Roy's Keen (single)

Cover art

MORRISSEY Single
Name	Roy's Keen
Release	06 October 1997
Total Length	3:37
Recorded	Winter 1996
Writer/composer	Morrissey / Alain Whyte
Producer	Steve Lillywhite
Art work	Photo: Roger Mayne David Peschek (ink) Chris Dwyer (layout)
Vinyl Etching	No matrix message
Publisher	Island Records
Format(s)	7" Vinyl, 12" Vinyl, CD
Chart position	UK #42
Single chronology
Alma Matters ← Roy's Keen → Satan Rejected My Soul

Information

A radio edit (3:14) has circulated unofficially circa 2007.

Excerpt from the Mozipedia (US version) entry:

..Its only facet of interest was Morrissey's crafty choice of opening sample, 'Go on!': the voice of a young Martin Sheen in the pivotal father/son confrontation scene from the 1968 film of Frank D. Gilroy's The Subject Was Roses.

Note: David Tseng identified this sample (uncredited) to the author of Mozipedia, Simon Goddard in conversation before this item was published. davidt: I had watched the film on Morrissey's personal recommendation several years previously and noticed the sample.

Track list

CD

[Island Records – CID 671]

1. Roy's Keen – 3:37 (Morrissey/Whyte)
2. Lost – 3:55 (Morrissey/Cobrin)
3. The Edges Are No Longer Parallel – 5:05 (Morrissey/Whyte)

Lyrics

(Go on!)

He's romancing you
And chancing his arm
He'll be here, smiling on time

He's romancing you
And chancing his arm
He'll be here, smiling on time

Roy's keen, oh, Roy's keen
Roy's keen, oh, Roy's keen
We've never seen a keener
Window-cleaner

Back up the ladder
Into each corner
Dunking the chamois
Just think of the goodwill

The ladder's a planet
Roy is a star
And I am a satellite
(But that's alright)

He can hold a smile for as long as you require
(Even longer)
He can hold a smile for as long as you require
(Even longer)

Roy's keen, oh, Roy's keen
Roy's keen, oh, Roy's keen
We've never seen a keener
Window-cleaner

Back up the ladder
Into each corner
Dunking the chamois
Just think of the goodwill

The ladder's a planet
Roy is a star
And I am a satellite
I will be set alight

Don't say you'll hold it steady
Then you let it go
Don't say you'll hold it steady
Then you let it go

You're up the ladder
Into each corner
Foot in a bucket
We trust you to wreck it

Even when it's under your nose
Well, you just can't see it, can you?
Well it's here right under your nose
And you just can't see it, can you?

Roy's keen
Roy's keen
Roy's keen
Roy's keen
We've never seen a keener
Window-cleaner

Television Performances

Top Of The Pops, Sept 1997:

The Jack Docherty Show, 31 December 1998:

Live History

Play count (Morrissey concert): 62

Morrissey live history:

• Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1997-09-12 (Morrissey concert)
• Montreal, Quebec, Canada 1997-09-13 (Morrissey concert)
• Boston, Massachusetts 1997-09-14 (Morrissey concert)
• Providence, Rhode Island 1997-09-16 (Morrissey concert)
• New York, New York 1997-09-17 (Morrissey concert)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1997-09-19 (Morrissey concert)
• Washington, DC 1997-09-20 (Morrissey concert)
• Cleveland, Ohio 1997-09-21 (Morrissey concert)
• Kalamazoo, Michigan 1997-09-23 (Morrissey concert)
• Ann Arbor, Michigan 1997-09-24 (Morrissey concert)

... further results

Appears On

• Maladjusted
• Roy's Keen (single)

Discogs Information

Credits

• Artwork [Ink] - David Peschek
• Bass [The Bassist] - Jonny Bridgwood
• Drums [The Drummer] - Spencer Cobrin
• Guitar [The Guitarist] - Boz Boorer
• Guitar [The Guitarist], Backing Vocals [Backing Singer] - Alain Whyte
• Hair [Best Boy] - Debbie Danelle
• Layout [Paste] - Chris Dwyer (2)
• Other [Cathode] - Trish Scorgie
• Other [Morrissey Thanks] - Willie Garcia
• Photography By - Derick Ion
• Photography By [Picture By] - Roger Mayne (2)
• Producer [Produced By] - Danton Supple
• Producer [Produced By] - Steve Lillywhite
• Product Manager [Detection] - Ingrid K. Olson
• Vocals [The Singer] - Morrissey

Notes

Issued in a side opening sleeve with a soft sheen finish. Thick cardstock. Spine with text. Disc held in a white die cut paper inner.

[Sleeve:] Recorded in Oxfordshire 1997

From the Island LP, CD & Cassette “Maladjusted” Published by Copyright Control/Sony/ATV Music Publishing except Side Two, Track 2 Published by Copyright Control

℗ 1997 Mercury Records © 1997 Mercury Records The Copyright in this sound recording and artwork is owned by Mercury Records and is exclusively licensed to Island Records Ltd in the UK. Island Records is a PolyGram Company. [...]. Island Records Ltd. [...].

[B-side label:] Recorded in England July,1997

'Marketed By' is not printed on the release but it was mentioned on a press release.

Runouts are etched.

Images

• Roy's Keen - Discogs master release: https://www.discogs.com/master/32748
• Roy's Keen (12" 45 RPM Single) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/1750325-Morrissey-Roys-Keen

Wikipedia Information

"Roy's Keen" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in October 1997. It was the second single to be taken from the Maladjusted album and was the third solo Morrissey single not to feature himself in the cover picture, instead using a photograph of two boys taken by Roger Mayne on London's Southam Street in the 1950s. The single reached number 42 on the UK Singles Chart. Its failure to reach the top 40 meant a performance of the song recorded for Top of the Pops did not air until it was shown on Top of the Pops 2 in 2003. The title refrain is a pun on the name of former Manchester United footballer Roy Keane – as Morrissey acknowledged during live performances of the song by changing words to "never seen a keener midfielder". The song was played over the closing credits of Keane's 2002 documentary As I See It. Despite being released as a single, the song was omitted from Maladjusted's remastered CD reissue in 2009.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy%27s_Keen

Related Forum Threads

• Morrissey A-Z: "Roy's Keen" - Morrissey-solo (Jul 23, 2021)