- Bigmouth Strikes Again
Infobox Single
Name = Bigmouth Strikes Again
Artist =The Smiths
from Album =The Queen Is Dead
Released =May 19 1986
Format = 7", 12"
Recorded = Autumn 1985
Genre =Alternative rock
Length = 3:14
Label = Rough Trade
Writer =Johnny Marr Morrissey
Producer = Morrissey and Johnny Marr
Certification =
Last single = "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"
(1985)
This single = "Bigmouth Strikes Again"
(1986)
Next single = "Panic"
(1986)"Bigmouth Strikes Again" is a song byThe Smiths . It appears on their third album "The Queen Is Dead " and was the lead single from the album, reaching #26 in theUK Singles Chart in1986 . It was also the closing song on The Smiths' onlylive album , "Rank".Since the breakup of The Smiths,
Morrissey has performed this song live, recently replacing the word "Walkman " with "iPod ". It appears in this form on his live album, "Live at Earls Court " (2005 ).Music and lyrics
The lyrics describe the protagonist's frustration of being hounded by others for his comments, to which he replies "I was only joking" and he compares himself to
Joan of Arc as she was being burned. The line "and her hearing aid started to melt" is a reference to a hard-of-hearing Smiths fan that the band met who felt embarrassed at wearing her hearing aid. Fact|date=June 2007 Performances around the time of the release of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" sawMorrissey wearing a hearing aid in support of her. Fact|date=June 2007The high-pitched voice in the background is actually Morrissey's, but credited as Ann Coates.
Ancoats is the area ofManchester that the band originate from.Track listing
7": Rough Trade / RT192 (UK)
# "Bigmouth Strikes Again"
# "Money Changes Everything"12": Rough Trade / RTT192 (UK)
# "Bigmouth Strikes Again"
# "Money Changes Everything"
# "Unloveable"Etchings on vinyl
*UK 7" and 12": BEWARE THE WRATH TO COME / TALENT BORROWS, GENIUS STEALS
The A-side etching was seen on a banner in "Hobson's Choice", one of Morrissey's most loved films. The B-side etching is a line from Oscar Wilde.
Artwork
The single contained a photograph of
James Dean byNelva Jean Thomas . James Dean is an idol to Morrissey, who even wrote a book about him entitled "James Dean is not Dead".Covers
The song is covered by Placebo, who substitute the words "
Discman " and "Mega Drive" for "Walkman " and "Hearing aid ". It appears as a B-side to "Nancy Boy", as well as on Disc 2 of the "Sleeping with Ghosts " special edition and on the various artists compilation "The Smiths Is Dead ". "Bigmouth Strikes Again" has also been covered byTreepeople , The Entertainment System, and Slapshot. Chumbawamba also recorded a song by this title, which is mistakenly described inThe Great Rock Discography as being a Smiths cover.In popular culture
The original Smiths version was chosen by
J. K. Rowling as one of her "Desert Island Discs ".Some lyrics in the song were used in a
Homestar Runner cartoon in 2008 called "Somber Vacation."
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.