Johnny Marr interview: "Isaac Brock is the greatest lyricist I’ve ever worked with" (October 13, 2021)

[ACTON]

Lyrics from one of Modest Vermin's most popular song, Float On.

I backed my car into a cop car the other day
Well, he just drove off, sometimes life's okay
I ran my mouth off a bit too much, oh, what did I say?
Well, you just laughed it off, it was all okay

[Chorus]
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on anyway, well

Lyrics from This Night Has Opened My Eyes:

In a river the colour of lead
Immerse a baby's head
Wrap her up in the News Of The World
Dump her on a doorstep, girl
This night has opened my eyes
And I will never sleep again

You kicked and cried like a bullied child
A grown man of twenty-five
He said he'd cure your ills
But he didn't and he never will
So, save your life
Because you've only got one

The dream is gone
But the baby is real
Oh you did a good thing
She could have been a poet
Or, she could have been a fool
Oh you did a bad thing
And I'm not happy
And I'm not sad

A shoeless child on a swing
Reminds you of your own again
She took away your troubles
Oh but then again she left pain
So please save your life
Because you've only got one

Enough said.

 

[BulbousSalutation]

Change the tune, spare the world. J Tobias, A Whyte, and B Boorer are the best guitarists M has ever worked with bar none. These days Johnny Baa is better at bitchin and whinin than singin and playin. Johnny Baa is clearly so desperate for an audience he will perform his ‘nice guy’ routine for every interviewer willing to listen. Baa needs to hang up the violin he’s been playin for the last 30 years and dust off his guitar. He also needs to dust off the Yellow Pages, Singers are located on page 276.

 

[ACTON]

Lol. Milking another’s clickbait.

Yah. I didn't think it was posted on Moz Solo. A day late and a dollar short.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Yah. I didn't think it was posted on Moz Solo. A day late and a dollar short.

nothing wrong with your post. I was just pointing out that musicradar seemed to be milking stereogum’s clickbait.

 

[Deleted member 29227]

Lyrics from one of Modest Vermin's most popular song, Float On.

I backed my car into a cop car the other day
Well, he just drove off, sometimes life's okay
I ran my mouth off a bit too much, oh, what did I say?
Well, you just laughed it off, it was all okay

[Chorus]
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on anyway, well

Lyrics from This Night Has Opened My Eyes:

In a river the colour of lead
Immerse a baby's head
Wrap her up in the News Of The World
Dump her on a doorstep, girl
This night has opened my eyes
And I will never sleep again

You kicked and cried like a bullied child
A grown man of twenty-five
He said he'd cure your ills
But he didn't and he never will
So, save your life
Because you've only got one

The dream is gone
But the baby is real
Oh you did a good thing
She could have been a poet
Or, she could have been a fool
Oh you did a bad thing
And I'm not happy
And I'm not sad

A shoeless child on a swing
Reminds you of your own again
She took away your troubles
Oh but then again she left pain
So please save your life
Because you've only got one

Enough said.

I'm sure @The.Truth. aka FC wrote the first one?? Sounds like something which might happen in his 'hood' to me.

 

[NealCassidy]

Johnny Marr chooses “the greatest lyricist I’ve ever worked with” – and it's not Morrissey

The guitarist looks back on "the best time of my life"

www.musicradar.com

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Lyrics from one of Modest Vermin's most popular song, Float On.

I backed my car into a cop car the other day
Well, he just drove off, sometimes life's okay
I ran my mouth off a bit too much, oh, what did I say?
Well, you just laughed it off, it was all okay

[Chorus]
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on, okay
And we'll all float on anyway, well

Lyrics from This Night Has Opened My Eyes:

In a river the colour of lead
Immerse a baby's head
Wrap her up in the News Of The World
Dump her on a doorstep, girl
This night has opened my eyes
And I will never sleep again

You kicked and cried like a bullied child
A grown man of twenty-five
He said he'd cure your ills
But he didn't and he never will
So, save your life
Because you've only got one

The dream is gone
But the baby is real
Oh you did a good thing
She could have been a poet
Or, she could have been a fool
Oh you did a bad thing
And I'm not happy
And I'm not sad

A shoeless child on a swing
Reminds you of your own again
She took away your troubles
Oh but then again she left pain
So please save your life
Because you've only got one

Enough said.

But to be fair, Float On is a fantastic song. Absolutely brilliant. And the lyrics are life affirming and fun, but obviously not meant to be very poetic.

 

[NealCassidy]

f*** Marr

 

[Surface]

f*** Marr

Ooh you're proper edgy.

 

[Trans]

Float on is a middle of the road song on an album full of them. The album they made with marr is much better but still nothing on the albums before float on. Lonesome crowded west has some great songs with some really memorable lyrics. I always think of this from heart cooks brain

In this place that I call home
My brain's the cliff, and my heart's the bitter buffalo
My heart's the bitter buffalo

Morrisseys much more literal referential and composed vocally and lyrically while Brock is more abstract metaphorical and very messy emotionally. It’s very hard to compare. A lot of there songs are about anger and sung in a way morrissey probably couldn’t sing a song. No dis it’s just not his thing

 

[Skylarker]

I don't understand why this is so upsetting to you people.

Also, Brock IS a great lyricist. Comparing him with Morrissey is an apples and oranges thing. Totally different styles and deliveries.

Marr remains a very talented dude technically, but he hasn't written any inspired music for about three decades. Also the guy is dumb as a box of rocks and his interviews are about as exciting as watching grass grow.

Seriously who cares what he thinks.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I don't understand why this is so upsetting to you people.

Also, Brock IS a great lyricist. Comparing him with Morrissey is an apples and oranges thing. Totally different styles and deliveries.

Agree, they’re not comparable.

Marr remains a very talented dude technically, but he hasn't written any inspired music for about three decades. Also the guy is dumb as a box of rocks and his interviews are about as exciting as watching grass grow.

Seriously who cares what he thinks.

Simply rubs fans the wrong way, why would Marr say something so absurd? What would be the benefit?

 

[Rosee]

He must be still bitter since Morrissey didn't replied to his messages

 

[Rosee]

I do find this Brock business to be deeply disturbing, but I’m not sure these are Marr’s “true colors”. I’m sure Johnny can be both nasty and sweet, just like the rest of us.
Agree about what you say about Moz, though. 100 percent.

I think Marr likes to pretend to be a nice guy

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I think Marr likes to pretend to be a nice guy

But why does he like pretending?

No Pretenders jokes please.

 

[vegan cro spirit .777]

got me a huge wig
bigger than a hippo stone
hi hello nobodty stares at my dome

float on its ok
hi hello bye and adios float on

oi

 

[ThePoliticalRevolution]

Maybe Marr is just lowering the bar by saying this about Brooks, because it makes Marr feel better about his own lyric writing capabilities (?

Morrissey is a poet. He is rare and is prescient, a shy man who has the gift of second sight.

Brock, fwiw, is the front man of a mediocre indie rock band with auspicious astrological placements which led to him making a little bit of cash through the aughts.

There is nothing to see here, lemmings.

But why does he like pretending?

No Pretenders jokes please.

 

[ThePoliticalRevolution]

Seriously, this thread irks me.

 

[BrummieBoy]

Yah. I didn't think it was posted on Moz Solo. A day late and a dollar short.

 

[Anonymous]

Isaac Brock is a brilliant songwriter. Don't go mad because Marr said so and you feel he's dissed Morrissey. He didn't do that. Anyway, here's an amazing Modest Mouse record:

Modest Mouse - The Good Times Are Killing Me