The Meaning Behind “Bigmouth Strikes Again” by The Smiths and the Endurance of Endless Provocation

If you have a friend who’s never heard The Smiths, and you could only play them one song, play them “Bigmouth Strikes Again”. The reason: It would begin a long conversation about the guitar genius of Johnny Marr and the cleverness of Morrissey.

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And you cannot have a conversation about Morrissey’s thinking without also discussing his thornier remarks. Moreover, it’s the endurance of endless provocation between the press and the most singular anti-rock star of his time that brings us to the story of “Bigmouth Strikes Again”.

About “Bigmouth Strikes Again”

Morrissey’s satire of his experience with the press appears on The Queen Is Dead, a title that folds one provocation inside another. Drummer Mike Joyce told the NME, “What a fantastic title—one of Mozzer’s better ones. And with this song, you can see why he made journalists cr**m their pants. Listen to the lyrical content. He was a one-off.”

Oh sweetness,
Sweetness, I was only joking when I said,
By rights, you should be bludgeoned in your bed.

Few rock lyricists understand irony as well as Morrissey, and he dials it up here by comparing himself to the Catholic saint and martyr, Joan of Arc. The drama is ludicrous and brilliant, and as Joyce noted, one of Morrissey’s best pieces of writing.

And now I know how Joan of Arc felt,
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt.
As the flames rose to her Roman nose,
And her Walkman started to melt.

The Provocation Continues

Morrissey’s politics, especially his views on immigration, have deepened a lasting rift between the singer and his former guitarist, Johnny Marr.

Regarding Morrissey’s political turn and fans’ reaction to it, Marr told The Guardian, “It hasn’t impacted how I feel about The Smiths. That’s all I can say about that. I’m certainly able to separate the past from the present. I don’t know whether you can separate the band from the man, but I can separate myself from the man and what I did, so when I do see how disappointed people are, it really does make me sad. But it’s completely out of my control. And I can only really do what is in my control.”

Marr’s Best Riff

Speaking of provocation, it’s hard to pinpoint Marr’s best riff. But “Bigmouth Strikes Again” certainly belongs near the top of the list. The Rolling Stones inspired the riff, as Marr aimed for the energy of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”.

I recently attended Marr’s solo performance at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville. “Bigmouth Strikes Again” was a highlight of his set, and the only song matching its intensity that night was another Smiths classic, “How Soon Is Now?”.

Setting aside the politics of any rock star, The Smiths’ music endures. Morrissey and Marr were their generation’s most important indie songwriting duo, and it’s up to you whether or not you can separate the artist from the art.

Photo by ITV