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To: jamesb@nevada.edu
Subject: The Smiths : Half A Person
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 93 18:54:45 GMT
From: Fergal
Here's a song you might be interested in if you do'nt have the music for it already.
RIFF 1
|---5-4-------------------------|
|--5----5-----------------------|
|-4-----------------------------|
|-------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|
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Bm E RIFF1 Bm E RIFF1
Call me morbid, call me pale. I've spent six years on your trail
Bm A G E Esus4 E
six long years on your trail.
Bm E RIFF 1 Bm E RIFF 1
Call me morbid, call me pale. I've spent six years on your trail
Bm A G E Esus4 E
six full years of my life on your trail.
Gb G(bar) C(bar) G Gb G(bar)
And if you have five seconds to spare, then I'll tell you the story of my life.
D A Gb Bm G
Sixteen clumsy and shy, I went to London and I
D A Gb
I booked myself in at the Y W C A
A E RIFF 1 A E RIFF 1
I said "i like it here, can I stay?", "i like it here, can I stay?",
Bm A G E Esus4 E
Do you have a vacancy for a back scrubber?
Well, the song just continues from there with the same basic chord sequences,
Not a complex song, but a brilliant one.
>From Fergal Boden
Queens University Belfast,
(u9246576@athmail1.causeway.qub.ac.uk)
Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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No Picture
metalis4ever Average |
#1 by metalis4ever at Apr 17, 1974 at 4:13 PM EST |
| I concur with most of the above suggestions. HALF A PERSON is one of Morrissey's finest moments -- a Smithian treasure tucked away on a B-Side aimed at unfurling a circular relationship between himself the pop star and the young boy who like us is on a journey of discovery from small town to the big city, from a position of despair and strangeness to one of metaphorical prostitution to become what we want, SOMEBODY. And in our glory we are told that we are missed for our adolescent endearing troubles selves and we yearn again for those make belive days and the full circle continues. Morrissey lived this as do many a clumsy, shy teenager with a dream. Will you fall into the circle? I am and I hope only that I am soon promoted from back scrubber. | |
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TOm Wanna Be |
#2 by TOm HIrsch at Sep 7, 1976 at 5:10 AM EST |
| He's asking if there's a vacancy FOR a back-scrubber...so he's the back-scrubber. So I guess he's asking if he can stay, even if he's has to do some lowly job or whatever. Plus, I've heard before (I'm not sure if this is true or not) that the phrase backscrubber has (presumably pejorative) homosexual connoctations in some places, so in that case it would be more like "so, do you have room for a worthless little poof like me?" | |
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No Picture
chris Average |
#3 by chris ovari at Nov 8, 1979 at 8:33 AM EST |
| "But, correct me if I'm wrong: Isn't "she wrote to me on the hour" supposed to be "she wrote to me equally dour"? I thought that it sounded slightly more accurate... " Yes, you are right, he sings "she wrote to me, equally dour" but for whatever weird reason, in Louder Than Bombs lyric sheet it says "she wrote to me on the hour" (?!) That's not the only case that the lyrics in the lyric sheet are different from what Morrissey actually sings in the song. | |
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ryan Lead Player |
#4 by ryan harney at Sep 26, 1984 at 7:50 PM EST |
| "I hitchiked all the way down to Memphis, got a room at the YMCA..." -"Guitar Man", by Elvis Presley "Caliban is only half a person at the best of times." -"The Collector", by John Fowles | |
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No Picture
Venti Average |
#5 by Venti at Feb 26, 1987 at 12:55 AM EST |
| I think it's him realising that no matter how famous and rich he is going to get it's not actually going to change his life. He'll always be 16, clumsy and shy. In fact, his success has managed to alienate him from people who might have liked him in the past. It's increased his isolation when he thought it would make his life better. | |
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No Picture
Rebecca Average |
#6 by Rebecca Lira at Mar 8, 1994 at 12:33 PM EST |
| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myyyKu1GYSY | |
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No Picture
` niki * Average |
#7 by ` niki * at Jul 1, 1994 at 6:23 PM EST |
| One of the most fantastic verses in this song: I've spent six years on your trail Six full years of my life on your trail And if you have five seconds to spare Then I'll tell you the story of my life: He spends 6 full years obsessed with a person and asks back only 5 seconds from her! This is fantastic! This is Morrissey!!!! | |
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No Picture
Failure by Desi Average |
#8 by Failure by Design at Mar 27, 1996 at 3:49 AM EST |
| I know about the line from "The Collector", but don't you think there might be another meaning to it. You know the old story that people were once a whole and then the gods split them in two, so they keep looking for each their other half all their lives. That would mean that everyone is only half a person until they find their 'other half', their true love! | |
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No Picture
Dudey Average |
#9 by Dudey at Dec 31, 1998 at 5:37 AM EST |
| The backscrubber and YWCA mentions are, I belive, in reference to his support of the feminist cause (at least, early in his life). But it also factors well in the self-loathing the title suggests. | |
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Trey Average |
#10 by Trey smith at Jan 1, 1999 at 6:19 PM EST |
| Still, I've always wanted to know why Morrissey chose to ask for a vacancy or a backscrubber? | |
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devon Average |
#11 by devon at Feb 27, 2003 at 9:48 PM EST |
| One of my favourites - but I constantly change my mind beacuse I love the Smiths :) | |
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Charlie Average |
#12 by Charlie Fletcher at Mar 21, 2003 at 9:34 AM EST |
| I've always been absolutely cuckoo over this song... But, correct me if I'm wrong: Isn't "she wrote to me on the hour" supposed to be "she wrote to me equally dour"? I thought that it sounded slightly more accurate... | |
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No Picture
Nathan Average |
#13 by Nathan Delvecchio at Jan 12, 2005 at 11:46 AM EST |
| this is my FAVORITE smiths song by far... | |
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