Morrissey A-Z: "I've Changed My Plea To Guilty"

The fact that this wasn't included on 'Kill Uncle' (especially as it's so lightweight anyway) is so bizarre - one of his strongest tracks from this period, and so - of course - it only ends up dribbling out as a B-side almost a year after being performed on TV. Typical Moz.
 
Mr Shandy and myself have not always trod the straight and legal narrow - far from it (it's legal now, so nither mind). AND YET, there have been times, in our wilder youths and in our disgruntled MIDDLE ages, when we have erred. Oh yes, there has been a lot of erring, I can tell you.

SO, you must picture the scene: Minshull Street Crown Court, April 1995, Mr Shandy ARRAIGNED before the beasts of the bench for what now seems like a minor infraction involving recreational chemical sex enhancers, £3,000 in used fivers and an off-duty plod with a GRUDGE THE SIZE OF VENUS.

Would he? Dare he? The moment had come to decide between a quick fine and a branding iron on the wrist or to PUSH the dreadful misunderstanding further up the fundamentals of the British legal system. Mr Shandy, nervous yet composed. Myself, fluttering a 'kerchief in the public gallery. Mr Shandy rose to his feet and addressed the court in his best Gorton baritone - a Wilde for Shudehill if ever there was one - and announced: 'I CHANGE MY PLEA TO GUILTY'. I was so moved, I tell you.

Fined £300, 100 hours community service and a mention in the Manchester Evening News.

Bastards.
Hahaha

the best post I’ve ever read. Magnificent.
 
Mr Shandy and myself have not always trod the straight and legal narrow - far from it (it's legal now, so nither mind). AND YET, there have been times, in our wilder youths and in our disgruntled MIDDLE ages, when we have erred. Oh yes, there has been a lot of erring, I can tell you.

SO, you must picture the scene: Minshull Street Crown Court, April 1995, Mr Shandy ARRAIGNED before the beasts of the bench for what now seems like a minor infraction involving recreational chemical sex enhancers, £3,000 in used fivers and an off-duty plod with a GRUDGE THE SIZE OF VENUS.

Would he? Dare he? The moment had come to decide between a quick fine and a branding iron on the wrist or to PUSH the dreadful misunderstanding further up the fundamentals of the British legal system. Mr Shandy, nervous yet composed. Myself, fluttering a 'kerchief in the public gallery. Mr Shandy rose to his feet and addressed the court in his best Gorton baritone - a Wilde for Shudehill if ever there was one - and announced: 'I CHANGE MY PLEA TO GUILTY'. I was so moved, I tell you.

Fined £300, 100 hours community service and a mention in the Manchester Evening News.

Bastards.
We've all been in that situation. Swines!
 
The fact that this wasn't included on 'Kill Uncle' (especially as it's so lightweight anyway) is so bizarre - one of his strongest tracks from this period, and so - of course - it only ends up dribbling out as a B-side almost a year after being performed on TV. Typical Moz.
I suspect it may have been recorded after Kill Uncle's release? Could be wrong. I think Moz often played catch-up with respect to recording songs for b-sides, scheduling specific sessions in order to do so.
 
Time to roll out the superlatives...best b-side, best TV performance, best hair (and make up!), best piano led song, best use of a sample...worst case of a wonderful song being omitted from an album in favour of a weaker track.

Was it omitted from an album (KU?) in favor of a weaker track?

If so, I’m glad it wasn’t on KU, it’s too good for it.

:cool:


‘outside there is a pain ....”
 
I suspect it may have been recorded after Kill Uncle's release? Could be wrong. I think Moz often played catch-up with respect to recording songs for b-sides, scheduling specific sessions in order to do so.
That's a good point - while it was performed live in Dec 1990 before Kill Uncle's release - when was it recorded?

10/10 for me. It reminds me of the optimistic time when it seemed that Morrissey's music was just going to get progressively better... and it definitely did for a period. Finally, a brilliant pairing with "My Love Life" as the A-side - even though I think this is the stronger song.
 
A perfect song, as everyone else obviously knows. It would never have worked on Kill Uncle, it's simply too strong and would have instantly thrown off the balance of the entire record. It reminds me a bit of this Leonard Cohen song, which isn't out of the question given that the lift for "Hand in Glove" comes from the same record.

