Satan Rejected My Soul

A fairly perfunctory re thread on the theme of not belonging, Morrissey has tackled this with more flair in the past and with much more identity. Like a lot of songs from this era of his career, there's nothing particularly wrong with the piece but there's nothing really to recommend it either. Outside the already loyal, this tune sank as its rather low chart placing proved (although perversely it did better than the comparatively sprightlier and altogether more fun "Roy's Keen") that maybe it was time for a break.

It's a one joke song and while the central conceit is a good one, Satan himself can't even take to the so called "Pope of Mope" it's disappointing that there's not a new twist elsewhere in the work. I guess self deprecation pops up so often within his songs, finding a new wrinkle is going to be impossible each time.

The music itself is again standard Morrissey, a slightly personality-less run through of indie tropes and soft rock cliches. Live the song packs much more of a punch boosted by the mans natural theatrics and stage presence. This wilder streak is absent from the somewhat sterile studio version. Limping out as third single from the unloved but underrated Maladjusted album there's no wonder it stalled whatever momentum Team Moz had until 7 years later as he made a remarkable comeback. Satan may have rejected him then but Lazarus surely must have returned his phone call circa 2004.