Morrissey A-Z: "Hairdresser on Fire"

Reminder that Morrissey fleetingly dabbled in hairdressing himself but abandoned that career in favour of searching for hidden tunnels.

"On Cross Street, Damien and Jason are looking for a stylist. I am not one, but I apply and I am given a trial run until I fail to differentiate between oily hair and an actual wig. There are rumors of tunnels beneath Cross Street and I start to look for them. I am beginning to give insanity a bad name."

And a picture of a hair salon I took in Cologne a while ago.

View attachment 69757

Nothing to add. The song speaks for itself. 🔥
That’s still there. Passed it last year prior to the concert there
 



We start off the H's (of which there are 12) with this song, a B-side from the "Suedehead" single.

What do we think?

Great song the live version on Who Put the M in Manchester is amazing
 
Reminder that Morrissey fleetingly dabbled in hairdressing himself but abandoned that career in favour of searching for hidden tunnels.

"On Cross Street, Damien and Jason are looking for a stylist. I am not one, but I apply and I am given a trial run until I fail to differentiate between oily hair and an actual wig. There are rumors of tunnels beneath Cross Street and I start to look for them. I am beginning to give insanity a bad name."

And a picture of a hair salon I took in Cologne a while ago.

View attachment 69757

Nothing to add. The song speaks for itself. 🔥

Nothing to dissect. It’s pretty much perfect. It’s obviously not a song that’s been heard by those that label
Morrissey ‘Pope of mope’ etc.

And lyrically it has not yet been bettered as far as other artists trying
to write as original of a lyric that Hairdresser is.


‘Can you squeeze me
Into an empty page of your diary
And psychologically save me?
I've got faith in you

I sense the power
In the fingers
Within an hour the power
Could totally destroy me
Or, it could save my life.’


and ...

‘Was a client, over-cautious
He made you nervous
And when he said, "I'm gonna sue you"
Oh, I really felt for you’


pure genius, simply genius. And his tone and delivery is perfect.


Here’s a few comments meanings given to the song made on https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/49980/


Rumoured to be based on the play "The Boy Hairdresser" by Orton/Halliwell.’

Has anyone ever read it, is there really a connection?

hairdresser on fire = FLAMING hairdresser.
I mean...it's a profession where there are a lot of 'flaming' gay men...I think maybe he liked a gay London hairdresser?’



It's like he's mocking the importance Londoners place on their appearance and how hairdressers can make or break your mood/weekend/life!


and least but not last ......

‘I believe moz was being bummed by a hairdresser so he set him on fire’


or even ....


"It's just a very simple song about trying to get hold of a hairdresser."


believe who you want.


;)


back when Vini thought he was gonna replace Street and Morrissey


lol.


karaoke on fire ... have a go! and ..





‘psychologically shave me’
 
hairdresser on fire = FLAMING hairdresser.
I mean...it's a profession where there are a lot of 'flaming' gay men...I think maybe he liked a gay London hairdresser?’

I think the double entendre was maybe not intended but not unwelcome either...

Wonder what his current hairdresser on fire thinks of the song.
 
Nothing to dissect. It’s pretty much perfect. It’s obviously not a song that’s been heard by those that label
Morrissey ‘Pope of mope’ etc.

And lyrically it has not yet been bettered as far as other artists trying
to write as original of a lyric that Hairdresser is.


‘Can you squeeze me
Into an empty page of your diary
And psychologically save me?
I've got faith in you

I sense the power
In the fingers
Within an hour the power
Could totally destroy me
Or, it could save my life.’


and ...

‘Was a client, over-cautious
He made you nervous
And when he said, "I'm gonna sue you"
Oh, I really felt for you’


pure genius, simply genius. And his tone and delivery is perfect.


Here’s a few comments meanings given to the song made on https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/49980/


Rumoured to be based on the play "The Boy Hairdresser" by Orton/Halliwell.’

Has anyone ever read it, is there really a connection?

hairdresser on fire = FLAMING hairdresser.
I mean...it's a profession where there are a lot of 'flaming' gay men...I think maybe he liked a gay London hairdresser?’



It's like he's mocking the importance Londoners place on their appearance and how hairdressers can make or break your mood/weekend/life!


and least but not last ......

‘I believe moz was being bummed by a hairdresser so he set him on fire’


or even ....


"It's just a very simple song about trying to get hold of a hairdresser."


believe who you want.


;)


back when Vini thought he was gonna replace Street and Morrissey


lol.


karaoke on fire ... have a go! and ..





‘psychologically shave me’

"The Boy Hairdresser" is a novel. The play based on the novel is "The Ruffian On The Stair."
Believe who you want, though.
 
Nothing to dissect. It’s pretty much perfect. It’s obviously not a song that’s been heard by those that label
Morrissey ‘Pope of mope’ etc.

And lyrically it has not yet been bettered as far as other artists trying
to write as original of a lyric that Hairdresser is.


