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Why The Smiths' Funniest Song Is Actually About Gay Rebellion

Poetic Wax

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The Smiths are undoubtedly funny, despite playing such dreary music. So claiming a song is their funniest can be tricky. "Vicar In A Tutu" is absolutely in the running, with a full cast of characters and a bit of added trolling from Morrissey himself, directed straight toward the Church. This is the story of that song, from it's last-minute origins to its rockabilly influences and on to its legacy of subversion.

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Poetic Wax is hosted by Andy Fenstermaker.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 The Story of Vicar In A Tutu
1:27 The Spark of Eccentricity
4:09 Gay Manchester in the 1980s
6:35 Crafting The Smiths Comic Genius
10:06 The Lyrical Humor of Vicar in a Tutu
11:47 A Tutu Amid Thrones

REFERENCES & CLIPS:
Culture of Manchester, The Gay Village: Culture of Manchester, The Gay Village
The Smiths “Vicar in a Tutu” Live on Whistle Test (1986) (cr Tysongreer)
The Smiths - Vicar in a tutu - original br...
The Smiths “Vicar in a Tutu” Instrumental Demo (1985) (cr Ann Coates) The Smiths - Vicar In A Tutu (Instrumental...
Kenny Everett Cupid Stunt and Double Entendres (cr HelloDaves via YouTube) Kenny Everett: Cupid Stunt and Double Ente...
Morrissey “Vicar In A Tutu” Wireless Festival, Hyde Park, London (July 4, 2008) Morrissey - Vicar In A Tutu - Wireless Fes...

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14 Comments

@Séamus.K.T 6 months ago

Lifting the lead from a church refers to stealing it to sell it as scrap metal, not a roofer working up there. It was a very common crime back in the day.

@lineplanevolume 6 months ago

Great essay! Thanks for sharing.

@Karmictale 6 months ago

My favorite song!

@OverEducatedsp 6 months ago

I would rather be famous, than righteous, or holy, any day, any day, any day. Too funny. I was just listening to this album two days ago.

@MozWilde 6 months ago

I love your channel. Have you ever done any videos on the band Placebo or Suede?

@starrywizdom 2 months ago

As Ros counts the gold in Petyr's cannister
Who's trying to chat up Cersei Lannister
But a Septon in a tutu...

@Darkanent 3 weeks ago (edited)

Loved the song, the first time I heard it. Genius. Definitely a Benny Hill inspired creation that most people don't realize.

@RottenBanana-YT 6 months ago

Woot!

@Ronalti65 4 months ago (edited)

"Stop me......" with
"Fell on the floor, I drank more!" Is biographical!🤣

@chrissturgeon1571 5 months ago

Does Morrissey still stand behind this work? He's had less inclusive views attributed to him in more recent years.

@ninguemesmo1 1 month ago

best smiths song

@CTDRG_official 3 months ago

I think you need to look into the so called gender bender artists from the early 80s like Boy George and Marilyn and even some of the Blitz kids and New Romantics
I get the establishment were how you say but these people were huge
Marilyn was basically Boy George’s friend who looked good in a dress and couldn’t really sing but got a record contract on the strength of his image
I think it’s more about the hypocrisy of the church