The Last Of The Famous International Playboys (single)

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Cover art
Reissue cover art
Reissue cover art (Digital)
MORRISSEY Single
Name The Last Of The Famous International Playboys
Release 11 February 1989
8 April 2013 (Reissue)
Total Length 3:40
Writer/composer Morrissey / Stephen Street
Producer Stephen Street
Art work Photo of Morrissey, "aged seven, up a tree in a park in Chorlton-on-Medlock" - Peepholism.
Layout: Caryn Gough
Photo with Rick Astley backstage at BBC's "Top Of The Pops" in 1989 (Reissue)
Vinyl Etching ESCAPE FROM VALIUM (A-side)
RETURN TO VALIUM (B-side)
Publisher HMV Records (UK)
Sire Records (US)
Parlophone Records (Reissue)
Format(s) 7" Vinyl, 12" Vinyl, CD
Chart position UK #6
Single chronology
Everyday Is Like Sunday
←
The Last Of The Famous International Playboys
→
Interesting Drug
Single reissue chronology
Suedehead (Mael Mix)
←
The Last Of The Famous International Playboys
→
Satellite Of Love (live)

Information

Notorious gangsters Reggie Kray and Ronnie Kray are mentioned in this song.

Track list

7" Vinyl

UK - [HMV POP1620]

  1. The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40 (Morrissey/Street)
  2. Lucky Lisp – 2:51 (Morrissey/Street)

12" Vinyl

UK - [HMV 12POP1620]
US - [Sire/Reprise 9 21163-0]

  1. The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40
  2. Lucky Lisp – 2:51
  3. Michael's Bones – 3:10 (Morrissey/Street)

CD

UK - [HMV CDPOP1620]

  1. The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40
  2. Lucky Lisp – 2:51
  3. Michael's Bones – 3:10

7" Vinyl Picture Disc (Reissue)

  1. The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40 (Morrissey/Street)
  2. People Are The Same Everywhere – 2:50 (Morrissey/Tobias)

CD (Reissue)

  1. The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40
  2. Action Is My Middle Name – 2:45 (Morrissey/Boorer)

Digital Download (Reissue)

  1. The Last Of The Famous International Playboys – 3:40
  2. The Kid's A Looker – 3:09 (Morrissey/Boorer)

Lyrics

Dear hero imprisoned,
With all the new crimes that you are perfecting
Oh I can't help quoting you
Because everything that you said rings true

And now in my cell
(Well, I followed you)
And here's a list of who I slew
Reggie Kray - do you know my name?
Don't say you don't
Please say you do

I am:
The last of the famous
International playboys
The last of the famous
International playboys

And now in my cell
(Well, I loved you)
And every man with a job to do
Ronnie Kray - do you know my face?
Don't say you don't
Please say you do

I am:
The last of the famous
International playboys
The last of the famous
International playboys

In our lifetime those who kill
The newsworld hands them stardom
And these are the ways
On which I was raised
These are the ways
On which I was, which I was raised

I never wanted to kill
I'M NOT NATURALLY EVIL
Such things I do
Just to make myself
More attractive to you
HAVE I FAILED?

The last of the famous
International playboys

Sleeve Artwork

  • Cover art. (1989)

    Cover art. (1989)

  • Reissue cover art. (2013)

    Reissue cover art. (2013)

Image Gallery

  • NME ad (February 4, 1989). [Source]

    NME ad (February 4, 1989). [Source]

Music Video

Credits

Live History

Play count (Morrissey concert): 128

Morrissey live history:

... further results

Appears On

Appears On Covers Compilation

Cover Versions

Mentioned In

Discogs Information

Credits

  • Bass Guitar [The Bass Guitar] - Andy Rourke
  • Drums [The Drums] - Mike Joyce
  • Engineer [Assistant] - Steve Williams (6)
  • Guitar [Guitars] - Craig Gannon
  • Guitar [Guitars] - Neil Taylor
  • Keyboards - Stephen Street
  • Producer [Produced By] - Stephen Street
  • Public Relations [Press] - Murray Chalmers
  • Sleeve - Caryn Gough
  • Sleeve - Jo Slee
  • Sleeve - Morrissey
  • Voice - Morrissey
  • Written-By - Morrissey
  • Written-By - Stephen Street

Notes

Released in printed cardboard & paper jackets. Paper jacket has a small circular sticker on the upper right corner of the jacket with the text "VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED" (see images). Not a Japanese pressing so possibly a UK pressing exported to Japan for sale.

Lyrics to track A printed on rear sleeve.

Runouts are stamped except for the etched 'ESCAPE FROM VALIUM' and 'RETURN TO VALIUM'.

Runout variant without 'JONZ' in the runouts.

Similar UK editions: [r=20613196]: 'ESCAPE FROM VALIUM' on side A but 'JONZ' instead of 'RETURN TO VALIUM' on side B [r=23760038]: 'RETURN TO VALIUM' on side B but 'The Exchange' instead of 'ESCAPE FROM VALIUM' on side A [r=19441885]: 'The Exchange' on side A, 'JONZ' on side B

[Rear sleeve:] Made from recycled paper ℗ 1989 Original sound recordings made by EMI Records Ltd © 1989 EMI Records Ltd

[Labels:] Bona Relations/Warner Bros. Music Ltd./Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd. ℗ 1989 Original sound recording made by EMI Records Ltd. Made in Gt. Britain

Images

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Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Images

LTI4ODkuanBlZw.jpeg

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Issued in a cardboard sleeve.

[Sleeve:] 1: Digital remaster ℗ 2013 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by EMI Records Ltd. Remastered by Bill Inglot at Digiprep

2: Recorded 10th June, 2011 for the Janice Long Show on Radio 2 and broadcast 15th June, 2011. ℗ 2013 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by the BBC. Mastered at the Lodge.

℗ 2013 The copyright in this compilation is owned by EMI Records Ltd. © 2013 EMI Records Ltd. Made in the E.U.

[CD face:] Recording first published 1989 Made in the E.U. Stereo recording

Images

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Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Track 1 remastered. ℗ 2010 Track 2 recorded 10th June, 2011 for the Janice Long Show on Radio 2 and broadcast 15th June, 2011. Released by arrangement with BBC Music. ℗ 2011

Made in the EU. ℗ 2013 © 2013

Picture disc vinyl issued in 18,50 cm x 18,50 cm transparent PVC bag with sticker.

Images

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Wikipedia Information

MorrisseyTheLastOfTheFamousInternationalPlayboys.jpg

"The Last of the Famous International Playboys" is a 1989 song by British vocalist Morrissey. Co-written by Morrissey and producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's third release after the 1987 breakup of his earlier group Smiths. Morrissey's lyrics were inspired by gangster brothers the Kray Twins, notorious in London's East End during the 1960s, whom he believed to be an example of the media glamourizing violent criminals. Street wrote the music, which took influence from the post-punk group the Fall and an introduction similar to that of "The Man Who Sold the World" by David Bowie. The single was the first Morrissey solo single to feature his former Smiths bandmates Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce, and Craig Gannon. "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" was recorded and released following Morrissey's debut album Viva Hate. Upon release, the single became another commercial hit for Morrissey, reaching number six in the UK despite initially mixed reviews. The song later appeared on the 1990 compilation album Bona Drag. The song was a commercial success upon its release and has since been praised as one of Morrissey's best songs.

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