Album: Louder Than Bombs
Year: 1987
. . .
“Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera”
Another song that had its debut on the late December 1986 Peel session, “Sweet and Tender Hooligan” was another one of the b-sides of “Sheila Take A Bow” as well as one of the absolute highlights of Louder Than Bombs
Kicking off with a panned phased spiraling guitar lick that soon resolves itself into some desperate rhythm guitar, “Sweet and Tender Hooligan” finds Morrissey leading with the chorus while depicting the plight of the titular hooligan.
He was a sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
And he said that he’d never, never do it again
And of course he won’t (oh, not until the next time)
He was a sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
And he swore that he’ll never, never do it again
And of course he won’t (oh, not until the next time)
Morrissey, of course, is on the side of the hooligan, especially in the first verse, as he depicts just a couple of the crimes which had been committed.
Poor old man
He had an accident with a three-bar fire
But that’s OK
Because he wasn’t very happy anyway
Poor woman
Strangled in her very own bed as she read
But that’s OK
Because she was old and she would have died anyway
This is all accompanied by music that is as wild, desperate and fierce as anything the Smiths ever recorded: a companion piece to “Handsome Devil” and “The Queen is Dead,” though closer to the latter in the utterly fire guitar effects Marr deploys throughout.
Jury, you’ve heard every word so before you decide
Would you look into those “Mother me” eyes?
I love you for you my love, you my love, you my love, you my love
Jury, you’ve heard every word but before you decide
Would you look into those “Mother me” eyes?
I love you for you my love, you my love
I love you just for you my love
Like “Is It Really So Strange?” “Sweet and Tender Hooligan” was also written just after The Queen is Dead, and in fact, they tried to record it as a b-side to “Panic,” without getting any takes they really liked, resurrecting it for the Peel session, though it’s one of those songs they never played live, unlike “Is It Really So Strange,” which had been sprinkled into sets all year. Anyways, what makes “Sweet and Tender Hooligan” great is the back half, just after Morrissey finishes the final chorus.
Don’t blame the sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
Because he’ll never, never do it again
And in the midst of life we are in debt, etc
Sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
Because he’ll never, never do it again
And in the midst of life we are in debt, etc
There is some question as to whether or not Morrissey sings “in the midst of life we are in debt” or “in the midst of life we are in death,” as the latter seems a much more Morrissey thing to sing. (And it’s also what I’ve heard, as well.) However, the lyric sheet of Louder Than Bombs firmly has it as “debt,” so we will go with that. However, what’s absolutely clear is what Morrissey sings next, making fun of his own volubility.
Etcetera!
Etcetera!
Etcetera!
Etcetera!
In the midst of life we are in debt, etcetera!
Etcetera!
Etcetera!
Etcetera!
Etcetera!
In the midst of life we are in debt, etcetera!
Those joyous screams of “etcetera!” at the very top of his range are both affecting and pretty fucking funny, and his joy at singing them resonates over the barrage of guitar, drums and bass he’s yelling over. After all of that, Marr takes a pretty long solo, smashing and crashing his guitar all over the track until it collapses into a hail of feedback and reverb. Utterly fantastic.
“Sweet and Tender Hooligan” was eventually released as a single, but not until 1995, as a way to promote the reissue repackage Singles collection. It went nowhere, but stands instead as the last time The Smiths well and truly rocked the fuck out on record, because up next was Strangeways, Here We Come, a totally different beast, entirely.
Sweet and Tender Hooligan
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