Morrissey A-Z: "Striptease With a Difference"

BookishBoy

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member






Today's entry is this unreleased Morrissey/Langer composition, recorded first (I think?) in 1989/90 for the then-planned "proper" second album. I've put a couple of versions here, but any further (more precise!) info would be very welcome, obviously.

What do we think?
 
I rather like this playful, silly song. Seems to be a real favourite of M fans but obviously not of M himself since he left it off the 2010 reissue of Bona Drag
 
It's bizarre that with all the reissues and extra tracks, this still hasn't had an official release. Never mind a bonus track, or B-Side, I genuinely think this could have been a successful single at the time. A strong, upbeat stomper of a song, with some good hooks and interesting lyrics. It may be slightly frivolous, but I suspect this probably would have charted higher than 'Piccadilly Palare' if issued in its place.
 
Glorious pop song of the more lightweight kind. Irrestible piano, 10/10 vocal melody, impassionate vocals and hilarious lyrics. The fact that it remains unreleased is inexcusable.
 
one of his funniest songs,somebody cheating at striptease poker so he can lose.only M could write something like this.
funniest line-im stuck on shoes.
8 jacks/10 queens.
 
It was a very special moment in the summer of 2001, when Michael Legge made this cassette public. Morrissey has written more personal lyrics and this one is not as silly as you might think. I could have sworn, Mike Barson was pounding the keys to make it sound like Madness, but it wasn't. The friendship with Cash Smash and Suggs, the production by Langer & Winstanley: everything screams "Madness". I love the song and would still like to receive more info on what was not released from the Bona Drag sessions. For me, Striptease is still more playful as an outtake than almost anything by the latter-day Morrissey.
 
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Shamefully, I’ve never really listened to this before, and ... I’m surprised. It’s a great tune! The lyrics are frivolous to the nth degree, something only Moz can pull off (what other song uses the phrase “have a shuftie” in it?) and the tune is carried along by some bumptious, buoyant piano work. It’s got a swinging groove, and this transitions effectively from major to minor, allowing for melodic development. Easily could have been an amazing b-side or one of the standalone singles from the time (despite its relative similarity to “Piccadilly Palare,” which I actually prefer - shoot me).
A hidden gem.
8/10
 
Have always liked this one; love the 'Madness-esque' plonky piano work, which others allude to. The vocals are really good on this, love Paresi's drumming, but especially love the bass (wonder why? - see below). Not really much info available for this one, & can't determine who played the piano, & while PJLM has nothing to offer on that subject, it suggests, generally, "it was recorded during the "Bona Drag" sessions at Hook End Manor in the winter of 1989 into 1990, with producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. Musicians on this recording were Kevin Armstrong (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Andrew Paresi (drums)."

PJLM further suggests there are 3 outtake versions of this with differing starts.

"So have you ever met a bad winner?
"Well how do you do?""
 
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Found this (PJLM):

"Morrissey in The Face magazine, 1990: "There's a song called Striptease With A Difference which is about playing a game of cards wherein the loser of each game has to take off an item of clothing. And it's about secretly hoping one loses and in fact manipulating the game towards that end.""
 
BookishBoy said:






Today's entry is this unreleased Morrissey/Langer composition, recorded first (I think?) in 1989/90 for the then-planned "proper" second album. I've put a couple of versions here, but any further (more precise!) info would be very welcome, obviously.

What do we think?
Click to expand...

Love this song and always wanted a proper release. Are these two different versions though? Sound exactly the same.
 
Only heard this a handful of times and it’s utterly bonkers, but also brilliant.
Love the pianos and the tempo
And as most have said surprised it hasn’t had a release.
 
Mozmar said:
Found this (PJLM):

"Morrissey in The Face magazine, 1990: "There's a song called Striptease With A Difference which is about playing a game of cards wherein the loser of each game has to take off an item of clothing. And it's about secretly hoping one loses and in fact manipulating the game towards that end.""
Click to expand...
On a side note, Morrissey sings
i want to lose, please let me los.
:)
 
Utterly disposable, but it would have made for a reasonable b-side back in the day. Definitely stronger than Get Off the Stage.

The Bona Drag studio sessions were really patchy.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 217th from 264 solo songs.
 
Mayfly said:
On a side note, Morrissey sings
i want to lose, please let me los.
:)
Click to expand...
Indeed he does:

Bending the rules
of a late night card game
Where the loser removes
an item of clothing
You're dreading each deal
so urgent and grave
Have a shufty over your shoulder
well it's a shady game
and I want to lose
Please let me lose
Please let me lose
it's nothing to you
it's nothing to you
 
Happy to finally hear it! And it is a good laugh too.
I don’t know why it was left in the vault, perhaps Morrissey thought that 2 songs about card games - there’s also Ouiga Board - were too much at the time? As a demo, it sounds more polished and finished than some of the others around that time. It should have been used as the b-side to Our Frank instead of Journalist who lie as far as I am concerned.
 
Always found this to be a fun little song. Does the 2nd of the two versions linked above exist as a MP3? I'm not sure I've ever heard that version and quite like it.
 
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