This is the only solo Morrissey song I actually like. I’m not so much a fan of The Smiths either. Never been much into Morrissey’s lyrics nor him really as a person. He’s a bit melodramatic. Possibly racist too, I heard? He’s a character for sure.
This song was on the soundtrack for FIFA 2005 which is how I got to know it. Surprisingly so, seeing how unapologetically political it is. The line about Oliver Cromwell was censored though. Don’t think EA would have the balls to put a song like this in one of their games today. In the song, Morrissey rallies on about how proud he is to be of both titular nationalities, how people shouldn’t be ashamed to be patriotic without feeling like they’re being offensive, and throws some shade at those in the House of Commons and the Royal family for good measure.
Like I said, I’m not too keen on Morrissey’s dramatic lyrics or vocal delivery – but it’s on this track in particular where his voice and the music matches to great effect. The quiet verses lurk along with his signature baritone vocal and the flickering slick guitar riff and defiantly rise into the louder choruses where everything is kicked up a notch. That specific dynamic in a song has been done to death but when it’s done right, it can never go wrong.
If ya didn’t know, the music for the track – written by former songwriting partner Alain Whyte – had already been used in a song but was reworked for Morrissey’s purposes. I’ll link it below. It’s clear that Morrissey’s version is better.
The Music in My Ears 