Angel, Angel Down We Go Together

A surprisingly direct and austere plea from the Viva Hate album it almost seems redundant to discuss this song as Morrissey himself explicitly spoke about it in a refreshingly frank manner. For the record here is what the man himself had to say about it:

"It was written with Johnny Marr in mind and it is the only song that I have written with him in mind, post Smiths. I saw him in the music industry being used and being pushed around and being manipulated and I felt I was in a situation and I thought, 'Look at me, look at you - it's the same, it's a mess and this is as far as we will go' which wasn't quite true in the end but at that moment it felt pretty despairing for both, I felt despairing for both of us but I was wrong."

The song has expanded beyond that remit though and has become a touchstone to many, especially as it deals with quite unsettling subject matter. Themes of suicide and have long been in his work and to me, that should be the focal point here, rather than another tirade at the music business, a ridiculously easy and overexposed target for artists. As a fan base people who follow Morrissey can be quite critical of his actions even as they track his career so fervently. However this song is always discussed in the most revered of ways and perhaps it's the genuine emotion on display. It is the meeting point of Morrisseys honesty (which pops up far more frequently than people give him credit for) and his overriding sense of theatricality. Set to a string section reminiscent of "Eleanor Rigby" the track exudes a timeless quality and its musical bedding remains unique within his canon. It stands as the song to coax people back from the brink. For all the lazy assumptions of misanthropy Moz is secretly a humanist of sorts. Perhaps the rabble disappoint him more often than not but I hold to the idea that he fundamentally believes in the potential of people. Many accuse him of self absorption and arrogance, but he has so many songs of naked emotion, exemplified here with the claim "I love you more than life." An ode to Marr or not, this could be a promise of unconditional love to his fans and although Morrissey may be far from an angel, that love is certainly reciprocated by so many of us.