"Israel" should be released as a solidarity single now

[T. H. Auden]

Just like after the Paris attacks in 2015, where Morrissey wanted to re-release "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", now is the time for Morrissey (who received the keys to Tel Aviv in 2012) to show his support after the barbaric attacks on innocent civilians. I'm sure most of the Israeli population haven't heard the song before. Now would be the perfect timing to push "Israel" for LIHS, and I think the population of Israel could find the lyrics a bit comforting during these hellish times:

"You realize if you're happy,
Jesus sends you straight to hell?
Israel, Israel
and should you dare enjoy your body:
here tolls Hades welcome bell!
Israel, Israel
you've found a middle course existence
we're all bones and flesh and shell
Israel, Israel
I can't answer for what armies do
they are not you, they are not yo
they are not you
in other climes they bitch and whine
just because you're not like them
Israel, Israel
the sky is dark for many others
they want it dark for you as well
Israel, Israel
earth is just one big asylum
an explosive prison cell
see us squirm in our own damaged spell
you were born as guilty sinners
before you stood up right, you fell
put the fear of many gods in Israel
nature gave you every impulse
who are virgin priests to tell
you how to love, how to live, Israel?
and they who reign, abuse, upon you
they are jealous of you as well
love yourself, as you should, Israel"

 

[Stephen Hofmann]

Just like after the Paris attacks in 2015, where Morrissey wanted to re-release "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", now is the time for Morrissey (who received the keys to Tel Aviv in 2012) to show his support after the barbaric attacks on innocent civilians. I'm sure most of the Israeli population haven't heard the song before. Now would be the perfect timing to push "Israel" for LIHS, and I think the population of Israel could find the lyrics a bit comforting during these hellish times:

"You realize if you're happy,
Jesus sends you straight to hell?
Israel, Israel
and should you dare enjoy your body:
here tolls Hades welcome bell!
Israel, Israel
you've found a middle course existence
we're all bones and flesh and shell
Israel, Israel
I can't answer for what armies do
they are not you, they are not yo
they are not you
in other climes they bitch and whine
just because you're not like them
Israel, Israel
the sky is dark for many others
they want it dark for you as well
Israel, Israel
earth is just one big asylum
an explosive prison cell
see us squirm in our own damaged spell
you were born as guilty sinners
before you stood up right, you fell
put the fear of many gods in Israel
nature gave you every impulse
who are virgin priests to tell
you how to love, how to live, Israel?
and they who reign, abuse, upon you
they are jealous of you as well
love yourself, as you should, Israel"

When terrorists are beheading babies, I'm not sure art has any role.

 

[Anonymous]

Trying to get a number 1 single off the back of a tragedy - did you really have to remind us of the lowest point of Morrissey's career?

 

[T. H. Auden]

When terrorists are beheading babies, I'm not sure art has any role.

You can say the same about e.g. support/solidarity posts on social media. Of course a song won't bring back the dead or solve this horribly complicated, brutal, and seemingly eternal conflict, but music and poetry have helped many souls through hard times. It's just a sign of solidarity.

 

[T. H. Auden]

A poster called "Burned to Harangued" is offended by this, it seems, but too cowardly to express why. The woke mob should take a course in common decency. Then they would see that their behavior is quite uncivilized.

 

[Frank Jobsworth]

I'm not sure it would be good for Morrissey to become the musical face for the siege of Gaza, it might have worked as an idea if the government of Israel responded differently.

 

[Malarkey]

Just like after the Paris attacks in 2015, where Morrissey wanted to re-release "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", now is the time for Morrissey (who received the keys to Tel Aviv in 2012) to show his support after the barbaric attacks on innocent civilians. I'm sure most of the Israeli population haven't heard the song before. Now would be the perfect timing to push "Israel" for LIHS, and I think the population of Israel could find the lyrics a bit comforting during these hellish times:

"You realize if you're happy,
Jesus sends you straight to hell?
Israel, Israel
and should you dare enjoy your body:
here tolls Hades welcome bell!
Israel, Israel
you've found a middle course existence
we're all bones and flesh and shell
Israel, Israel
I can't answer for what armies do
they are not you, they are not yo
they are not you
in other climes they bitch and whine
just because you're not like them
Israel, Israel
the sky is dark for many others
they want it dark for you as well
Israel, Israel
earth is just one big asylum
an explosive prison cell
see us squirm in our own damaged spell
you were born as guilty sinners
before you stood up right, you fell
put the fear of many gods in Israel
nature gave you every impulse
who are virgin priests to tell
you how to love, how to live, Israel?
and they who reign, abuse, upon you
they are jealous of you as well
love yourself, as you should, Israel"

Those lyrics are not appropriate for a war. They don't support the army. It's not sentimental. It's got lines about enjoying your body & virgin priests.

He's not Bono.

 

[Eldritch]

This is just about the worst idea ever. Which means that Morrissey is probably right now crafting a tasteless e-mail pleading the case to BMG.

 

[Lucifer Sam]

Those lyrics are not appropriate for a war. They don't support the army. It's not sentimental. It's got lines about enjoying your body & virgin priests.

He's not Bono.

Of course the song is not appropriate for a war. I agree with everyone else that the suggestion in the OP is bonkers and offensive. But you continually misrepresent this song, ostensibly because it has some lines about sex, but probably (as usual) because you want to absolve Morrissey from having an opinion different from your own.

The singer of the song is steadfastly in solidarity with Israel, even if he "can't answer for what armies do." What Morrissey is somehow ignorant of is that the armies do what they do in order to sustain Israel's very existence—an existence which the singer is positive about: "love yourself | as you should | Israel." The transfer of the land from an Arab majority population into a Jewish majority state is the bone of contention that every one of these conflicts traces back to. Well, Morrissey supports that. Without those armies, he could not be lounging seaside in Tel Aviv having drinks with his generous, nightclubbing Israeli friends.

