Morrissey A-Z: "Kick the Bride Down the Aisle"

Musically this reminds me of 'Lazy Dykes'

Lyrically it's one of his 'I Hate All Women (Except Chrissy, Tina and My Mum)' types of half arsed efforts he's pumped out every so often

Maybe it could be re-recorded by Quilloghby
 
I am surprised by the range of comments on this one, as if we are all listening to a different song!I suppose our differing interpretations of Kick The Bride Down The Aisle highlight Morrissey's honed skill for managing to load a heavy dose of ambiguity into his lyrics.

Given Morrissey's propensity for penning a fair few songs about the Middle East at this stage in his career (something I could, to be honest, largely do without), I always assumed this song was relating to arranged marriages and what we in the West largely consider as outdated gender stereotypes/roles. Lines such as ''It's the best you can do for everyone's sake' and a line (which I assumed to be from the bride's perspective) 'I know so much more than I'm willing to say' seemed to point me in this direction; a poor, bright and capable girl married off to a dull life, while her, husband who is expected to be the sole breadwinner, is now breaking 'his back in pursuit of a living wage.' While the tides of change have washed over most of us, this couple, this society, hasn't changed, they are 'that stretch of the beach that the tide doesn't reach.' Eventually this girl, knowing no better, accepts her station in her life, lazing and grazing for the rest of her days.

I admit that lines such as 'she just wants a slave' weaken the above argument - but I too assumed that this poor girl has been conditioned to think in such a way, through family, custom and tradition; that she was following the herd because she just knew no better and never thought of breaking the chain. 'Look at that cow in the field, It knows more than your bride knows now' I took as a comment relating to how this poor girl, now a mother, has not used her mind in life and has fulfilled all that was expected of her - a few years down the line she is little more than a teat to the next generation of calves...

Perhaps I have overthought this, but this all jumped out to me at first listen, and that seed stuck!
I can't tell. Do you like it or not?
 
no sorry i did not make it clearer, it's rubbish. BIN.
 
World peace seemed to be a turning point for certain fans in my memory as some seemed to be looking for offenses from morrissey towards anything this point. If they could think of an interpretation that made it ugly or let them take offense then that’s how they took it
 
While this isn't classic Morrissey, I can't say that I have a problem with it. It's only right that he tackles the subject of marriage in a typically contrarian way.

There are one or two nice musical touches and the "stretch of the beach" section is indeed a highlight.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 155th from 264 solo songs.

:thumb:

Contrarian, and yet it’s still a role that a lot of people want to fulfill
in marriage. It’s sad that only Morrissey is brave enough and feels it’s important enough a subject to keep on pointing out and tackling through the vehicle of ‘pop’ song.

Instead of lazy surface reading and criticism, we should be applauding him.



Just hideous lyrics on this one and I don't care if it's "not from his perspective" or whatever. Ugh.

Unfortunately, it’s still in this day and age a perspective that many have, regarding what’s expected in
marriage and the role gender plays.


Rolling Stone called it "depressing", "sarcastically misogynistic" and a "dirge" when reviewing its first live outing.
That said,
You're that stretch of the beach
That the tide doesn't reach...

is an interesting couplet for a song I don't particularly care for.
Young's vocal on this actually isn't majorly out of place or jarring either.
Regards,
FWD.

The usual lazy journalism.
 
Awful, awful song. Mostly because of the dreadful lyrics. It’s songs and lyrics like this one that makes me wonder what the hell happened to our Mozzer post Refusal. There are too many songs/lyrics between 2011 and 2020 (even though Dog has several exceptions) that completely lack finesse, wit, warmth and/or compassion. It makes me wonder. But hey, don’t get me wrong. There are many beautiful songs and lyrics from these years, as well.
Years of Refusal was the last album that had Alain Whyte on it. That may have something to do with it.
 
The usual lazy journalism.

Yes, horrible. They somehow take one story (i.e. one specific bride) and then generalise it to something universal (this bride = all women). Unfortunately, twisting and turning the truth like this is just too common. If they're not lazy, then they're tabloid and want to create controversy and headlines. Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood
 
Below average/poor

sadly

Well, in comparison I can see how one may have that opinion. And it’s not my favorite Morrissey song.

As always it’s subjective. And even here in a thread like this, I throughly enjoy the song when not judging it or trying to measure it up against some idea in my mind of what is a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ Morrissey song.
 
Yes, horrible. They somehow take one story (i.e. one specific bride) and then generalise it to something universal (this bride = all women). Unfortunately, twisting and turning the truth like this is just too common. If they're not lazy, then they're tabloid and want to create controversy and headlines. Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood

informative.


Rolling Stone called it "depressing"

Is pretty much all that one needs to read to show the lack of insight intelligence and effort put into the ‘observations’ and opinions/criticisms by this and most music.. ‘journalists’.


Morrissey said it best recently...

“There is no place in modern music for anyone with strong emotions. Limitations have been placed on art, and no label will sign an artist who might answer back. Anyway, forgive me, we all know this because we can see how music - and the world in general, has become a mesmerizing mess, and we must let it go spinning along unbearably because free speech no longer exists. We all know this.
In my case, nothing about my life has ever been matter-of-fact; nothing about my songs has ever been matter-of-fact … so why would they now be? Since my very first interview several decades ago I have lived with horrible accusations to such a degree that it is generally understood that 'this is how we write about Morrissey'. In other words, I'm quite used to it. I've had enough horror thrown at me that would kill off a herd of bison. Accusations usually come from someone with a crazed desire for importance; they don't operate at a very high level.”


:cool:
 
Like “The Bullfighter Dies” or “Spent the Day in Bed,” this is one of those songs where I sort of knew what it was going to sound like just by reading the title. I associate most of World Peace with a suspicion on my part of Morrissey no longer having much to say. The next few albums would see him retreading old lyrical territory in less nuanced, less insightful ways.
 
This is a very odd one I find...
Loved it for the first few plays, then went off it.. this is the first time I’ve heard it in some years.
An odd subject matter, and I much prefer the music to the lyrics...
It does sit well in line with WP as there are some odd songs on it, and this is one of them.
I've listened to it many times, and find it haunting when I feel like a bride, but I know very well, that some brides, and grooms too, deserve this. Kick the bride/friend/groom down the aisle.
 
In my opinion, one of the worst songs he has ever recorded.
 
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