More "Various Clips" - Morrissey Central; incl. 3 clips of "Bengali...", 2 of "Life Is A Pigsty"

More "unofficial" music videos and a few different folks' YouTube covers of "Bengali in Platforms" and "Life is a Pigsty" posted: https://www.morrisseycentral.com/messagesfrommorrissey/various-clips

 

[g23]

More "is he or isn't he?" race baiting horse shit out of the Drunk uncle. Choosing Bengali in Platforms out of all of his songs is an obvious way to ensure that the discussion and articles keep coming. There's no such thing as bad publicity, right?

 

[William Blake's Seven]

Bengali in Platforms is such a beautiful song. Touching, heartfelt and clumsy. Very Morrissey.

 

[Pablo Honey]

These are all quite amusing. I got a warm and fuzzy feeling watching Kiss me a lot. There is no question Morrissey loves to be kissed by men. I’m now even more determined to plant one on his face myself. Oh well, maybe a hug would be good enough.
I got a chuckle out of the 3! Bengali covers. Ahh Morrissey, you are the ultimate Agent Provocateur.
Needless to say, it was a good start of a day.

 

[Anonymous]

Dropping hints for the new setlist?

 

[SuedeMoz]

I'm assuming it's little Sammy putting these together. Perhaps some context about why these are being highlighted would be useful otherwise I'm not really getting the point. Anyone can put together a list of fave Smiths/Morrissey related videos on YouTube. So, why these?

 

[Anonymous]

Here's another clip to throw back at him.



Altogether now singalong " There's only one human race, many faces, everybody belongs here "

Benny-the-British-Butcher

 

[Thewlis]

Beautiful clips again.
Wonder if any of these are going to make it to the intro films on the upcoming dates.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree that the first thing I thought was perhaps they hints towards the setlist for the upcoming shows but it’s true that Sam is probably behind the posts. I just don’t know but I do second that Bengali is a great song and pig sty is solid. Would love to see either enter the setlist

 

[g23]

Beautiful clips again.
Wonder if any of these are going to make it to the intro films on the upcoming dates.

Calculated nonsense to keep the trash fire burning, or a way to say "I've always been like this, why notice now?"

 

[evennow]

After listening to Bengali again, I really believe the racist overtones that haunt this song come down to his use of the word "belong".

oh shelve your western plans and understand
that life is hard enough when you "belong" here

This gives one the impression that he is not welcome, but I don't feel this is what Morrissey meant to convey. The lyrics that proceed this:

he only wants to embrace your culture
and to be your friend forever

to me shows Morrissey is trying to warn this newcomer that life in the western world is not all that it seems. If he had written:

oh shelve your western plans and understand
that life is hard enough "even if" you "were born" here

would have been a commentary on life in the western world and that the grass is not always greener on the other side. He didn't, and maybe the original was his intended message, but just my two cents.

 

[William Blake's Seven]

After listening to Bengali again, I really believe the racist overtones that haunt this song come down to his use of the word "belong".

oh shelve your western plans and understand
that life is hard enough when you "belong" here

This gives one the impression that he is not welcome, but I don't feel this is what Morrissey meant to convey. The lyrics that proceed this:

he only wants to embrace your culture
and to be your friend forever

to me shows Morrissey is trying to warn this newcomer that life in the western world is not all that it seems. If he had written:

oh shelve your western plans and understand
that life is hard enough "even if" you "were born" here

would have been a commentary on life in the western world and that the grass is not always greener on the other side. He didn't, and maybe the original was his intended message, but just my two cents.

Clumsy? Yes. Beautifully clumsy? Absolutely. In any way racist? Nope.

 

[gordyboy9]

After listening to Bengali again, I really believe the racist overtones that haunt this song come down to his use of the word "belong".

oh shelve your western plans and understand
that life is hard enough when you "belong" here

This gives one the impression that he is not welcome, but I don't feel this is what Morrissey meant to convey. The lyrics that proceed this:

he only wants to embrace your culture
and to be your friend forever

to me shows Morrissey is trying to warn this newcomer that life in the western world is not all that it seems. If he had written:

oh shelve your western plans and understand
that life is hard enough "even if" you "were born" here

would have been a commentary on life in the western world and that the grass is not always greener on the other side. He didn't, and maybe the original was his intended message, but just my two cents.

we all belong somewhere.i think what he is saying is its not a bed of roses here no matter where your from.

