THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

940-Morrissey-Suedehead.

1988-Number 6 single.

Best Bit-At 2.32. ‘Oh it was a good lay, good lay, it was a good lay, good lay.’ The words of the worlds most famous celibate (apart from the Pope of course.)

‘Suedehead’ was the first solo single released by Morrissey (see also best songs 673-222-167-72 and 42) after the split of ‘The Smiths,’ it was issued in February 1988, and later appeared on his debut solo studio Album ‘Viva Hate,’ which was released approximately one month later. ‘Suedehead’ was co-written by Morrissey, (lyrics) and Stephen Street, (music) who was also the producer of the single, and it’s parent Album. The song gave Morrissey the confidence to realise that he could be successful away from The Smiths, in fact when it made Number 6 on the UK top 40, it out performed any of The Smiths singles, as ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now,’ and ‘Sheila Take a Bow,’ had both only peaked at Number 10.

Stephen Street (see also best songs 595-256 and 21) was born Stephen Brian Street on March 29, 1960, in Hackney, London, England. Street first met Morrissey in 1984, when working as an in-house engineer for a session for The Smiths ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now,’ he later said,’I’d seen them just shortly beforehand on ‘Top of the Pops’ doing ‘This Charming Man,’ and like most other people around that time who were into music I was really excited by them.’ Street would go on to work as an engineer on The Smiths third studio Album ‘The Queen Is Dead’ in 1986, and then with Morrissey, and Johnny Marr, he co-produced The Smiths fourth and final studio Album ‘Strangeways, Here We Come,’ in 1987. Street would become one of main influences on the ‘Britpop’ boom of the mid 1990’s, producing Albums for the likes of ‘Blur,’ ‘Catatonia,’ and ‘Sleeper,’ and his success didn’t slow down in the 21st Century, as his Album production skills were still highly in demand, for artists including Pete Doherty, and the Kaiser Chiefs.

For Morrissey’s debut Album ‘Viva Hate,’ Stephen Street played the bass guitar. Morrissey also hired Viny Reilly, who played guitar, and keyboards, and Andrew Paresi, who played the drums, and percussion. The song lyrics to ‘Suedehead’ are open to interpretation, but in all probability the narrator has had a fling with someone, he doesn’t want to continue the relationship, but the other party becomes obsessive, by going behind the narrator’s back, and sneaking a look in his diary, which the narrator finds over obtrusive and sickening. In the end, all the narrator can think is, that all the relationship was, ‘was a good lay,’ and he wishes that the other person would also leave it like that.

‘Suedehead’ is also the title of a 1971 novel by the author Richard Allen, (1922-1993) on which Morrissey has commented,’I did happen to read the book when it came out, and I was quite interested in the whole Richard Allen cult, But really I just like the word ‘Suedehead’.’ Morrissey has also confirmed that ‘Suedehead’ is about a figure he knew from his teenage years, though he refused to specify the individual, he has said,’I’d rather not give any addresses and phone numbers at this stage. The song took its title from the Suedehead subculture.’ Shortly after the release of ‘Suedehead’ in June 1988 in an interview with the American music magazine ‘Spin,’ Morrissey explained that,’A Suedehead was an outgrown skinhead, but outgrown only in the hair sense. An outgrown skinhead who was slightly softer, not a football hooligan. Back in ’71, when youth cults were on the rampage in Manchester, there was a tremendous air of intensity and potential unpleasantness. Something interesting grabbed me about the whole thing. I don’t think there were any good guys, everybody had several chips on several shoulders. There was a great velocity of hate. Everybody got their head kicked in. It’s made me what I am today.’

‘You had to sneak into my room, just to read my diary. It was just to see, just to see, all the things you knew I’d written about you, oh, so many illustrations. Oh, but I’m so very sickened, oh, I am so sickened now.’