Suedehead

"Suedehead"
Single by Morrissey
from the album Viva Hate
Released	15 February 1988
Format	7", 12", CD, cassette
Recorded	October – December 1987
Genre	Jangle pop[1]
Length	3:54
Label	HMV (UK)
Morrissey singles chronology
"Suedehead" (1988) "Everyday Is Like Sunday" (1988)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

"Suedehead" is the debut solo single from Morrissey, released in February 1988.

The single charted higher than any of the singles released by his former band The Smiths, reaching No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart.^[3] "Suedehead" peaked at No. 2 in Ireland,^[4] No. 8 in New Zealand,^[5] and reached the top 50 in Germany,^[6] the Netherlands,^[7] and Australia.^[8] The lead track was featured on Morrissey's debut album Viva Hate and the compilation album Bona Drag, the latter of which also featured the B-side "Hairdresser on Fire". The artwork of the single features a photo taken by Geri Caulfield at a Smiths gig at the London Palladium.

The video clip, directed by Tim Broad, features the singer walking through the streets of Fairmount, Indiana,^[9] the boyhood city of actor James Dean, including shots of the school where Dean studied and the Park Cemetery, where he is buried. Other allusions to Dean in the video include a child (played by Sam Esty Rayner, Morrissey's nephew, who went on to direct the video for "Kiss Me a Lot" in 2015) delivering to the singer a copy of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, Dean's favourite book.^[10]

Track listings

7" vinyl

1. "Suedehead"
2. "I Know Very Well How I Got My Name"

12" vinyl

1. "Suedehead"
2. "I Know Very Well How I Got My Name"
3. "Hairdresser on Fire"

CD and cassette

1. "Suedehead"
2. "I Know Very Well How I Got My Name"
3. "Hairdresser on Fire"
4. "Oh Well, I'll Never Learn"

Etchings on vinyl

British 7" and 12": "DREAMS...ARE...JUST...DREAMS"/none

Charts

Reviews

NME gave the single 'Single of the Week 2' saying that "his vocals hit a pitch that turns your stomach with queasy delight. It makes you feel vulnerable and provokes emotions you've forgotten about." In the 1988 NME Year in Review the song was described as "The best No. 1 '88 never gave us".^[12] Ned Raggett of Allmusic described it as "a memorable number, with Street's subtle orchestrations carrying the sweep of the song."^[2]

Musicians

• Morrissey: vocals
• Stephen Street: bass guitar, guitar
• Vini Reilly: guitar, keyboard
• Andrew Paresi: drums, percussion

Live performances

The song was performed live by Morrissey on his 1991, 1992, 1995, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015 and 2016 tours.

See also

• Morrissey discography

References

1. ↑ Leivers, Dannii (3 December 2014). "Live Report: Morrissey At The O2 Arena, London". Clash. Retrieved 3 January 2016. 
2. 1 2 Raggett, Ned. "Suedehead Review". Allmusic. Retrieved October 18, 2012. 
3. 1 2 "Official Charts > Morrissey". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-03-04. 
4. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for 'Suedehead'". Fireball Media. Retrieved 2016-03-04. 
5. 1 2 "charts.org.nz > Morrissey – Suedehead (song)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2016-03-04. 
6. 1 2 "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Morrissey – Suedehead (song)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2016-03-04. 
7. 1 2 "dutchcharts.nl > Morrissey – Suedehead" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2016-03-04. 
8. 1 2 "Australian Top 50 Singles Chart – Week Ending 15th May, 1988". ARIA. Retrieved 2016-03-04. 
9. ↑ Bret, David (2004). Morrissey: scandal and passion. London: Robson. p. 105. ISBN 978-1861057877. 
10. ↑ Devereux, Eoin; Dillane, Aileen; Power, Martin J. (2012). Morrissey : fandom, representations and identities. Bristol: Intellect. p. 25. ISBN 978-1841505961. 
11. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 208. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.  N.B. the Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and 19 June 1988.
12. ↑ NME Suedehead Reviews

External links

• "Suedehead" at Passions Just Like Mine