You Have Killed Me
Encyclopedia
"You Have Killed Me" is the first single from the album Ringleader of the Tormentors
by Morrissey
. The single was released on March 27, 2006. The title track was written by Morrissey and Jesse Tobias
. Morrissey said it would showcase the "marked difference in sound" brought about by the new influence of Tobias on Morrissey's work while Billboard
magazine described it as a "simple, effective first single."
The lyrics reference Pier Paolo Pasolini
's 1961 film, Accattone
, about prostitution in the slums of Rome
, as is shown in the first two lines of the lyrics ("Pasolini is me"/"Accattone you'll be"). There is much speculation as to the meaning of this quote. Some fans believe that it is merely an example on Rome's influence on Morrissey whereas some believe that it is a reference to the loss of virginity, since Accattone is Pasolini's first film.
A picture of Terence Stamp, main character of Pasolini's movie Teorema, was also chosen by Morrissey as cover of one of The Smiths
early singles, What Difference Does It Make.
The lyrics also mention Anna Magnani
, Luchino Visconti
, and in some live performances Fellini. The references to Anna Magnani and Luchino Visconti probably refer to the Visconti's segment of the anthology film Siamo Donne
, in which actresses are shown in their everyday lives, rather than as glamorous or sexualized. Anna Magnani frequently portrayed ordinary women who sacrificed everything for her family as in Visconti's Bellissima
or Pasolini's Mamma Roma
.
page of Morrissey on Monday, 6 February, 2006. Soon after, the song was added to the playlists of several alternative rock
radio stations in the United States. Its biggest supporters were originally KDLD
(Los Angeles
) and XTRA (San Diego
). In the first week of its release, it debuted as the seventy-fifth most-played song on U.S. modern rock
radio. It was made available for download on iTunes
on February 14, 2006.
Soon after, the single appeared on the playlists of twenty-nine U.S. modern rock stations. The major supporters during mid-February were KDLD, S021 and S026 (Sirius Satellite Radio
), XTRA, WFNX (Boston), X047
(XM Satellite Radio
), KXRK
(Salt Lake City
), and KRBZ
(Kansas City
). However, for most of mid and late-February, the song was not added to any more stations, gaining in airplay largely due to huge increases in airplay from KDLD, WFNX, and especially the three digital radio stations. By the time March arrived, it had even become the number one song on KDLD and S026, though it failed to make the playlists of any more stations and was even dropped from some.
During the first week in March, the single received its first new adds in weeks, joining the playlists of WWCD
(Columbus
) and WHTG-FM
(Monmouth
/ Ocean
), both of which had been major supporters of the singles from You Are the Quarry
. By March 12, it was receiving at least fifteen plays per week from each of these stations and had also been added to the playlists of three more stations.
At the middle of March, the song stood as the forty-fifth most-played song on U.S. alternative radio. After that, its airplay fell into decline and it failed to make the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Despite this, "You Have Killed Me" entered the Hot 100 Singles Sales
chart at number one with 3160 copies sold.
's "Upfront" list of songs on 20 February 2006. It was added to the station's playlist on 27 February 2006.
On 3 March 2006 it was added to the playlist of Virgin Radio
. The next day, it was added to the C-List of BBC Radio 2
and the A-List of BBC 6 Music
. On 11 March 2006, it moved to Radio 2's B-List. On 1 April 2006 it reached the A-List of Radio 2. Upon its release it was predicted to sell well in the UK, reaching number one on the Woolworths chart upon its release.
"You Have Killed Me" became Morrissey's joint highest UK chart entry with "Irish Blood, English Heart" entering the UK Singles Chart
at number three.
on April 9, 2006 during the major chart success of Madonna
's "Hung Up
". Although radio stations had begun adding the track to playlists, it was unable to enter the BDS
airplay chart and did not receive much airplay
. However, despite this underachievement, the song still received moderate promotion and debuted at number two on the Canadian Singles Chart. It may have sold more copies than "Hung Up" in its first week, but it could not match the sales of Nine Inch Nails
' "Every Day Is Exactly the Same
", which it debuted behind. In its second week, "Hung Up" ascended one position and placed "You Have Killed Me" at number three.
Ringleader of the Tormentors
-The Band:* Morrissey – vocals* Alain Whyte – guitars and backing vocals* Boz Boorer – guitars* Jesse Tobias – guitars* Gary Day – bass guitar* Matt Chamberlain – drums* Michael Farrell – piano, organ, keyboards, trumpet, trombone and percussion...
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,...
. The single was released on March 27, 2006. The title track was written by Morrissey and Jesse Tobias
Jesse Tobias
Jesse Tobias is a Texan guitarist of Mexican origin. He first gained notoriety during a brief tenure with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1993, although he was replaced by Dave Navarro within a month after joining the band. Before he joined the Chili Peppers, he briefly played with the L.A. based...
. Morrissey said it would showcase the "marked difference in sound" brought about by the new influence of Tobias on Morrissey's work while Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine described it as a "simple, effective first single."
