Six previously unreleased Morrissey tracks finally will see the light of day this fall when EMI releases a 20th anniversary expanded reissue of the ex-Smith’s iconic early-career singles compilation Bona Drag.
Expanded CD and “double heavyweight” 180-gram vinyl editions of the remastered compilation will be released Sept. 27 in the U.K. by EMI, which is reviving its 1960s imprint Major Minor for the occasion, according to a news release posted today by the True to You fan site.
UPDATE 8/11/10: According to the announcement of the “Everyday is Like Sunday” single reissue, the release of the ‘Bona Drag’ special edition has been delayed a week, and is now due out Oct. 4.
The 14-track disc originally was released as a stop-gap in October 1990 and compiled Viva Hate’s “Suedehead” and “Everyday is Like Sunday,” the four hit post-Viva Hate singles that Morrissey released in 1989 and 1990 — “The Last of the Famous International Playboys,” “Interesting Drug,” “Ouija Board, Ouija Board” and “November Spawned a Monster” — plus a new single recorded specifically for the disc, “Piccadilly Palare,” as well as each of those singles’ respective B-sides.
The new edition, compiled “with Morrissey’s full cooperation,” includes six bonus tracks: “Happy Lovers At Last United,” an outtake from the “Everyday is Like Sunday” sessions; “Lifeguard on Duty,” a Viva Hate outtake; “Please Help the Cause Against Loneliness,” a Viva Hate demo previously covered by Sandie Shaw; “Oh Phoney,” a Bona Drag outtake; “The Bed Took Fire,” an early version of Viva Hate outtake “At Amber”; and an alternate long mix of Viva Hate outtake “Let the Right One Slip In” (see full tracklist below).
In keeping with Morrissey’s habit of changing album art for his reissues, the singer “has chosen to return the cover art — taken from the “November Spawned a Monster” video — back to its natural colour, so his shirt is black” (although that new artwork hasn’t yet been revealed). There also will be updated inner artwork with “a selection of favourite, hand-picked and rarely seen photos.”
See tracklist Morrissey’s ‘Bona Drag’ reissue after the jump…
Tracklist: Morrissey, Bona Drag: Special Edition
1. “Piccadilly Palare”
2. “Interesting Drug”
3. “November Spawned A Monster”
4. “Will Never Marry”
5. “Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference”
6. “The Last Of The Famous International Playboys”
7. “Ouija Board, Ouija Board”
8. “Hairdresser On Fire”
9. “Everyday Is Like Sunday”
10. “He Knows I’d Love To See Him”
11. “Yes, I Am Blind”
12. “Lucky Lisp”
13. “Suedehead”
14. “Disappointed”
15. “Happy Lovers At Last United” *
16. “Lifeguard On Duty” *
17. “Please Help The Cause Against Loneliness” (Demo) *
18. “Oh Phoney” *
19. “The Bed Took Fire” *
20. “Let The Right One Slip In” (Alternate Long Mix) *
* Previously unreleased
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:
- Photo: Morrissey and Rick Astley backstage at the BBC’s ‘Top of the Pops’ in 1989
- The Smiths Project: Janice Whaley recording covers of every Smiths song in 2010
- Audio: Demo of The Smiths’ ‘Paint a Vulgar Picture’ off ‘Strangeways’
- Milestones: The Smiths’ ‘Meat is Murder’ released 25 years ago today
- Smiths Indeed fanzine (1986-1989) to be reprinted in limited-edition, 100-set run
- ‘An Open Letter to Morrissey’: Publisher Faber & Faber pleads for Moz’s memoirs
- Alternate take of The Smiths’ ‘Girl Afraid’ surfaces on ‘Hatful of Hollow’ cassette
- Morrissey calls last 3 albums his ‘life’s peaks,’ apologizes for ‘Swords’
(sorry, I couldn’t resist):
At the record company meeting
On their hands – a dead star
And oh, the plans they weave
And oh, the sickening greed
At the record company party
On their hands – a dead star
The sycophantic slags all say :
“I knew him first, and I knew him well”
Re-issue ! Re-package ! Re-package !
Re-evaluate the songs
Double-pack with a photograph
Extra Track (and a tacky badge)
A-list, playlist
“Please them , please them !”
“Please them !”
(sadly, THIS was your life)
But you could have said no
If you’d wanted to
You could have said no
If you’d wanted to
BPI, MTV, BBC
“Please them ! Please them !”
(sadly this was your life)
etc…
and so ironic that Moz and the Smiths has had more reissues with extra tracks than anybody else I can think of! I will however pick this up, will be nice to have all this on CD (my version of Bona Drag is on cassette!)
I’m so sick of seeing the lyrics from “Paint a Vulgar Picture” quoted everytime Morrissey releases a new compilation, reissue…etc. You are not being clever and you’re certainly not being original. In fact, the later reissues of these albums has proven that song to be even more telling than it was ever intended.
The song was written in the context of Morrissey being the older pop star and not the “fawning fan.” Morrissey never refused the idea of “reissue, repackage, repackage” but rather saw himself embracing it in his latter days.
I wonder why they left off Striptease With A Difference and Born To Hang?
I had the poster of Moz and the football in my college dorm room. Anyone know what it is from or where I can get a good large-size digital version?
But hey Alfred Newman, this is sadly Morrissey’s life. After Your Arsenal, his music blows goats like Guy Lomabardo & Laurence Welk.
Sadly, this is your life……
Steven Patrick Morrissey