Late Night, Maudlin Street
Encyclopedia
"Late Night, Maudlin Street" is a song performed by Morrissey
on his album Viva Hate
. It was written by Morrissey
and his producer Stephen Street
.
At 7:40, the track is by far the longest on Viva Hate
and one of the longest songs in Morrissey's discography. As with many of the other tracks on the album, "Late Night, Maudlin Street" is set in the 1970s (1972 to be precise) and combines some of Morrissey's most self-pitying lyrics with some of his most humorous. The music is based on the work of Joni Mitchell
.
The scene is set in 1972, where amid a background of power cuts and house moves the narrator faces a private battle against ugliness, pill-taking, family deaths and fantasy love. Paradoxically, the greatest moments of nostalgia are reserved for a place where the narrator failed to experience a single happy hour.
The title is an amalgamation of a book of short stories by Bill Naughton
called Late Night on Watling Street and the name of the school in Carry On Teacher
, "Maudlin Street Secondary".
The song was performed live by Morrissey on his 2002 tour.
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,...
on his 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...
. It was written by Morrissey
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,...
and his producer Stephen Street
Stephen Street
Stephen 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...
.
At 7:40, the track is by far the longest on 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 one of the longest songs in Morrissey's discography. As with many of the other tracks on the album, "Late Night, Maudlin Street" is set in the 1970s (1972 to be precise) and combines some of Morrissey's most self-pitying lyrics with some of his most humorous. The music is based on the work of Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
.
The scene is set in 1972, where amid a background of power cuts and house moves the narrator faces a private battle against ugliness, pill-taking, family deaths and fantasy love. Paradoxically, the greatest moments of nostalgia are reserved for a place where the narrator failed to experience a single happy hour.
The title is an amalgamation of a book of short stories by Bill Naughton
Bill Naughton
William John Francis Naughton, or Bill Naughton was an Irish-born British playwright and author, best known for his play Alfie.-Early life:...
called Late Night on Watling Street and the name of the school in Carry On Teacher
Carry On Teacher
Carry On Teacher is the third Carry On film, released in 1959. It features Ted Ray in his only Carry On role, alongside series regulars; Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jacques. Leslie Phillips and Joan Sims make their second appearances in the series here, having made...
, "Maudlin Street Secondary".
The song was performed live by Morrissey on his 2002 tour.