
It’s one of my absolute favourite Morrissey songs. I can’t believe its not more popular. It’s a funny old world.
 
It’s one of my absolute favourite Morrissey songs. I can’t believe its not more popular. It’s a funny old world.
True, I love it as well, I can't believe people don't like it. Very emotional and musically perfect for me. A good one to sing along.
 
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