Viva Hate
| Viva Hate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Studio album by Morrissey | ||||
| Released | 14 March 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1987[1] | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 42:16 (original UK release) 46:07 (original US release) 69:22 (remaster) |
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| Label | HMV (UK) Sire (USA) Parlophone (1997 reversion) |
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| Producer | Stephen Street | |||
| Morrissey chronology | ||||
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| 1997 re-release cover | ||||
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| Singles from Viva Hate | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Blender |  [2] |
| NME |   upon release in 1988 |
| Q | upon release in 1988 |
| Q | [3][dead link] |
| Rolling Stone | [4] |
| Robert Christgau | (B) [5] |
 This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information. |
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Viva Hate is Morrissey's debut solo album, released on 14 March 1988 by HMV Records. The album was considered a very strong foray into Morrissey's solo career, as he utilised his traditional lyrical style and retained the basic sound that The Smiths had developed by the time they broke up.[6] It was listed by Q as one of the top 50 albums of 1988.[7] The album was originally going to be called Education in Reverse; some LPs in Australia and New Zealand were released with the original title.[8]
The album was released a mere six months after The Smiths' final album, Strangeways, Here We Come. The title predicts the content as Morrissey's lyrics are sardonic and invective, while some of the tracks deal with the harshness of the breakup of The Smiths.
The album was produced by Stephen Street and most of the arrangements were by Vini Reilly of The Durutti Column. Reilly's distinctive style is evident throughout the entire album, especially in tracks such as "Late Night, Maudlin Street" and "Bengali in Platforms". The record remains one of Morrissey's best known recordings and was certified Gold by the RIAA on 16 November 1993. Some of the tracks caused controversy such as the track "Margaret on the Guillotine", which described the death of prime minister Margaret Thatcher as a "wonderful dream".
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
All tracks by Morrissey and Stephen Street
- "Alsatian Cousin" – 3:13
- "Little Man, What Now?" – 1:48
- "Everyday Is Like Sunday" – 3:32
- "Bengali in Platforms" – 3:55
- "Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together" – 1:40
- "Late Night, Maudlin Street" – 7:40
- "Suedehead" – 3:56
- "Break Up the Family" – 3:55
- "Hairdresser on Fire" – 3:51 (US bonus track)
- "The Ordinary Boys" – 3:10
- "I Don't Mind If You Forget Me" – 3:17
- "Dial-a-Cliché" – 2:28
- "Margaret on the Guillotine" – 3:42
[edit] International editions
The American release included the track "Hairdresser on Fire" (3:51) which had been released, in the UK as a B-side to "Suedehead". This same track was released on a 7" single that was sold with the album in Japan.
[edit] Special edition
In 1997, EMI, in celebration of their 100th anniversary, released a special edition of this album in the UK. It features different cover work, and a different booklet (it has a photograph of a billboard for Beethoven Was Deaf and drops the lyrics), and features 8 bonus tracks — only one of which was contemporaneous with the album. "Hairdresser on Fire" does not appear on this version despite originally added to the North American version of the album as a bonus track. The bonus songs are:
- "Let the Right One Slip In" – 2:28
- "Pashernate Love" – 2:16
- "At Amber" – 2:43
- "Disappointed" (live) – 3:07
- "Girl Least Likely To" – 4:51
- "I'd Love To" – 4:49
- "Michael's Bones" – 3:10
- "I've Changed My Plea to Guilty" – 3:42
In addition to receiving bonus tracks, the album was also remastered.
[edit] Personnel
- Morrissey — vocals, lyricist, sleeve art
- Stephen Street — bass, guitar, songwriter, producer
- Vini Reilly — guitar, keyboards, songwriter
- Andrew Paresi — drums
- Alan Winstanley — producer
- Richard Koster — violin
- Fenella Barton — violin
- Rachel Maguire — cello
- Mark Davies — cello
- Robert Woolhard — cello
- John Metcalf — viola
- Steve Williams — assistant engineer
- Anton Corbijn — photography
- Linder Sterling — photography
- Eamon Macabe — photography
- Jo Slee — art coordinator
- Caryn Gough — layout assistance
[edit] Notes
- ^ Street, Stephen. "Stephen Street – exclusive interview". http://louderthanwar.com/stephen-street-exclusive-interview/.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Q Magazine | Music news & reviews, music videos, band pictures & interviews". Q4music.com. http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=130291&resource=130291&fixture_artist=145429. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
- ^ Coleman, Mark (1988-05-19). "Viva Hate | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/viva-hate-19880519. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
- ^ "CG: Morrissey". Robert Christgau. http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Morrissey. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
- ^ Viva Hate: Overview at Allmusic. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
- ^ "1988 Q magazine Recordings Of The Year". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlists.html#1988. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
- ^ LASID - Viva Hate[dead link]
