The Eureka Moment: What Got You Hooked?
- Thread starter Sybil Vane
- Start date
the_kaz
Active Member
It's ironic that most people associate Morrissey with depression, but before I became a fan I used to think that he was so funny. I was indifferent about the actual music for a very long time, but songs like 'Bigmouth Strikes Again', 'Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others' and 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' (which I thought, and still think, is tongue-in-cheek) cracked me up every time I'd hear them.
Case in point, the moment I got "hooked":
I copied Morrissey's then latest album, 'You Are the Quarry', from a friend of mine. As I said, I felt indifferent about his music, but I wanted to expand my musical horizons, so I thought I'd give him a go based on his reputation. I listened to it a few times. It was pretty good. I genuinely liked it. But I was a long way from being "hooked".
Then, one day as I was tidying my room, 'The World is Full of Crashing Bores' came on Shuffle. The following verse jumped out at me:
What really lies beyond the constraints of my mind?
Could it be the sea, with fate mooning back at me?
No, it's just more lock-jawed pop stars
Thicker than pig shit, nothing to convey
They're so scared to show intelligence
It might smear their lovely career
I was in hysterics. I knew that Morrissey was clever and witty and, above all, funny, but I'd never really listened to his lyrics properly to realise just how clever, witty and funny he actually was. I suddenly realised that this guy was a lyrical genius, and I started to actually listen to his lyrics after that moment.
I didn't become the obsessive fan that I am now for a lot longer. But that was the moment that he had me hooked.
Case in point, the moment I got "hooked":
I copied Morrissey's then latest album, 'You Are the Quarry', from a friend of mine. As I said, I felt indifferent about his music, but I wanted to expand my musical horizons, so I thought I'd give him a go based on his reputation. I listened to it a few times. It was pretty good. I genuinely liked it. But I was a long way from being "hooked".
Then, one day as I was tidying my room, 'The World is Full of Crashing Bores' came on Shuffle. The following verse jumped out at me:
What really lies beyond the constraints of my mind?
Could it be the sea, with fate mooning back at me?
No, it's just more lock-jawed pop stars
Thicker than pig shit, nothing to convey
They're so scared to show intelligence
It might smear their lovely career
I was in hysterics. I knew that Morrissey was clever and witty and, above all, funny, but I'd never really listened to his lyrics properly to realise just how clever, witty and funny he actually was. I suddenly realised that this guy was a lyrical genius, and I started to actually listen to his lyrics after that moment.
I didn't become the obsessive fan that I am now for a lot longer. But that was the moment that he had me hooked.
biru
get the f* out of my lawn
My Eureka moment wasn't related to a song in particular. I was in first grade, a little child and I came home really depressed because kids are evil and some teachers are retarded. I went to my sister's room and I used to put different cds on in search of the song that had that strange appeal to me because I'd heard it from outside the room when she was home... I looked and I found the song I liked was on an album by The Smiths that had a cover of a very lonely looking girl... and the song was "There is a light that never goes out". Two years later or so (note that my sister only had the Singles cd at the time), she came home with Morrissey's 'Suedehead' and I loved "Picadilly Palare" but I still didn't know any english and my sister sometimes refused to tell me what the lyrics meant... as I would to my nieces if they asked what he was saying in "November Spawned a Monster" but, when I got old enough to have english classes and was actually goddamn good at it, I started to get to understand the lyrics and it gained a whole new amount of magic to me... it helped me throughout all my goddamn life and I'm thankful for that... if I didn't have The Smiths or Morrissey, what would I come home to to make me forget?
atomicmouse
New Member
my friend made me a cd with hand in glove and there is a light on it. i enjoyed them a lot but didn't care much to look deeper.
then, i remember a few months later hearing 'the boy with the thorn' and 'panic' and being blown away because it was so real to me.
then, i remember a few months later hearing 'the boy with the thorn' and 'panic' and being blown away because it was so real to me.
Had downloaded a slew of albums including all Smiths and a couple solo. I listened to Your Arsenal, and enjoyed it like any other album (because I only download good albums), and then Tomorrow came on. My ultimate reaction was something like "Haaaaa this bastard stole my mantra of 'oh the pain,' I'm going to kick his ass."
Ever since then I've been on a quest to kick Morrissey's ass.
Ever since then I've been on a quest to kick Morrissey's ass.
Last year I happened upon a youtube clip of a 2004 Morrissey interview by Jonathan Ross. Morrissey was so witty that I was intrigued to learn more about him.
He sang "Every Day Is Like Sunday" and I was totally gone! I spent the next day listening to every youtube clip I could find and then purchased the entire Smiths and Morrissey discography over the next few months. The rest is history....I am officially addicted.
