Day oh so late
Strangely the sun still shone
Ooh Asian boy
What are you on ?
Day oh so late
Strangely the sun still shone
Oh Asian boy
What are drugs are you on ?
Oh... strange
Tooled-up Asian boy
Has come to take revenge
For the cruel, cold killing
Of his very best friend
Tooled-up Asian boy
Has come to avenge
The cruel, cold killing
Of his only friend
Ha! La, la, la, oh ...
There's peace through our school
It's so quiet in the hall
It's a strange sign for one
Of what's to come
Tough and cold and pale
Oh, they may just impale you on railings
Oh, English boys
It must be wrong
Three against one ?
Oh ...
Brakes slammed, and
His gun jammed, and
As far as I could tell
Brave Asian boy
Was dealt a blow and fell
I'm just passing through here
On my way to somewhere civilised
And maybe I'll even arrive
Maybe I'll even arrive
Strangely the sun still shone
Ooh Asian boy
What are you on ?
Day oh so late
Strangely the sun still shone
Oh Asian boy
What are drugs are you on ?
Has come to take revenge
For the cruel, cold killing
Of his very best friend
Tooled-up Asian boy
Has come to avenge
The cruel, cold killing
Of his only friend
It's so quiet in the hall
It's a strange sign for one
Of what's to come
Tough and cold and pale
Oh, they may just impale you on railings
Oh, English boys
It must be wrong
Three against one ?
His gun jammed, and
As far as I could tell
Brave Asian boy
Was dealt a blow and fell
On my way to somewhere civilised
And maybe I'll even arrive
Maybe I'll even arrive
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It is about some people's racism I think.
I do not understand why so many people think or thought this song was racist. If anything, the song is anti-racism, and it shows Morrissey's condemnation of racism overall. "Asian Rut" is actually about the pain that comes as a result of racism; it's not a song that support racist views. If anything, I find the song to be quite moving and poignant.
Many people are too stupid, and immediately think that the song is racist because of the title.
I'm a big Smiths / Morrissey fan but I'm not so keen on this lyric, they're purely observational without any judgement of the events unfolding, the observer is "just passing through to somewhere civilised" after witnessing the unfairness of three against one, while also knowing this was an attempt at revenge for an earlier event, it seems pointless that the desperate, drugged up tooled up asian kid who wants revenge ends up another casualty, whether the song describes a witness to events who chooses not to act on what they have seen or a none existent one just as a literary device, it leaves you frustrating and powerless, there's no explicit racist element to it but the distant uncaring quality is uncomfortable to listen to, it's a side of mozza I'm not keen on but then he always could be a funny bugger, it could be a subtle anti racist comment or it could be the total opposite, the title is unusual too.
Slightly controversial point here (which will no doubt attract a lot of negative comments) but this is yet another Morrissey song which prompted certain people (including Paul Heaton from the once good The Beautiful South and The Housemartins) to believe he was racist. The point some people fail to see is that patriotism isn't racism AT ALL. Sure that racists are very patriotic, but some people are patriotic without being racist. This applies to this song and another of his songs, Bengali In Platforms in particular. Without talking too much about the meanings of both songs (which are quite obvious really), it seems to me that Morrissey has similar views to myself on issues of race/equality. The fact is that there's almost TOO MUCH political correctness these days, where British or white people in general can be the butt of racist jokes, etc. and the culprits seem to get away with it. But there is plenty of what could be interpreted as racism towards white people from, for example, black gangster rappers. Why should they get away with these racist (and often sexist amongst other things) comments, when white people get condemned? It's silly. It should be deemed unacceptable for people of all races to be racist. Then there are people who disagree with Asylum seekers and illegal immigrants, who come over and gain housing and work from those who are more in need of them. And yet some (for example) British Muslims seem to think these comments are an attack on Muslims in general, which is very paranoid. Wherever you're from, whatever country you're from, if you move to another country you should always respect the laws and the culture of that country. Anyway this song has a pretty good tune, and has thought-provoking, interesting lyrics (although from possibly his weakest album though, even though it is OK).
That Girl83, I agree in some ways but I'm not sure it's as simple as it being 'anti - racism.'
'Ooh Asian boy What are you on ? Day oh so late Strangely the sun still shone Oh Asian boy What are drugs are you on ?'
