Martin James "Boz" Boorer is an English guitarist and producer who founded the new wave rockabilly group the Polecats; and for a 30-year period beginning in 1991 was co-writer, guitarist and musical director with Morrissey.
"The Last of the Famous International Playboys" is a song by British solo artist Morrissey. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's third release after the Smiths break-up. Morrissey was inspired lyrically by the East End gangster brothers the Kray Twins, whom he believed to be an example of the media glamourizing violent criminals. Street took influence from the Fall for the song's music, with the intro resembling that of "The Man Who Sold the World" by David Bowie. The single was the first Morrissey solo single to feature his former Smiths bandmates Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce, and Craig Gannon.
"Interesting Drug" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, released as a non-album single on 17 April 1989. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's fourth release after the Smiths break-up. Morrissey was inspired lyrically by the drug culture in the English lower class, which he felt was being clamped down on by the power-hungry Thatcher government. These political themes were further explored in its music video. The single was the second and final Morrissey solo single to feature his former Smiths bandmates Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce, and Craig Gannon.
"November Spawned a Monster" is a song by the English singer Morrissey, released as a single in April 1990 by HMV. It was written by Morrissey and Clive Langer and features one of Morrissey's former colleagues from the Smiths, Andy Rourke, on bass guitar. The single reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The track and its B-side "He Knows I'd Love to See Him" appear on his compilation album Bona Drag (1990).
"Our Frank" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in February 1991. It was the first single taken from the Kill Uncle album. It was also the first of his collaborations with Mark Nevin to be released.
"Sing Your Life" is a single by English singer-songwriter Morrissey released in April 1991. It was the second single taken from the Kill Uncle album. On release this was Morrissey's lowest charting single in the UK charts, reaching only number 33. One of the single's B-sides was a cover version of "That's Entertainment" by The Jam which had backing vocals by Chas Smash, a.k.a. Carl Smyth the second singer of the band Madness. Vic Reeves also recorded backing vocals for the song, but they weren't included in the final version. He is thanked in the sleeve notes.
"Piccadilly Palare" is a song by the English singer Morrissey, released as a single in October 1990 by HMV. The song features one of Morrissey's former colleagues from the Smiths, Andy Rourke on bass guitar, marking the last time any former member of the Smiths would collaborate with Morrissey. Backing vocals were provided by Suggs, lead vocalist of the ska and pop band Madness. "Piccadilly Palare" reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and number five in Ireland.
"My Love Life" is a song by Morrissey released in September 1991. It was a stand-alone single rather than taken from any studio album, although it was included on the compilation albums World of Morrissey (1995) and Suedehead: The Best of Morrissey (1997).
"We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey from his third studio album, Your Arsenal (1992). It was released as the lead single from the album on 27 April 1992 by His Master's Voice (HMV). It was the first Morrissey single to be co-written with guitarist Alain Whyte and produced by glam rock guitarist Mick Ronson, known for his work with David Bowie as one of the Spiders from Mars. The song peaked at No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 9 in Ireland.
"You're the One for Me, Fatty" is a single by Morrissey released in July 1992. It was taken from the then-unreleased Your Arsenal album and was the second Morrissey single to be co-written with Alain Whyte and produced by glam rock legend Mick Ronson. The title is a pun on the Marvelettes' song "You Are the One for Me, Bobby". The track reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.
"The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, co-written by Boz Boorer released as a single on 28 February 1994. It was taken from the then-unreleased Vauxhall and I album and was the first Morrissey single to be produced by Steve Lillywhite. The extra B-side "I'd Love To" features Kirsty MacColl on backing vocals.
"Roy's Keen" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in October 1997. It was the second single to be taken from the Maladjusted album and was the third solo Morrissey single not to feature himself in the cover picture, instead using a photograph of two boys taken by Roger Mayne on London's Southam Street in the 1950s.
"Satan Rejected My Soul" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in December 1997. It was the third single to be taken from the Maladjusted album.
"First of the Gang to Die" is a song co-written by Morrissey from his 2004 album You Are the Quarry. It was released in July 2004 as the second single from the album. It was written by Morrissey and Alain Whyte, the two being responsible for lyrics and music respectively. Following the success of "Irish Blood, English Heart", from the same album, the single reached the number six spot in the UK Singles Chart, giving Morrissey two top ten hits in a row for the first time since "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" and "Interesting Drug" both reached the top ten in 1989.
"Certain People I Know" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, released in December 1992 as the third single from his third studio album, Your Arsenal (1992). It was the third and final Morrissey single to be produced by glam rock musician Mick Ronson. Reaching number 35 in the UK Singles Chart, the song had the distinction of being Morrissey's lowest-charting solo single up to that point.
"Hold On to Your Friends" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in May 1994. It was the second single taken from the number 1 album Vauxhall and I. Morrissey claimed, "It was written about somebody I know, in relation of their treatment towards me."
"Boxers" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, released in January 1995 to promote a tour of the same name. The single reached number 23 on the UK Singles Chart despite not appearing on an album at the time of the release. The title track and the two B-sides would later be compiled on the World of Morrissey that was released in February that year.
"Dagenham Dave" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, issued as a single in August 1995, a week prior to the release of his fifth studio album, Southpaw Grammar (1995). It was Morrissey's first release on RCA Records, the label he had signed to after leaving EMI. This was the second Morrissey solo single not to feature the singer on the cover; instead, English football coach and former player Terry Venables is pictured sticking out his tongue. Venables was born in Dagenham.
The CD Singles '88–91' is a box set of Morrissey's first ten singles as a solo artist, from "Suedehead" (1988) to "Pregnant for the Last Time" (1991).
"I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" is a song written by Morrissey along with Boz Boorer, the two being responsible for lyrics and music respectively. The song was the first single to be released from Morrissey's 2009 album Years of Refusal. It was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Jerry Finn, the man behind 2004's You Are the Quarry. The single was released on 9 February 2009 and has reached No. 21 on the UK Singles Chart, and is his last single to reach the UK Top 40. In Scotland the song topped the Scottish Singles Chart, becoming Morrissey's second of three number one singles on that chart, although this was because the Scottish chart at that point only counted physical sales at a time when download sales had become dominant.
