THE MOZ SINGLES (34)

And so we approach the final few entries in the Morrissey series with a look at what I reckon is an underrated single from December 1992.

mp3 : Morrissey – Certain People I Know

In addition to the sleeve of the CD single, I’ve sourced a copy of the promo single with its tribute to the T Rex 45s of the early 70s….indeed Mrs Villain still has a number of these kicking around from her teenage years….and its entirely apt given that the tune is near enough a rip-off Ride A White Swan, a record which peaked at #2 in late 1970.

I suppose it’s the fact that I’m quite fond of the T Rex singles myself that makes this one of the most enjoyable Morrissey offerings. And while I never bought any T Rex singles as they mostly predated my passion for pop music,I can recall them being played again and again and again on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show (which was always on as I got ready for school) and of course remember seeing Marc Bolan et al perform the hits on Top Of The Pops.

Certain People I Know was the third single to be lifted from the LP Your Arsenal, but it was a full five months after You’re The One For Me Fatty. It was a strange time to issue a single in the midst of all the novelty records that traditionally appear at that time of year, and it was hardly a surprise when it only reached #35, which at the time was the poorest ever performance by a solo single (and it was the 14th in the career).

But there’s one other things to factor in….namely that it was the first Morrissey release since the infamous August 1992 gig known as Madstock when the donning of a Union Jack at his first UK gig in 18 months led to a near riot and the subsequent pillorying of the great man in the NME as an alleged racist.

The fact that the crowd trouble was subsequently found to have little to do with the parading and discarding of the flag was glossed over. The fact that some of the song titles and sentiments were questionable were enough to have the verdict delivered as guilty.

It was a difficult time to be a Morrissey fan, and there’s no doubt it had an effect on the sales of the single. The real irony of course came two years later when having pilloried Morrissey for use of the Union Jack when it was an emblem associated with the far-right extremist parties, the NME couldn’t wait to picture Noel Gallagher with his Union Jack guitar or talk about Geri Halliwell and her Union Jack dress all the while claiming they were triunphs for British music.

Of the two b-sides on the single, one has become a bit of live staple over the years, although the version of Jack The Ripper banged out on stage by his band is often unrecognisable from the original release, while You’ve Had Her is a worthy enough song thanks to a wonderfully short but bittersweet lyric which is dismissive of the blokes who ditch the girl as soon as they’ve had their wicked way….

mp3 : Morrissey – You’ve Had Her
mp3 : Morrissey – Jack The Ripper

The cover shot was taken by one of his oldest friends, Linder Sterling. There’s an unsubstantiated rumour that the sleeve was changed at the last minute, with the word Morrissey written in black ink rather than being spelled out in red, white and blue.

Enjoy.