We have to face it, Morrissey is something of a Zionist according to the lyrics of this song. Giving what's currently going on, if he wants to clarify, he has a blog or he can speak from the stage, since he's touring while this whole thing rages. Nothing so far. "Children shelled? That's all very well." Les Tameside has aptly called Israel "Nietzsche in a nutshell," and I think that's totally correct. Nietzsche greatly admired the tenacity and hardness of the European Jews (see §205 of The Dawn of Day), and among Zionists the admiration was mutual.

 

[Geoffrey Ingram]

I'd prefer Siouxsie & The Banshees song with the title. Thankfully I'm pretty sure Siouxsie would want nothing to do with it

 

[Born to Harangue]

A poster called "Burned to Harangued" is offended by this, it seems, but too cowardly to express why. The woke mob should take a course in common decency. Then they would see that their behavior is quite uncivilized.

These puns on my name are somehow getting worse , it’s at the point where I’m not even sure if it’s a pun or a misspelling.

I could have named this person THC Auden in response but I can’t now because I already reprimanded someone on here recently for making light of drug addiction, so it would be hypocritical of me to do that

If you want to know what I think of Israel you can go to this site’s search bar and type my name along with ‘Israel’ — no cowardice there, I spoke about it openly.

Spoiler: a sneak peek

f*** yourself, as you should, Israhell

 

[T. H. Auden]

Those lyrics are not appropriate for a war. They don't support the army.

Okay, so only songs that support war and armies are appropriate for a war? Sound logic... Perhaps this poster (Malarkey) is just "honour mad cannon fodder"?

 

[T. H. Auden]

Of course the song is not appropriate for a war. I agree with everyone else that the suggestion in the OP is bonkers and offensive. But you continually misrepresent this song, ostensibly because it has some lines about sex, but probably (as usual) because you want to absolve Morrissey from having an opinion different from your own.

The singer of the song is steadfastly in solidarity with Israel, even if he "can't answer for what armies do." What Morrissey is somehow ignorant of is that the armies do what they do in order to sustain Israel's very existence—an existence which the singer is positive about: "love yourself | as you should | Israel." The transfer of the land from an Arab majority population into a Jewish majority state is the bone of contention that every one of these conflicts traces back to. Well, Morrissey supports that. Without those armies, he could not be lounging seaside in Tel Aviv having drinks with his generous, nightclubbing Israeli friends.

We have to face it, Morrissey is something of a Zionist according to the lyrics of this song. Giving what's currently going on, if he wants to clarify, he has a blog or he can speak from the stage, since he's touring while this whole thing rages. Nothing so far. "Children shelled? That's all very well." Les Tameside has aptly called Israel "Nietzsche in a nutshell," and I think that's totally correct. Nietzsche greatly admired the tenacity and hardness of the European Jews (see §205 of The Dawn of Day), and among Zionists the admiration was mutual.

It's not bonkers and offensive. The notion that music should only be a part of our lives when we are happy and during mindless celebrations is what's offensive and bonkers. Music is art, and should be treated like that, even though our current superficial culture demands that we only see music as some kind of junk food, art-wise. Morrissey has always championed getting music out of the discos and into real life.

 

[SuedeMoz]

Just like after the Paris attacks in 2015, where Morrissey wanted to re-release "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", now is the time for Morrissey (who received the keys to Tel Aviv in 2012) to show his support after the barbaric attacks on innocent civilians. I'm sure most of the Israeli population haven't heard the song before. Now would be the perfect timing to push "Israel" for LIHS, and I think the population of Israel could find the lyrics a bit comforting during these hellish times:

I believe that was viewed as a cynical, self-serving act at the time, and so would this... but it doesn't matter... it will never happen.

 

[Lucifer Sam]

It's not bonkers and offensive. The notion that music should only be a part of our lives when we are happy and during mindless celebrations is what's offensive and bonkers. Music is art, and should be treated like that, even though our current superficial culture demands that we only see music as some kind of junk food, art-wise. Morrissey has always championed getting music out of the discos and into real life.

All of that is fine. I agree that music should be more than just commercial, but for the love of decency, that doesn't mean Morrissey should release a "solidarity single" with a nation that's cut off food and water to 2 million people (a war crime). Unless he wants to do that, I suppose, but I would prefer he doesn't. Hopefully "I can't answer for what armies do" doesn't in his mind equal "I don't care what armies do."

 

[Harsh Truth]

It's not bonkers and offensive. The notion that music should only be a part of our lives when we are happy and during mindless celebrations is what's offensive and bonkers. Music is art, and should be treated like that, even though our current superficial culture demands that we only see music as some kind of junk food, art-wise. Morrissey has always championed getting music out of the discos and into real life.

How does "Israel" not being a very good song factor in?

 

[Malarkey]

Okay, so only songs that support war and armies are appropriate for a war? Sound logic... Perhaps this poster (Malarkey) is just "honour mad cannon fodder"?

In wartime songs are used to make people feel confident of victory or to console them for their loss.

 

[Anonimito]

Yesterday the keyboard player said "long live peace all over the world" in Spanish. Happy?

 

[Anonymous of Manchester]

Shit song. Shit idea.
Free Palestine.

 

[Josh Goodman]

When terrorists are beheading babies, I'm not sure art has any role.

You need critical thinking, fake news is all we get. Covid hoax, fake wars, fake serial killers, fake terrorists, all state terrorism fear porn to keep you down!

http://mileswmathis.com/40babies.pdf