Spent The Day In Bed

Spent The Day In Bed Cover Art by Morrissey via @MozzeriansATW

It turns out Las Vegas is a good place to acquire a full night (or day... depending on what you’ve been up to) of sleep. Vegas is also one of those places whirling with endless juxtaposition, especially when it comes to its assortment of visitors: from gut-wrenchingly beautiful young model types to waddling sweatshirted retirees to polyester chain-smoking dime slot dads. As you walk out of the air conditioned casinos, onto the street, and into the heat, it strikes you that - provided you’re not famous - the strip is one of those places that’s so chaotically busy you could seemingly disappear into the lush blanket of anonymity for eternity. People think it’s small towns you can do that in, but I disagree... because in small towns everyone knows you.

Throwing My Arms Around Fake Paris

God Knows Your Secret Sins

Since I’ve been back home, though, it had been a bit of a drear-fest UNTIL... this past week, when Morrissey (or at least his official account) arrived on Twitter – as @officialmoz. I was lucky enough to be follower 25, and at the time of writing he has already reached nearly 90,000 followers (the account's bio has since been updated to say "Official Moz info. Not Moz.") Excitement brewed as the account teased his first single, Spent The Day In Bed, scheduled to be played around 8 am UK time, September 19th, on BBC radio.

Our international listening party gears up – and finally – we hear those first few notes we’ve been anticipating since news Moz and the band were recording in Rome in early summer. The air is filled with an organ weaving intricate chains of notes – perhaps I was expecting something a bit more guitar-oriented, but the fact it’s unexpected draws me in more. Something about the riff, to me at least, is reminiscent of a music box, except way catchier – and, as I fumble to find the perfect adjective to describe my blessed ears - way cooler!

Morrissey’s voice sounds smooth and glorious as ever. And oh – those lyrics – as soon as I heard the title – I thought they would say everything to me about my life – and they do! In an era where apprehension to turn on and tune into the news is nothing short of palpable, I can see how this song captures the zeitgeist, as a BMG rep said last month. Moz again demonstrates his art for conveying complexity of emotion in his lyrics – and we see that the world outside can be a depressing, draining, even frightening place; however, we also have the positive flip of creating our own internal world. Plus, the “I’m not my type” line is pretty darn funny. Spent The Day In Bed's lyrics have an existential hue – celebrating the freedom and reality of the mind – and there’s also something brazen and revolutionary about resisting the daily drudging grind. The spirit is punk rock: yes - staying in bed is a form of protest against what society dictates we should be doing - yet also it's weaved with a well-deserved and luxurious element of self-care. 

Cover featuring Mando's son

Spent The Day In Bed is a Morrissey/Manzur composition and Gustavo also contributes some backing vocals en español (think the bésame muchos of Kiss Me A lot). Gus is a multi-talented musician: he plays about a hundred instruments (I’m actually not even sure I’m exaggerating on this number – keyboards, trumpet, Spanish guitar, accordion, digeridoo – just to name a few!) and he’s an all-around great guy.

Gustavo playing Spanish guitar photo by @mischievousnose

The “time do as I wish” refrain is otherworldy, transporting you with rolling keyboards, which take on a transcendent harp-like effect, and Morrissey’s repetition of the phrase has the quality of an incantation. And - check out this chorus:

Stop Watching the news!

Because the news contrives to frighten you

To make you feel small and alone

To make you feel your mind isn’t your own.

I wholeheartedly agree with Moz on this. I stopped watching television news about 8 years ago, during one of my first stretches with major depression; it seemed the news was dragging me down further. Morning news crew was especially unsettling: from the moment you wake up you are slammed with bone-headed alpha-aggressive politics, devastation, despair – and in the next frame, “good morning y'all – we are sharing our tips for making the fluffiest pancakes.” The thrust of this contrast, without the mere bat of an eyelash, seems bizarrely inhumane.

“The news contrives to frighten you” perhaps because frightened people are easier to control... and “your mind isn’t your own” because mass media of course selectively reports, and even the most seemingly unbiased reports may actually not be so, because the nuances of language and word choice can be sneaky. Individuality and critical thinking also make people far more difficult to control...