The lyrics reference Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual. Pasolini distinguished himself as a poet, journalist, philosopher, linguist, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, newspaper and magazine columnist, actor, painter and political figure...
's 1961 film, Accattone
Accattone
Accattone is a 1961 Italian drama film written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Despite being filmed from an original screenplay, academics perceive Accattone as a cinematic rendition of Pasolini's earlier novels, particularly Boys of Life and A Violent Life...
, about prostitution in the slums of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, as is shown in the first two lines of the lyrics ("Pasolini is me"/"Accattone you'll be"). There is much speculation as to the meaning of this quote. Some fans believe that it is merely an example on Rome's influence on Morrissey whereas some believe that it is a reference to the loss of virginity, since Accattone is Pasolini's first film.
A picture of Terence Stamp, main character of Pasolini's movie Teorema, was also chosen by Morrissey as cover of one of 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...
early singles, What Difference Does It Make.
The lyrics also mention Anna Magnani
Anna Magnani
Anna Magnani was an Italian stage and film actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress, along with four other international awards, for her portrayal of a Sicilian widow in The Rose Tattoo....
, Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
, and in some live performances Fellini. The references to Anna Magnani and Luchino Visconti probably refer to the Visconti's segment of the anthology film Siamo Donne
Siamo donne
We, the Women is a 1953 Italian pormanteau film divided into five segments and directed by five different directors. Four of these segments focus upon alleged events in the private lives of the film actresses Alida Valli, Ingrid Bergman, Isa Miranda, and Anna Magnani...
, in which actresses are shown in their everyday lives, rather than as glamorous or sexualized. Anna Magnani frequently portrayed ordinary women who sacrificed everything for her family as in Visconti's Bellissima
Bellissima (film)
Bellissima is an Italian neorealism film by Italian director Luchino Visconti. The film is about and was shot at Cinecittà. Alessandro Blasetti, the film director, appears as himself....
or Pasolini's Mamma Roma
Mamma Roma
Mamma Roma is a 1962 film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.- Story :An ex-prostitute, Mamma Roma , tries to start a new life selling vegetables with her 16-year-old son Ettore...
.
U.S.
The single's main track, "You Have Killed Me", appeared on the "official" MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page of Morrissey on Monday, 6 February, 2006. Soon after, the song was added to the playlists of several alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
radio stations in the United States. Its biggest supporters were originally KDLD
KDLD
KDLD is a commercial radio station in Santa Monica, California, broadcasting to the Los Angeles area on 103.1 FM. KDLE is a commercial radio station in Newport Beach, California, broadcasting to the Orange County area on 103.1 FM....
(Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
) and XTRA (San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
). In the first week of its release, it debuted as the seventy-fifth most-played song on U.S. modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
radio. It was made available for download on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on February 14, 2006.
Soon after, the single appeared on the playlists of twenty-nine U.S. modern rock stations. The major supporters during mid-February were KDLD, S021 and S026 (Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
), XTRA, WFNX (Boston), X047
Ethel (XM)
Ethel was the modern rock/alternative channel on XM Satellite Radio. It is the daughter channel of Fred , which covers alternative music from its birth through the early 1990s; and the sister channel of Lucy , which plays only the most popular alternative hits from the 80s through 90s. Ethel plays...
(XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
), KXRK
KXRK
KXRK is commercial radio station located in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, broadcasting a modern rock music format to the Provo, Ogden, and Salt Lake City area.-History:...
(Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
), and KRBZ
KRBZ
KRBZ, FM 96.5 in Kansas City, is an Alternative rock station. The station uses the brand name 96-5 The Buzz. It is the Kansas City market's home for the syndicated program Loveline. The station is owned by Entercom Communications, and is based in Mission, Kansas.-History:KRBZ began broadcasting in...
(Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
). However, for most of mid and late-February, the song was not added to any more stations, gaining in airplay largely due to huge increases in airplay from KDLD, WFNX, and especially the three digital radio stations. By the time March arrived, it had even become the number one song on KDLD and S026, though it failed to make the playlists of any more stations and was even dropped from some.
During the first week in March, the single received its first new adds in weeks, joining the playlists of WWCD
WWCD
WWCD —currently branded CD101 @ 102.5—is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Baltimore, Ohio and serving the Columbus metro area....
(Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
) and WHTG-FM
WHTG-FM
WBBO is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Hit Radio format. Licensed to Ocean Acres, New Jersey, it serves Ocean & Burlington counties in New Jersey as well as the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia. It first began broadcasting in 1993 under the call sign WQNJ, but more recently operated...
(Monmouth
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...
/ Ocean
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...
), both of which had been major supporters of the singles from You Are the Quarry
You Are the Quarry
-CD:-DVD:# "Irish Blood, English Heart" # "First of the Gang to Die" # "First of the Gang to Die" # "I Have Forgiven Jesus"...
. By March 12, it was receiving at least fifteen plays per week from each of these stations and had also been added to the playlists of three more stations.