The above lines are followed later by:
'Tooled-up Asian boy Has come to avenge The cruel, cold killing Of his only friend'
This to me is Morrissey condemning this kind of violence on both sides: The attack by the English thugs on the Asian boy and the revenge the Asian tries to take on the English boys in response to the murder of his friend. So it really is about the problems of racist violence in today's multi - cultural society.
It's not a racist song but maybe Morrissey was turning the tables somewhat and trying to make the Asian lad look as bad as the English thugs. We know what the song's about but I suppose we'll never know for certain exactly what Morrissey was implying in some of his songs.
In an interview with Q magazine (September issue) he is quoted as answering the question, 'Do you think people are innately racist?: "Yes. I don't want to sound horrible or pessimistic but I don't really think, for instance, black people and white people will ever really get on or like each other. I don't really think they ever will.
I prefer Morrissey's work in The Smiths to his solo work, but one thing I do enjoy is seeing the reactions from people when he does tackle racism in his songs :|. I find his songs say a lot about the problems of the multiculturalist effort in the 80s/90s which, in effect, ignored the problem of white racism rather than face it. I think another song that shows how well he can get into the heads of certain people is one of my favourites.. 'We'll let you know."
i dont see how this is viewed as racist. from i see it, a boy of oriental race finds out who murdered his friend and goes to do the same to them [perhaps after taking drugs/steroids?] when he gets there, the three white boys beat him up. it is suggested that mozz witnesses this but doesnt do anything to interfear [i take that from the last part] so mabe thats what made people think he was racist
Just to clarify, from what I understand, in the UK, 'Asian' doesn't refer to East Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc.), it refers to South Asians (eg. Indian, Pakistani, etc.), and East Asians are referred to as 'Oriental'.
Just to clarify, from what I understand, in the UK, 'Asian' doesn't refer to East Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc.), it refers to South Asians (eg. Indian, Pakistani, etc.), and East Asians are referred to as 'Oriental'.
Whereas in North America, 'Asian' commonly refers to East Asians, and 'Oriental' is considered a derogatory term when used to refer to people (although fine for objects, like 'Oriental Rug' or 'Oriental Food'). Maybe not derogatory per se, but very Anglocentric and old-fashioned, perhaps, in the idea that 'The Orient' means 'The East'. The east of what? East of the...
Whereas in North America, 'Asian' commonly refers to East Asians, and 'Oriental' is considered a derogatory term when used to refer to people (although fine for objects, like 'Oriental Rug' or 'Oriental Food'). Maybe not derogatory per se, but very Anglocentric and old-fashioned, perhaps, in the idea that 'The Orient' means 'The East'. The east of what? East of the British Empire, of course. ;P
So the song is not about 'Orientals'.
Personally, I think 'Bengali In Platforms' is much more offensive lyrically (in terms of racism), assuming Morrissey holds the same views as the narrator of the song does. And he apparently does, from every interview I've ever read regarding Morrissey's views on national identity, race, patriotism, immigration, etc.
I do think in this song, the South Asian lad is portrayed in a negative light, despite his friend (and presumably himself) being the victim of racist violence. There's virtually no description of the English boys who committed the racial murder, but the character of the South Asian boy is described as someone who might be on drugs, and who is carrying around a gun (even though who could blame him, if a bunch of racists murdered his best friend?).
I love the Smiths and a lot of Morrissey's solo work, but I have grave reservations about his personal views on things like racial identity politics and immigration. His idea of what it means to be British seems to preclude the possibility of a non-white being British, even though Jamaicans (the descendants of African slaves brought to the West Indies by the British), as members of the British West Indies Regiment, laid down their lives to fight for and defend Britain in various wars and in doing so earned the right to be called British, to be seen as equal citizens in their adopted home. Similarly, South Asians fought on the British side in the Second World War and earned the right to call Britain home as well. And then there are the East Asians who lived for a long time under British rule in Hong Kong and other former British colonies, and have been living and working in the British Isles since the 17th century. They too helped continue to shape and build what Britain is today. To deny them their rightful share of British identity is a slap in the face to every non-Anglo Brit who fought and even died for the right to call the United Kingdom home, and that is racist.
In the end the narrator hopes he isn't the next victim of the English thugs but then realizes that he is white and that he'll probably will be left alone.
It's more about the human motives for disturbing people. Own kind is ok. Other colour means war.