thischarmlessgirl:

16 reasons why I (and many other people) love Morrissey
(Yes, like the song. Corny, I know…)

1. His voice. Whether it’s in the form of a powerful croon, a shrieking falsetto, or that rumbling, raw drone of the early days of Smithdom, Morrissey’s vocal style is mesmerising and unique. To those critics who claim he can’t sing:

2. His personality. He’s outspoken, he’s arrogant, and sometimes just plain grumpy - but he’s also sweet, intelligent, compassionate, and utterly charming. Every fan undoubtedly sees something of themselves in Morrissey, whether that be good or bad - but at the end of the day, there is only one Morrissey. As Bono once said, he’s an original of the species. There’s no one else quite like him.

3. He loves animals. (And who doesn’t love a man who loves animals?) A vegetarian since the age of 11, Morrissey’s love of animals extends to scraping half-dead squirrels off the side of the road (L.A. Weekly, 2007), leaving bowls of nuts on the window-sill for the ones who inhabit his garden (NME, 1989), and insisting on the rescue of a drowning wasp from a hotel swimming pool while battling near-pneumonia himself (Uncut, 1998). His affinity for cats in particular have seen them featured in numerous photo shoots over the years (as well as numerous magazine covers), and even the official video for Glamorous Glue. And let’s not forget the pugs…

4. His sense of humour. One need only read a random selection of Morrissey quotes, watch an interview, or even study the matrix messages on Smiths records to recognise his quick wit. In typically Mozzerian fashion, he’s usually at his most hilarious when he’s making fun of other people. ;)

5. His talent as a lyricist. By turns poetic (The hand that rocks the cradle), romantic (Let me kiss you), provocative (Handsome devil; Jack the ripper), movingly dramatic (I know it’s over; Life is a pigsty), wittily tongue-in-cheek (Bigmouth strikes again; All you need is me), and sometimes just downright funny (Get off the stage), no one can write lyrics quite like Morrissey.

6. He looks pretty damn good without a shirt on. Regardless of personal preference, there’s a Shirtless Moz™ flavour for everybody. ;)

7. His dancing - particularly during The Smiths era. Some say it looks like he’s having a seizure, or undergoing an exorcism. Others affirm it’s one of the most adorably awkward things they’ve ever seen. And most agree that when Johnny Marr is involved, the “aww factor” is amplified tenfold.

8. His smile. Though it’s yet to be proven that Morrissey’s smile can cure cancer, resurrect the dead, or holds the key to world peace, it’s widely accepted that it is, at the very least, an effective antidepressant.

9. The Quiff. It may be a little thinner and greyer now than it was in 1983, but the man still rocks the ‘do like no other. Wouldn’t you just love to be his hair stylist? Take a moment to think about it…

10. His fashion sense. Who else could get away with wearing ladies’ blouses, plastic beads, and daffodils in the back pocket of baggy-bum jeans? Or for that matter, double denim, old man trousers, his own tour t-shirts tucked into jeans, athletic singlets as makeshift vests, and quite a few questionable suits - never mind actually look good in them?

11. His love of homoerotic imagery. It’s fun, it’s cheeky, and it’s deliciously camp. We’ve got naked male models on record sleeves. Numerous photos of Morrissey himself groping David. A Kill Uncle/Your Arsenal-era backing band that looked like a bunch of rent boys hand-picked for Moz’s private harem. What’s not to love?

12. His eyes. “Like bluest water seen through mists of rain”, sayeth Oscar Wilde. Couldn’t you just drown in those baby blues?

13. He’s a great hugger. The fans say so. Nancy Sinatra says so. Johnny Marr remembers so, but won’t admit it in as many words, despite Nardwuar egging him on. According to certain experts, a hug from Morrissey is as spiritually powerful as a hug from the Hindu “Hugging Saint” Mātā Amṛtānandamayī Devī.

14. He loves him mum. And, he’s adorably comfortable admitting so, even going as far as to make an appearance on The One Show just because she likes the programme, and hugging her backstage for the NME cameras in 1984.

15. His chemistry with Johnny Marr. Combined they wrote and recorded some of the most beautiful songs ever heard by human ears, and even on a platonic level, their obvious affection for each other was dead sweet. Who else but Johnny would Morrissey let get away with telling him - as well as interviewers - that he needs a good humping? And let’s not forget the dancing…the hugging…the backstage make-out sessions…. ;)

16. He’s uncompromising. In an industry where most people ascend to the top by doing whatever their managers and record labels tell them to, Morrissey has always had the integrity and self-respect to do things on his own terms, and when it comes to his personal opinions, he always stays true to his convictions. We’ll probably see him snogging Johnny Marr at a Smiths reunion concert sponsored by McDonalds before he apologises for any of his rants about animal cruelty or the royal family, but despite whatever furor he causes within the media because of his outspokenness, at least he has the courage to stand up for what he thinks is right. Brave man.

everything is there.