At the middle of March, the song stood as the forty-fifth most-played song on U.S. alternative radio. After that, its airplay fell into decline and it failed to make the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Despite this, "You Have Killed Me" entered the Hot 100 Singles Sales
Hot 100 Singles Sales
The Hot Singles Sales chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures sales of commercial singles and is one of three component charts, along with the Hot 100 Airplay and the Hot Digital Songs, that determine the chart positions of singles on the...
chart at number one with 3160 copies sold.
UK
The track became a part of Xfm LondonXfm London
Xfm London is a commercial radio station in the United Kingdom owned by Global Radio and broadcasts on 104.9 FM in London, on digital radio via 30 DAB multiplexes across the country, Sky, TalkTalk TV and Virgin Media....
's "Upfront" list of songs on 20 February 2006. It was added to the station's playlist on 27 February 2006.
On 3 March 2006 it was added to the playlist of Virgin Radio
Virgin Radio
Absolute Radio is one of the UK's three Independent National Radio stations. The station rebranded to its current name at 7.45am on 29 September 2008.The station is based in London and plays popular rock music...
. The next day, it was added to the C-List of BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
and the A-List of BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
. On 11 March 2006, it moved to Radio 2's B-List. On 1 April 2006 it reached the A-List of Radio 2. Upon its release it was predicted to sell well in the UK, reaching number one on the Woolworths chart upon its release.
"You Have Killed Me" became Morrissey's joint highest UK chart entry with "Irish Blood, English Heart" entering 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 ...
at number three.
Canada
The song was released in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on April 9, 2006 during the major chart success of Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's "Hung Up
Hung Up
"Hung Up" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was written and produced in collaboration with Stuart Price, and released as the first single from her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Initially used in a number of television advertisements and serials, the song was...
". Although radio stations had begun adding the track to playlists, it was unable to enter the BDS
Jam!
Jam! is a Canadian website, which covers entertainment news. It is part of the CANOE online portal, owned and operated by Quebecor through its Sun Media division....
airplay chart and did not receive much airplay
Airplay (song)
Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay...
. However, despite this underachievement, the song still received moderate promotion and debuted at number two on the Canadian Singles Chart. It may have sold more copies than "Hung Up" in its first week, but it could not match the sales of Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
' "Every Day Is Exactly the Same
Every Day Is Exactly the Same
"Every Day Is Exactly the Same" is the third single by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their album With Teeth. It is the twenty-first official Nine Inch Nails release. The commercial single was released on April 4, 2006 as an EP. It was also billed as the companion remix disc to...
", which it debuted behind. In its second week, "Hung Up" ascended one position and placed "You Have Killed Me" at number three.
CD1
- "You Have Killed Me" (Morrissey/Tobias)
- "Good Looking Man About Town" (Morrissey/Whyte)
CD2
- "You Have Killed Me" (Morrissey/Tobias)
- "Human Being" (Johansen/Thunders)
- "I Knew I Was Next" (Morrissey/Tobias)
- "You Have Killed Me" (Video)
U.S./Canadian CD
- "You Have Killed Me" (Morrissey/Tobias)
- "Human Being" (Johansen/Thunders)
- "Good Looking Man About Town" (Morrissey/Whyte)
- "I Knew I Was Next" (Morrissey/Tobias)
Chart positions
| Country | Chart position |
| 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 ... |
3 |
| UK Official Download Chart UK Official Download Chart The UK Official Download Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company on behalf of the music industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being published on a Wednesday afternoon, so as to not to clash with the release of the main UK Singles Chart... |
68 |
| Hot 100 Singles Sales Hot 100 Singles Sales The Hot Singles Sales chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures sales of commercial singles and is one of three component charts, along with the Hot 100 Airplay and the Hot Digital Songs, that determine the chart positions of singles on the... |
1 |
Musicians
- MorrisseyMorrisseySteven 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,...
: voice - Boz BoorerBoz BoorerBoz Boorer is a British guitarist and producer most known for his work founding the new wave rockabilly group, The Polecats, and later for his work as a co-writer, guitarist and musical director with Morrissey.-The Polecats:The band "Cult Heroes" was formed in 1977 by Tim Worman , Boz...
: guitar - Jesse TobiasJesse TobiasJesse Tobias is a Texan guitarist of Mexican origin. He first gained notoriety during a brief tenure with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1993, although he was replaced by Dave Navarro within a month after joining the band. Before he joined the Chili Peppers, he briefly played with the L.A. based...
: guitar - Alain WhyteAlain WhyteAlain Gordon Whyte is an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is most known for being Morrissey's main songwriting partner since 1991 and his lead guitarist from 1991-2004...
: guitar - Gary Day: bass
- Michael FarrellMichael Farrell (musician)Michael Farrell is a keyboardist, musical director, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work both recording and touring with Morrissey and Macy Gray.-Early life:...
: keyboard - Matt ChamberlainMatt ChamberlainMatthew Chamberlain is an American drummer, producer and sound engineer. He is currently based in Los Angeles, California.-Early life:...
: drums