 
Was it omitted from an album (KU?) in favor of a weaker track?

If so, I’m glad it wasn’t on KU, it’s too good for it.

:cool:


‘outside there is a pain ....”
Hey KS - love your work! Hmm it's a tricky one, can a song be "too good" for an album? Would the inclusion of 'ICMPTG' at the expense of, for example, 'FFF' make the album as a whole be 'better' (my '') or would it have derailed it? Would two piano led songs on a 28 minute album be one too many? I know that there is some revisionism taking place around KU at the moment - some of it deserved, some not - but the inclusion of 'ICMPTG' could have saved it from the vitriol and hatred aimed at the album by those who didn't/want to 'get' Morrissey as a solo artist.

All hypothetical, but one of the reasons we are here, I guess?

Never stop posting and never give in to the Skinny led scum...you are one of the main reasons I still visit Morrissey-Solo when time allows. Cheers!
 
A torch song with one of his most sensitive lyrics .

Outside there is a pain
Emotional air raids exhaust in my heart
And it's safer to be inside


No questions ....

First heard on My Early Burglary Years . Even 9/10
 
Though it's tempting to reimagine the album for the umpteenth time, I think it's a mistake to think of tracks like "I've Changed My Plea to Guilty" and "My Love Life" and "Pregnant for the Last Time" as part of Kill Uncle. Obviously these tracks all made their debut on stage at some point in 1991, but they really do occupy their own distinct liminal space between the aforementioned LP and Your Arsenal.
 
One of his best songs. Period. Always remember watching that JRoss performance. And then being pleasantly surprised when it appeared on the My Love Life b-side. Months seemed to go a lot slower back then.

I was fortunate enough to see him perform it at the G-Mex in Manchester Xmas 2006. That was a moment. For me anyway.
 
Hey KS - love your work!
:lbf::thumb:
Hmm it's a tricky one, can a song be "too good" for an album?
In this case, I think so.
Would the inclusion of 'ICMPTG' at the expense of, for example, 'FFF' make the album as a whole be 'better' (my '') or would it have derailed it?
I think KU is fine as is. I can’t imagine what song it would replace.
Would two piano led songs on a 28 minute album be one too many?
Maybe. It just would have been different. And there’s lots of piano in the other songs. I have the feeling Guilty may have been recorded after KU was all wrapped up for release(?), maybe it was too late to even consider it for inclusion, or maybe M felt it didn’t fit and thought it would be better on
a different album, but ended up as a b-side(?).
I know that there is some revisionism taking place around KU at the moment - some of it deserved, some not - but the inclusion of 'ICMPTG' could have saved it from the vitriol and hatred aimed at the album by those who didn't/want to 'get' Morrissey as a solo artist.
Nah, they would just say, ‘I hate KU! except for ICMPTG’. :lbf:
All hypothetical, but one of the reasons we are here, I guess?

Never stop posting and never give in to the Skinny led scum...you are one of the main reasons I still visit Morrissey-Solo when time allows. Cheers!
Aw, shucks.:blushing::thumb:
 
Though it's tempting to reimagine the album for the umpteenth time, I think it's a mistake to think of tracks like "I've Changed My Plea to Guilty" and "My Love Life" and "Pregnant for the Last Time" as part of Kill Uncle. Obviously these tracks all made their debut on stage at some point in 1991, but they really do occupy their own distinct liminal space between the aforementioned LP and Your Arsenal.

agree. I’m seeing that period between KU and YA as a transitional period. KU was a misstep, and it took a little time to get back on solid ground. Bona Drag as an album rather than a compilation didn’t happen, guess there may have been pressures from EMI/Sire to tour, put out KU and find a band to write and play out with, and I’m guessing there was a lot of draining judiciary(?) things going on at the same time, with Street and I think Gannon also? Could be wrong.
 
Time to roll out the superlatives...best b-side, best TV performance, best hair (and make up!), best piano led song, best use of a sample...worst case of a wonderful song being omitted from an album in favour of a weaker track.
We are talking 1991 though, still a time when an B-side was as important as an A-side, and an EP as important as a LP. Certainly in the world of Moz.
 
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