Death at One's Elbow is sung from the perspective of a gay man calling his lover (or leaving a stream of conscious suicide letter) with homocidal threats. The singer has been wronged by his lover -- hence "There's somebody hear who really, really loves you" as opposed to whomever the lover is cheating on him with (shades of TONY THE PONY, anyone?). The singer's murderous rage gives into self-pity as he sings "The frustration it renders me Hateful..." and then proceeds to kill himself in the final verse. This is not one of my favorite Smiths songs as the music is the slightest of the majestic Marr canon. I think Moz's lyrics make up for it though and in a way the maniacal Rock A Billy underscoring provides a certain giddy macabre to the already death-drenched mood of STRANGEWAYS, HERE WE COME. I'm sure conspiracy theorists who believe "I Won't Share You" is Morrissey's parting words to Marr could also look at this, the previous track as also reflective of a relationship gone awry by unrealistic expectations and a "wandering eye" -- but that's getting pretty out there. I mean, despite their not knowing that STRANGEWAYS was the last album, doesn't each track ring with a certain sad inevitability?
Death at One's Elbow is sung from the perspective of a gay man calling his lover (or leaving a stream of conscious suicide letter) with homocidal threats. The singer has been wronged by his lover -- hence "There's somebody hear who really, really loves you" as opposed to whomever the lover is cheating on him with (shades of TONY THE PONY, anyone?). The singer's murderous rage gives into self-pity as he sings "The frustration it renders me Hateful..." and then proceeds to kill himself in the final verse. This is not one of my favorite Smiths songs as the music is the slightest of the majestic Marr canon. I think Moz's lyrics make up for it though and in a way the maniacal Rock A Billy underscoring provides a certain giddy macabre to the already death-drenched mood of STRANGEWAYS, HERE WE COME. I'm sure conspiracy theorists who believe "I Won't Share You" is Morrissey's parting words to Marr could also look at this, the previous track as also reflective of a relationship gone awry by unrealistic expectations and a "wandering eye" -- but that's getting pretty out there. I mean, despite their not knowing that STRANGEWAYS was the last album, doesn't each track ring with a certain sad inevitability?
@davidbeauy Yes (and very eloquently put, too)
@davidbeauy Yes (and very eloquently put, too)