Rocktrospectiva: The Grumpy Noisy "Southpaw Grammar" Turns 30

Released on 28 August 1995 "Southpaw Grammar" was the fifth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. The album charted at number 4 in the UK and number 66 in the US. It received a mixed response from critics. The singles lifted from the album were "Dagenham Dave" peaked at 26 in the UK, and "The Boy Racer" peaked at No. 36.

 

Curiously, the nature of the album is different from past Morrissey releases, such as the inclusion of two tracks which surpass the ten-minute mark, the near two-and-a-half-minute drum solo courtesy of Spencer Cobrin which opens the track "The Operation" and the sampling of a Shostakovich symphony. In general, the album was described as a complete art rock album full of strings, drum solos, and of course the so-called two ten-minute songs, with certain rockabilly and glam styles, giving Mozza a harder rocker sound-a-like.

 

According to Morrissey, the album's title refers to the school of hard knocks, and the cover features the boxer Kenny Lane.  On 27 April 2009 Sony BMG released a remastered version of Southpaw Grammar in the UK. This version included a substantially altered running order, three previously unreleased tracks, "Honey, You Know Where to Find Me", "You Should Have Been Nice to Me" and "Fantastic Bird" 

 

The critical reception to Southpaw Grammar was mostly positive upon release, described it as "the most musically dynamic album from the Messiah of Moans since he revitalized British rock with The Smiths in the mid-'80s". His most powerful solo outing to date, although others called the record as an ugly, noisy, grumpy album, recorded while Britpop stole Moz's thunder. But in the end and in some ways the most daring thing the ex-Smith has ever put his name to and highlighted three key tracks – The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils', 'The Operation' and 'Southpaw', dark, sprawling semi-instrumentals dominated by the remarkable drumming of Spencer James Cobrin – with lightweight fluff like 'Dagenham Dave' and 'The Boy Racer'.

 

Southapw Grammar 2009 Expanded Edition Track List: 

 

1. The Boy Racer

2. Do Your Best And Don't Worry

3. Reader Meet Author

4. Honey, You Know Where To Find Me

5. Dagenham Dave

6. Southpaw

7. Best Friend On The Payroll

8. Fantastic Bird

9. The Operation

10. The Teachers Are Afraid Of The Pupils

11. You Should Have Been Nice To Me 

12. Nobody Love Us