 

[Famous when dead]

It would be nice to see the full original lyrics and see how they may differ - also, clearly something on the cards during late Smiths work.
From Mozipedia:
"The title dates back to July 1987 when, as ‘The Smiths’, Morrissey attempted to carry on minus Marr, hiring ex-Easterhouse guitarist Ivor PERRY for an abortive B-sides session at London’s Power Plant studios with Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce. The original ‘Bengali In Platforms’ featured a furious guitar riff, in keeping with Perry’s previous Easterhouse material (specifically their fidgety Clash-inspired 1986 single ‘Whistling In The Dark’) while Morrissey’s first draft took pity on a ‘misguided Bengali’ in a terrible jumper (‘A shame it’s an old one/Has anyone told him?’), repeating the call to ‘shelve your Western plans’.
The reworked Viva Hate version, the first track recorded for the album, featured a much gentler tune by Stephen Street though the lyrical premise was the same. Yet the only contentious word in the song remains ‘Bengali’ itself. As Morrissey commented, ‘There are many people who are so obsessed with racism that one can’t mention the word Bengali. It instantly becomes a racist song, even if you’re saying, “Bengali, marry me.” But I still can’t see any silent racism there.’ On closer inspection, the song’s main subject isn’t race but the more traditional Morrissey theme of outsiderdom, its primary concern being the eponymous Bengali’s vain efforts to be accepted by the mainstream. The oft-quoted ‘life is hard enough when you belong here’ merely reiterates the fact that Morrissey, as a member of Britain’s indigenous white majority, doesn’t belong himself. His message to the badly dressed Bengali, albeit expressed in a way which could be misconstrued as offensive, is simply to celebrate the beauty of their own culture rather than mimic the worst aspects of Britishness. Rightly or wrongly, the lyrical fuss over ‘Bengali In Platforms’ has detracted from the duller reality that, as a piece of music, it’s probably the weakest offering on Viva Hate, otherwise undeserving of any prolonged scrutiny."

Regards,
FWD.

 

[Anonymous]

It's absolutely Sam given he's already confirmed as much when posting the last batch..

Looooooooooooong ago, Morrissey spent more time on the internet than his nephew. But I ain't gonna lie Sammy, a couple of corgis and all is forgiven.

It took me 38 years to find out the singer looks like a nerd, but I still love them to bits!



Since you insist on posting Bengali, here's a movie recommendation. The hundred foot journey. It's not very good, it's really cheesy and full of clichés, but that's precisely why I think you might enjoy it.

Now bring your uncle back here. Yes I know he never really left but they don't know that, do they?!
I despair of you sometimes Sam. I really do.

 

[Peppermint]

After listening to Bengali again, I really believe the racist overtones that haunt this song come down to his use of the word "belong".

oh shelve your western plans and understand
that life is hard enough when you "belong" here

This gives one the impression that he is not welcome, but I don't feel this is what Morrissey meant to convey. The lyrics that proceed this:

he only wants to embrace your culture
and to be your friend forever

to me shows Morrissey is trying to warn this newcomer that life in the western world is not all that it seems. If he had written:

oh shelve your western plans and understand
that life is hard enough "even if" you "were born" here

would have been a commentary on life in the western world and that the grass is not always greener on the other side. He didn't, and maybe the original was his intended message, but just my two cents.

I agree, evennow. I've never had a problem with 'life is hard enough when you belong here' - since Morrissey has made a career out of 'not belonging', this meaning always seemed clear to me. However, this song does make me uneasy.
'he only wants to embrace your culture
and to be your friend forever'
always feels a bit snide and mocking to me. I don't hear those words at face value, I hear them in a sarcastic way (maybe that's a British thing). Interesting to see in FWD's post above that the original lyrics were going to include a line about his awful jumper: '‘A shame it’s an old one/Has anyone told him?’ , which to me seems to suffer from the same problem.
So I'm never quite sure what to make of it.

 

[Cornflakes]

FREE TOMMY ROBINSON!

Not interested, even at that price.

 

[Anonymous]

To borrow the word Bengali is a beautifully light and gentle vocal. Do people think that Stephen street would record a racist song. From what I know of him I would doubt it

 

[Anonymous]

Sammy's only happy when he's 4cking things up
I make this claim now let me explain !

He's 4ckin useless with a camera !
He's 4ckin useless with artwork !
He's 4ckin useless filming video footage !
He's 4ckin useless at P R !
He's 4ckin useless posting shit about motorbike cops in Rome !
He's 4ckin useless on social media !

4ckin hell ! Prince Edward is more useful than this stupid prick.

Get a 4kin job Sammy lad FFS ! Gary Barlow lookalike's are in high demand for weddings apparently, surely you could blag those gigs ? Just turn up as you are and smile for the camera with the bride
You CAN do it lad.
Now 4ck off and leave Uncle Steve and Diesel alone.

Benny-the-British-Butcher

 

[Anonymous]

I agree, evennow. I've never had a problem with 'life is hard enough when you belong here' - since Morrissey has made a career out of 'not belonging', this meaning always seemed clear to me. However, this song does make me uneasy.
'he only wants to embrace your culture
and to be your friend forever'
always feels a bit snide and mocking to me. I don't hear those words at face value, I hear them in a sarcastic way (maybe that's a British thing). Interesting to see in FWD's post above that the original lyrics were going to include a line about his awful jumper: '‘A shame it’s an old one/Has anyone told him?’ , which to me seems to suffer from the same problem.
So I'm never quite sure what to make of it.

I see the deleted line as a snide comment about the British and there snobbish judge mental attitudes towards outsiders