‘Can you squeeze me
Into an empty page of your diary
And psychologically save me?
I've got faith in you

I sense the power
In the fingers
Within an hour the power
Could totally destroy me
Or, it could save my life.’


and ...

‘Was a client, over-cautious
He made you nervous
And when he said, "I'm gonna sue you"
Oh, I really felt for you’


pure genius, simply genius. And his tone and delivery is perfect.


Here’s a few comments meanings given to the song made on https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/49980/


Rumoured to be based on the play "The Boy Hairdresser" by Orton/Halliwell.’

Has anyone ever read it, is there really a connection?

hairdresser on fire = FLAMING hairdresser.
I mean...it's a profession where there are a lot of 'flaming' gay men...I think maybe he liked a gay London hairdresser?’



It's like he's mocking the importance Londoners place on their appearance and how hairdressers can make or break your mood/weekend/life!


and least but not last ......

‘I believe moz was being bummed by a hairdresser so he set him on fire’


or even ....


"It's just a very simple song about trying to get hold of a hairdresser."


believe who you want.


;)


back when Vini thought he was gonna replace Street and Morrissey


lol.


karaoke on fire ... have a go! and ..





‘psychologically shave me’


There was a novel, The Boy Hairdresser, which is a version of Joe & Ken's relationship - stuck together with no money.

I can't remember enough to say if it was an influence - but I think if Moz had kept trying to be a playwright he would probably have been Ortonesque & had his breakthrough in the 90s with Mark Ravenhill & Philip Ridley etc.
 
I suspect Morrissey would have been influenced by the radio play if anything maybe?
Which might explain the Autobiography comments about downplaying its connection.
Long time since I read it, but will skim it in a couple of hours.

Screenshot_20210317-023112~2.png


With characters called Mike and Joyce, what's not to like!?
FWD.
 
I suspect Morrissey would have been influenced by the radio play if anything maybe?
Which might explain the Autobiography comments about downplaying its connection.
Long time since I read it, but will skim it in a couple of hours.

View attachment 69766

With characters called Mike and Joyce, what's not to like!?
FWD.

I forgot Joe used the title for The Ruffian On The Stair!

Yeah, he couldn't have read the novel if it was only published in 1999.
 
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Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are the only ones that come to mind that challenge him on this.
Totally agree. But if Morrissey and Pet Shop Boys both deliver 25 % of the greatest b-sides, Suede's contribution is about at least 15 % then, since their singles from 1992 to 1997 were brilliant too.
 
Totally agree. But if Morrissey and Pet Shop Boys both deliver 25 % of the greatest b-sides, Suede's contribution is about at least 15 % then, since their singles from 1992 to 1997 were brilliant too.
The rest is Oasis. They delivered grade A b-sides even late in their career, when their a-sides were shit.
 
The rest is Oasis. They delivered grade A b-sides even late in their career, when their a-sides were shit.

There are times when The Masterplan is my favourite Oasis album so ... agree.

(That's not "late in their career" of course but it still illustrates how good those b-sides were.)
 
There are times when The Masterplan is my favourite Oasis album so ... agree.
Reasonable. They should release a part 2. There are some magnificent gems from 2000-2009 (or at least 2005-ish, as I’m not sure there were any proper b-sides to the DOYS singles).
 
Reasonable. They should release a part 2. There are some magnificent gems from 2000-2009 (or at least 2005-ish, as I’m not sure there were any proper b-sides to the DOYS singles).
Think it was mostly remixes and "Those Swollen Hand Blues". I've pushed Dig Out Your Soul to the very back of my mind, tbh.
The thing I remember the most is that I really hated that artwork. 😅

Stop The Clocks should have been The Masterplan part 2!
 
Think it was mostly remixes and "Those Swollen Hand Blues". I've pushed Dig Out Your Soul to the very back of my mind, tbh.
The thing I remember the most is that I really hated that artwork. 😅

Stop The Clocks should have been The Masterplan part 2!
I like TSHB, actually. And I really think DOYS was a proper return to form. I think they sounded inspired. I should, however, say that I’m one of those people who think that DBTT is one of their worst albums.

Amen!
 
Still does.





Speak for yourself. :lbf:

He’s still singing about my life and for the many that listen to him.




Not all his songs are about that.



And what about the fans that live in Bahrain, Egypt, Ukraine,etc? They would most likely disagree with you.


I mean, Britain is not the world.

And I look forward to the next album.

:cool:
What songs sing your life from the last couple of albums, KS?
 
I like TSHB, actually. And I really think DOYS was a proper return to form. I think they sounded inspired.
I don't think I disliked DOYS. I just haven't listened to it in ages. I might actually do that later though.
I mostly associate it with the split, which is probably unfair.

I should, however, say that I’m one of those people who think that DBTT is one of their worst albums.
Fair enough. I'd say I agree. Most people would probably say Heathen Chemistry, which I profoundly disagree with.
 
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