Viva Hate
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Viva Hate (also known as Education in Reverse) is rock artist Morrissey's debut solo album, released on March 22, 1988. The album, which is in many ways a reflection on growing up in the 1970s, established that Morrissey was to be taken seriously as a solo artist. It was more successful than any of Morrissey's work with The Smiths and was musically innovative; at the same time, guitarist Vini Reilly was displeased with some of the music and Morrissey was displeased with some of the lyrics. The album went on to the top of the charts in England.
The album was released a mere six months after The Smiths' final album, Strangeways Here We Come. The title predicts the content: Morrissey's lyrics are sardonic and filled with invective, while some of the tracks deal with the harshness of the breakup of The Smiths.
From the octave dropping electric guitar that opens the song to the guillotine noise that closes it, it is clear that Morrissey's solo work will differ greatly from that with The Smiths. Although later on Bona Drag he would write and sing pop, from Your Arsenal onward it is clear that Morrissey was interested in a heavier, more rock-oriented sound than he had created with The Smiths, and this trend is established on Viva Hate.
Contents |
Songs
"Alsatian Cousin", the track that opens the album, has Morrissey demanding an answer to the question, "Were you and he lovers?" to the tune of heavy, piercing guitars. "Little Man, What Now?" is a somber piece about a failed television star.
The third track, "Everyday Is Like Sunday" was released as the second and final single from the album, peaking at #9 in the United Kingdom. Morrissey has said that no-one, including those who covered the song (e.g. Natalie Merchant, whom he later jibed at on the B-side "Have-a-Go-Merchant") understood what it meant. Its orchestration was by Stephen Street.
Track four, "Bengali in Platforms", was a controversial song on the album. Morrissey sings, "Life is hard enough when you belong here" and "Shelve your Western plans", seemingly indicating a virulent racism and intolerant attitude toward immigrants to the UK.
Morrissey has refrained from justifying himself in the face of the more fundamentalist interpretations of this song as racist.
"Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together" follows, a track featuring only Morrissey's voice and a string arrangement. Morrissey later said that the track was about his former Smiths band mate Johnny Marr.
"Late Night, Maudlin Street" is the album's epic track, at 7:41. The song is a tragic story involving what may very well be a failed suicide attempt (it contains talk about leaving a hospital, and also contains the line "I got 16 stitches all around my head") The song is in many ways a sequel to The Queen Is Dead 's "I Know It's Over".
"Suedehead", Morrissey's debut and highest charting single, opens the second side of the album. Continuing the theme of life in the 1970s, the song is a track built around a bass and piano line. There is some disagreement over what the outro says. Some claim that he said "It was a good lay" while others state that he says "It was a bootleg."
Morrisey had this to say about the song himself (from It May All End Tomorrow Website)
What does Morrissey sing at the end of Suedehead ?
"It was a good lay".
From the Sounds 1988 interview :
I mean, did he really sing, "It was a good lay" at the end of "Suedehead," his
first solo single?
"No, 'It was a bootleg'. I mean, good heavens, in my vocabulary? Please..."
Honestly?
"Well, have I ever been dishonest?" he laughs. "Do people think it was 'a good
lay'?"
I do.
"And is that quite racy?"
Oh, yes.
"Well, it was actually 'a good lay'."
And was there one?
"No, I just thought it might amuse someone living in Hartlepool."[1]
"Break Up the Family" is another sparse track, however, it is led rhythmically by a driven congo beat. The lyrics are rather life affirming.
"Hairdresser on Fire" was the North American CD bonus track. It is not featured on the vinyl pressings of the album. It was a B-Side to the single "Suedehead." The song features Morrisey's tongue in cheek style, and features bells amongst the arrangement.
"Ordinary Boys" is a ballad performed in 6/8.
"I Don't Mind If You Forget Me" is a Smiths-style jangle. While the music is up-beat, the lyrics are somber, a passive-aggressive statement with him basically saying that he does not care whether or not the person in question remembers him at all.
"Dial A Cliche" is another 6/8 ballad. The song is driven more by an acoustic guitar, with an electric guitar providing the harmony. The song hints to being about how he doesn't fit into the norm, and simply doesn't want to be.
"Margaret on the Guillotine" is about the effects of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative party on British society, asking the question, "When will you die?" It ends with the sound of a guillotine coming down. However, due to the subject of this song, his house was searched by police [2].
Track listing
- "Alsatian Cousin"
- "Little Man, What Now?"
- "Everyday Is Like Sunday"
- "Bengali in Platforms"
- "Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together"
- "Late Night, Maudlin Street"
- "Suedehead"
- "Break Up the Family"
- "Hairdresser on Fire" (later pressings only; originally a B-side to "Suedehead")
- "The Ordinary Boys"
- "I Don't Mind if You Forget Me"
- "Dial-a-Cliché"
- "Margaret on the Guillotine"
Special Edition
In 1997, EMI, in celebration of their 100th anniversary, released a special edition of this album in England. It features different cover work, and a different booklet (it has a photograph of a billboard for Beethoven Was Deaf and drops the lyrics), and features 8 bonus tracks. However, the song "Hairdresser on Fire" does not appear on this version (the song was originally added to the North American version of the album as a bonus track). The bonus songs are:
- "Let The Right One Slip In"
- "Pashernate Love"
- "At Amber"
- "Disappointed (Live)"
- "Girl Least Likely To"
- "I'D Love To"
- "Michael's Bones"
- "I've Changed My Plea To Guilty"
In addition to receiving bonus tracks, the album was also remastered.