He sang "Every Day Is Like Sunday" and I was totally gone! I spent the next day listening to every youtube clip I could find and then purchased the entire Smiths and Morrissey discography over the next few months. The rest is history....I am officially addicted.
StatelyWayneManor
New Member
Great thread. I remember it like it was yesterday...
College dorm. Suitemate handed me a tape with a depressing cover.
The cassette (remember those) was at the end of the 1st side so
I started with the 1st song on the second side..."Bigmouth Strikes Again".
The rest is his story.
College dorm. Suitemate handed me a tape with a depressing cover.
The cassette (remember those) was at the end of the 1st side so
I started with the 1st song on the second side..."Bigmouth Strikes Again".
The rest is his story.
morrisseychic
Seasick Yet Still Docked
Watching the Suedehead video in 1987 or 1988. When out and bought all The Smiths tapes after. Been hooked ever since
Born In 1975
Member
In 1992 when I was 16 years old a friend made me a mix tape of Moz/Smiths. Listening to it in my car, the line “16, clumsy and shy” stood out and before I could say “that’s the story of my life”, he sung it.
oscillate wildly
New Member
dude, I want to help.
ellay mort
New Member
'last night i dreamt that somebody loved me' did it.
i was given a few songs, played 'london' and wrote the smiths off as a punk band for some reason (which at the time i wasn't into, for shame). months later last night came on shuffle, i let it play in the background and about halfway through- the lyrics started to register, and it just hit me like a brick. i stopped what i was doing and sat down and listened. and then played it over. and over. and over.
i recognized exactly the emotions he was describing, i knew he had felt them too, that only someone who got it could describe it in that way. slowly i started to realize, he said all the things i had felt acutely but kept so guarded, things i was ashamed of feeling. all the things i thought no-one understood. he hacked my brain.
i was given a few songs, played 'london' and wrote the smiths off as a punk band for some reason (which at the time i wasn't into, for shame). months later last night came on shuffle, i let it play in the background and about halfway through- the lyrics started to register, and it just hit me like a brick. i stopped what i was doing and sat down and listened. and then played it over. and over. and over.
i recognized exactly the emotions he was describing, i knew he had felt them too, that only someone who got it could describe it in that way. slowly i started to realize, he said all the things i had felt acutely but kept so guarded, things i was ashamed of feeling. all the things i thought no-one understood. he hacked my brain.
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pkw
Junior Member
i wasn't that fussed about the smiths with what i'd seen of them until my girlfriend game me hatful of hollow to listen to, how wrong was i, i was blown away and have been ever since, soon after this i went to my first ever gig, the smiths at the royal albert hall during the meat is murder tour.
i have been hooked ever since.
i have been hooked ever since.
GirlAfraid23
New Member
You're very lucky to see Royal Albert Hall gig in 1985 which I was unable to because I didn't have money to travel from Japan.
Japanese record company was eagar to have Smiths Japan tour, but Morrissey refused to travel longhaul flight.
They decided to organise a tour to see Meat Is Murder tour, at one point guranteed to meet the band.
I was aware of Smiths through some magazines in 1983.
However, wasn't paying attention too much until 16th September 1984 I listened to UK top 40 programme on radio (equivalent to BBC) which played William, It Was Really Nothing.
My addiction began.
I managed to travel to UK in July 1986 saw four Smiths gigs in the end.
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FallOfFingolfin
New Member
While I had listened to The Queen is Dead a few times, I didn't really "get" it yet, until...
If you're so funny, why are you on your own tonight?
If you're so funny, why are you on your own tonight?
frenchybutchic
Junior Member
1987.
Listening to "Half A Person" from "Louder Than Bombs".
The line:
She said: "In the days when you were hopelessly poor,
I just likeed you more"
Listening to "Half A Person" from "Louder Than Bombs".
The line:
She said: "In the days when you were hopelessly poor,
I just likeed you more"
libertine99
New Member
2007 - summer holiday in Triest, italy, alone, 27
I thought Ill give "the Queen is dead" another chance and just had it on repeat, although I thought "nothing particularly special",
whereas suddenly in grado on a bridge over the sea, it reached me
I know its over -> "And if you're so clever then why are you on your own tonight? ....."
from this moment, I was cornered and caged.
and I had lost all hope in ever getting "into" a band again really, before that.
im not sure it will happen again, anytime in my life, therefore im so glad, I found morrissey
I thought Ill give "the Queen is dead" another chance and just had it on repeat, although I thought "nothing particularly special",
whereas suddenly in grado on a bridge over the sea, it reached me
I know its over -> "And if you're so clever then why are you on your own tonight? ....."
from this moment, I was cornered and caged.
and I had lost all hope in ever getting "into" a band again really, before that.
im not sure it will happen again, anytime in my life, therefore im so glad, I found morrissey
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