Bigmouth Strikes Again

It just hit me today that the Joan of Arc bit is very simple. Say the wrong thing, burn with embarrassment.

Serious? This song is a hilarious indictment of Morrissey's own big mouth! He is the Joan of Arc of this song and the flames he's talking about are those he brought on himself by mouthing off about the royal Family, Madonna, and too many other subjects to name. That's why I loved him--his crackpot statements and acidic wit were second to none in the music business. People who didn't get the humor in the Smith's songs were totally missing the point.

The first verses of this song are absolutely brilliant. They're immerse in a humour aura that I can't even understand fully. "I was only joking when I said I'd like to smash every tooth in your head" and such other phrases in other Smiths songs, like "I still love you, just a slightly less then I used to, my love" are what give the band this strong identity. Sorry for the poor english. Gabriel, Brasil

Morrissey once said 'I never intended to be controversial, but it's very easy to be controversial in pop music, because nobody ever is.'

Okee dokee people of the world, here is my uber-insightful take on the song. "Joking when I said....smash every tooth in your head" This might seem 'serious', but of course, everybody knows mozz is joking. I think that it's mocking the ridiculousness of the world, and it is also Morrissey mocking himself.

As for the refrences to Joan of Arc: Joan of Arc was accued of being a lesbian for dressing and acting and saying things the way she did. This, perhaps, could be referencing all the criticism Mozz gets about his sexuality, by prancing around and declaring his celibacy...hence 'bigmouth'

"I've got no right to take my place in the human race" Morrissey has loudly proclaimed what he thinks of the world, and how much he ahem "loves" people. So maybe this is his way of saying hey, I've criticized all these people and ridiculed and mocked them...so why would they accept me into society? He's admitting to himself in that he doesn't deserve his place....in the human race...

And as for the title of this song, 'Bigmouth Strikes Again', I am under the popular belief that Morrissey is referring to himself. About how he can't keep his big mouth shut with all his skepticism and criticism of people and society.

.....and if you can't tell I have spent a long time thinking this over...lol X)

You probably all know this, but no one said it, so I will. The squeaky voice is Morrisey's vocals only played at high speed and attacked by techinical thingys, but in the cover notes its credited to a woman called 'Ann Coates' who doesn't actually exist. Ann Coates is a pun on the Ancoats district in Manchester.

Haha, this song sounds to me like a self-criticism...Morrisey talks too much! Also, I've always seen the subject of Morrisey's sexuality debated, and he never quite gave clear answers in interviews, and it just may be about when Johnny Marry spilled the beans in an interview found here: cemetrygates.com/vault/smiths/record.html

I came across Placebo's version of this song while digging for some of their obscure tracks, then was taken in by The Smiths' original version. I'd never considered the humor angle of this song before... that would explain the cartoonish, Chipmunk-like background vocals. They make a good harmony, but sound totally silly.

the guitar in this song is amazing. it gives me chills.

i used to think there was a chipmunk-voiced woman in the smiths because of this song.