Joan Armatrading

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During his concert at Birmingham O2 Academy in 2022, Morrissey sang a few lines a capella from Joan's song "Save Me":

Sinking
Caught up in a whirling motion
Such a strange sensation
The currents uncertain
Like sails of a mill, I spin

She later thanked him on Twitter:

Has worked with Boz Boorer (details needed).
Under the heading: "Morrissey headlining at O2 Wireless Festival, London" published on True-to-you.net (March 24, 2008), Morrissey stated:

"What is classical is what we all agree on, and I think we all acknowledge Hyde Park festivals as important events. I am honoured to be asked to headline on July 4th, marking my 26th year haunting British music, and following the Hyde Park greats - T.Rex, Joan Armatrading, and someone with insecure teeth. I promise a thundering bill of tight nerves and suavity and all your favourites from Disc magazine. I will take Hyde Park like a flea inhabits a dog. Art-hounds and people with badly cut hair are very welcome. I shall do my utmost not to pull a sour face. The sun will make up its own mind. It is, of course, the day when America celebrated its independence from Sidcup, but we can easily reverse that situation with a bit of John Mills stiff-upperness. Bring your own lodging-house towels, but don't expect any three-shrimp appetizers."

Her 1981 song "The Weakness In Me" contains the lines:

... Why do you come here And pretend to be just passing by? But I need to see you, And I mean to hold you tightly ... Why do you come here When you know I've got troubles enough? Why do you call me When you know I can't answer the phone? ...

Which may have some bearing on Suedehead's lyrics.
Rolling Stone (in 2021 via Rob Sheffield) restate this assertion firmly with:

It’s no coincidence Morrissey kicked off his solo career with an Armatrading quote. As a devout fan, he began his solo debut “Suedehead” with the hook from her classic “The Weakness In Me”: “Why do you come here?”

Similarly, her 1980 song "Turn Out The Light" contains:

... Things have looked bad But now some years later ... Since I took up with you ...

Which may have influenced Billy Budd.

Mentioned In

Birmingham, England 2022-10-05 (Morrissey concert)

Discogs Information

Profile

British singer, songwriter, and guitarist born December 9, 1950 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Armatrading moved with her family to Birmingham, England, United Kingdom, in 1957 and in the early 1970s, moved to London to perform in a repertory production of "Hair".

Armatrading has been nominated twice for a Brit award as best female vocalist and has received an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection in 1996. She has been nominated three times for a Grammy Award, including being the first UK female artist to be nominated in the Grammy Blues category for her 2007 release "Into The Blues". She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2001.

Armatrading was part of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" Tour 2008.

Owner of Bumpkin Studios, a purpose built recording facility in the grounds of her home, in Surrey, where she has recorded most of her albums since "Sleight of Hand". She and girlfriend Maggie Butler entered a civil partnership on 2 May 2011, in the Shetland Isles.

External Links

Wikipedia Information

Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading (, born 9 December 1950) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her first major commercial success came with her third and fourth albums, Joan Armatrading (1976) and Show Some Emotion (1977), and she continues to play live and record studio albums. A three-time Grammy Award nominee, Armatrading has also been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She received an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection in 1996.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Armatrading