Morrissey A-Z: "Ambitious Outsiders"

I always thought the paedophilia angle was pretty blatant:
"Top of the list is your smiling kids
But we'll be smiling too - so that's OK"
I always associated these lines with the satisfying, smiling feeling of revenge.

As I said, to me it reads more as a form of punishment or getting back at society (represented by the parents).
 
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I always thought it was a song about child killers. Also he frets about self- censorship in the diary thingy (I think) so it would have to be something pretty taboo.

It seems to be taunting the parents, telling them there's nothing they can do to protect their kids & thanking them for having them.
 
I always thought it was a song about child killers. Also he frets about self- censorship in the diary thingy (I think) so it would have to be something pretty taboo.

It seems to be taunting the parents, telling them there's nothing they can do to protect their kids & thanking them for having them.
"....unspeakable savagery to those whose child no longer has insides. "

Brutally funny.
 
It's a creepy inversion of Suffer Little Children. Dark, atmospheric, not something I'd really want to listen to.
 
I always associated these lines with the satisfying, smiling feeling of revenge.

As I said, to me it reads more as a form of punishment or getting back at society (represented by the parents).
Getting back at society - by killing their children, yeah. Dark.
 
Kinda like the music on this one.
It's good to hear Moz over strings and things that are kinda different.
Never really figured this song was about some sicko kid abuse though.
Always thought Moz was talkin' about influencin' kids to see past some
of the norms of society.
 
I adore this song, musically and lyrically. Always have. Love the Scott Walker-ish arrangement, love the eerie, creepy and disturbing lyrics. Even went as far as getting a slight alteration of the title of the song tattooed on my arm.
 
One of the strongest on Maladjusted, the menacing atmosphere really pushes the song up.

I do find the lyrics rather interesting, some interpret it as a comment on immigration

It is quite a controversial Moz number, up there with National Front Disco and We'll Let You Know
 
One of the strongest on Maladjusted, the menacing atmosphere really pushes the song up.

I do find the lyrics rather interesting, some interpret it as a comment on immigration

It is quite a controversial Moz number, up there with National Front Disco and We'll Let You Know

If you interpret it as a comment on immigration you're probably sicker than the song.
 
I can certainly see how some people could retroactively interpret it along the lines of such activities as the child abuse rings in Rotherham, Rochadale, etc, where numerous people turned a blind eye to what was going on, (especially given Moz's highly publicised views on immigration) though I'm fairly sure the song predates most of the similar scandals along these lines?
 
I always associated these lines with the satisfying, smiling feeling of revenge.

As I said, to me it reads more as a form of punishment or getting back at society (represented by the parents).

That’s about it, an outsiders perspective. A protest against a straight world.
 
I can certainly see how some people could retroactively interpret it along the lines of such activities as the child abuse rings in Rotherham, Rochadale, etc, where numerous people turned a blind eye to what was going on, (especially given Moz's highly publicised views on immigration) though I'm fairly sure the song predates most of the similar scandals along these lines?

You're not being a subtle troll - but you'll find the British press has been full of child abuse scandals since the 80s from children's homes, to an imported American panic about 'Satanic ritual abuse' to the kidnapping case in Belgium in 96.



 
That’s about it, an outsiders perspective. A protest against a straight world.
I still think it's also about child murderers (and Nerak is right, Morrissey seems to confirm that in the Maladjusted diary).

But their motive is clearly more complex.
 
That's an interesting song, both musically and lyrically. What strikes me most is the sadistic voice (known from other songs as well) and an almost dystopian atmosphere.

As with other Morrissey songs, you get some puzzle pieces (probably not even belonging to the same set) and then have to put them together somehow, and most of the time they will refuse to be equated 100% with any real-life stories. So, I know that some folks came up with some parallels to Chinese population policies, mostly their one-child-policy, for this song.

I think I just see it mostly as a fictional product, like the description of a dystopian society, with naive families on the one side and some self-righteous, sadistic folks on the other who are feeding on the oblivious families and their children, not just by taking their tax money but also eating their children. The idea of making use of human bodies is very common in dystopian literature and film, just think of "Soylent Green" or "Never Let Me Go" , for example.

The line "But do not underestimate us" sounds as if there is a perverted need of appreciation in those sadists in power nevertheless. They are not just satisfied with exploiting ordinary folks smilingly, but they want to see them in terror. And if Morrissey had written a story about this dystopian setting, this would have been the point where the action sets in, as this weakness in character of the exploiters would necessarily lead to resistance within the population.
 
It could be about nobody specific, or everybody, or another song about Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.
Fred and Rose West would have been big UK news in the year before this song was written though, which might be worth considering as a possible inspiration.
 
I still think it's also about child murderers (and Nerak is right, Morrissey seems to confirm that in the Maladjusted diary).

But their motive is clearly more complex.

Far more complex than just a song about child murders. I think a anti-breeder and criticism on heterosexual society and it’s laws and what it defines as what is ‘normal’ and allowed, pops up its head in different ways in many songs, etc.

Morrissey is outsider, his art is his stance, protest and revenge on a world that could never truly understand and accept him, he’s not the only one.
 
The music and the whole fact that it even exists is interesting but it's not one I want to relax and listen to very often.
 
Very interesting track , both , musically and lyrically. Fits very well with the entire album . Always raises some kind of uneasiness :paranoid:
The muggy atmosphere of this song makes it one of Morrissey's standout pieces. I envy those who heard it at the time it was released.
 
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