Suedehead
Encyclopedia
"Suedehead" was 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 number five in the UK Singles Chart
. It charted at #30 in The Netherlands and at #8 in New Zealand
. 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 for this Morrissey single features the singer walking in the streets of Fairmount, Indiana
, the boyhood city of James Dean
. In the video are also featured the school where James Dean studied and the Park Cemetery where the actor is currently buried.
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".
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, released in February 1988
1988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
.
The single charted higher than any of the singles released by his former band The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, reaching number five in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It charted at #30 in The Netherlands and at #8 in New Zealand
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
. The lead track was featured on Morrissey's debut album Viva Hate
Viva Hate
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. It...
and the compilation album Bona Drag
Bona Drag
- 2010 re-release :The 2010 re-release features the following additional tracks:* "Happy Lovers at Last United" * "Lifeguard on Duty"...
; the latter of which also featured the B-side "Hairdresser on Fire
Hairdresser on Fire
"Hairdresser on Fire" is a song by Morrissey, that originally featured as a B-side on his single "Suedehead" as well as being a bonus track on the American release of his solo debut Viva Hate. It was later featured on the compilation album Bona Drag as well.The song is based around Morrissey's...
". The artwork of the single features a photo taken by Geri Caulfield at a Smiths gig at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
.
The video clip for this Morrissey single features the singer walking in the streets of Fairmount, Indiana
Fairmount, Indiana
Fairmount is a town in Fairmount Township, Grant County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 2,992 at the 2000 census. It is ninety kilometers northeast of Indianapolis...
, the boyhood city of James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
. In the video are also featured the school where James Dean studied and the Park Cemetery where the actor is currently buried.
CD and cassette
- "Suedehead"
- "I Know Very Well How I Got My Name"
- "Hairdresser on Fire"
- "Oh Well, I'll Never Learn"
| Country | Record label | Format | Catalogue number |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | HMV | 7" vinyl | POP1618 |
| UK | HMV | 12" vinyl | 12POP1618 |
| UK | HMV | Compact disc | CDPOP1618 |
| UK | HMV | Cassette | TCPOP1618 |
Reviews
NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
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".
Musicians
- Morrissey: vocals
- Stephen StreetStephen StreetStephen Street is an English music producer best known for his work with The Smiths in the 1980s, as well as Blur and The Cranberries in the 1990s. Street also collaborated with Morrissey on some of his most popular work after The Smiths broke up, playing instruments and co-writing songs...
: bass guitar, guitar - Vini ReillyVini ReillyVincent "Vini" Gerard Reilly is an English musician and leader of the post-punk group The Durutti Column.-Biography:...
: guitar, keyboard - Andrew Paresi: drums, percussion