A Very Unbiased (Of Course) Review of Morrissey's Latest Single

Morrissey, I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris, 2009
I confess that I wasn't too keen on this single the first time I heard it (despite a cute video where Morrissey is surrounded by sulky rockabilly musicians and offers his tambourine to an indifferent french bulldog.) Its lyrics are throwaway easy, its arrangement nothing to shout about - it's not trying to burrow into your head from the get go like so many pop songs these days.

But it grows with every listen and feels quintessentially "him" - the sort of record that fits into any period of his career. It's a melodic pop song in the mold of the many from the 60s Morrissey has been defending since he was in The Smiths, where (as usual) he announces some dramatic decision (in this case, his embrace of the City of Lights) because love has deserted him. Shame is the Name, the b-side, is a nice little gem too. Lyrically, it revisits the familiar territory of broken homes and lost youth that he's always been fascinated with, with backing vocals by long-time friend and Pretenders front woman Chrissie Hynde.