Of course, out of curiosity, I made a poll to see how many people religiously watch the news... and the results were as follows:

The lyrics to Spent The Day In Bed make you think, and the tune is very catchy. It makes me ultra excited for the new album. Some more thoughts on the track from Twitter:

"It's beautiful. Real classic Moz." - @morrissey2020

"...my favourite part is the chorus, I bet it'll be emotional when Morrissey sings it live and it'll be fun to sing along"  - @loserlicious  (yes, yes, 1000 x yes - I can't wait to see this live!)

"Awesome song. How I feel everyday. Going to be a great album. Thank you Morrissey."  - @51johnd

"Loved the synths on the new #Morrissey single. Totally unexpected. Had a charming late 60's early 70's pop feel - #Chicorytip with balls" - Kevin Cummins

"I find this new @officialmoz tune, very optimistic... Moz always views life from an unusual angle." - Boy George


To get the new lyrics rolling off your tongue, here is the official lyric video for Spent The Day In Bed:

Immediately after the single’s premiere radioplay, the album was available for preorder, in multiple formats, on US Mporium, UK Mporium and iTunes, as well as being available on Spotify.

The track listing for Low In High School has also been released (via iTunes):

1. My Love, I'd Do Anything for You
2. I Wish You Lonely
3. Jacky's Only Happy When She's Up on the Stage
4. Home Is a Question Mark
5. Spent the Day in Bed
6. I Bury the Living
7. In Your Lap
8. The Girl from Tel-Aviv Who Wouldn't Kneel
9. All the Young People Must Fall in Love
10. When You Open Your Legs
11. Who Will Protect Us from the Police?
12. Israel

Some intriguing titles – I can’t wait!

Photo by Sam Esty Rayner

@officialmoz also hinted at some US tour dates with this tweet:

It’s a truly exciting time to be a Moz fan. And while the internet certainly has its drawbacks, undoubtedly it also draws you together with fascinating people you might not otherwise meet. Our little online single release listening party featured people from: the UK, the US, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, and Australia. For a while now, I’ve also been chatting with a fellow Morrissey fan Ruba Badwan, who is an artist from Abu-Dhabi. Her paintings are abstract and awash with life and colour. She sent me a photo of her painting, “Pure And Kind,” which is based on Morrissey’s movements on stage:

“The painting ‘Pure and Kind’ is based on Morrissey’s movements on stage, trying to capture his anthropomorphic soul from my perspective... and his voice also triggered the sounds of purity that I hopefully have expressed visually. This was all a split-second feeling towards the emotions I have picked up on Morrissey.”

Pure And Kind by Ruba Badwan

The talent spans worldwide, as on my return from Las Vegas, I was lucky enough to receive a parcel in the mail from Jakarta, created by my friend Yunara Gunarso (@YunaraGunarso), who is a web designer and graphic artist. She has recently been creating some gorgeous, lush wrapping paper and cards inspired by Morrissey and his lyrics:

Morrissey-inspired designs by Yunara Gunarso

AND - after drafting this blog post up yesterday, I noticed another lovely Morrissey fan from the UK, Charlie (@charm972) tweeted this gorgeous jewelry creation, inspired by the lyrics to Spent The Day In Bed. I simply had to ask if I could include it in my article. (She can also knit and sew! I can't even sew a stitch - sigh!)

Charming bracelet by Charlie

I’ve met many artists while queuing as well, and can honestly say these fans are a multi-talented bunch – some are musicians, some are writers, some are painters, some are photographers – and all have the common tie that Morrissey is a source of inspiration. 

To wrap up, in celebration of the new single, I thought I’d post a few of my favourite photos of Morrissey, spending the day in bed.

Photo by Bryan Adams

Notebooks in bed

Morrissey in LA

If it's the daytime then I might be in bed

Teenage Moz (photo via TTY)

Solitaire in bed

I fell out of bed twice. Photo by Bryan Adams

UPDATE (September 22): Morrissey has announced a US tour! 

(dates via Billboard.com)

* I only write my own personal takes on music. I believe you come to a song or album as your own self. Everyone’s experience and relationship with a song is unique