The Moz/Smiths Top 100, Part 242: MAMA LAY SOFTLY ON THE RIVERBED

How do you rate Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbed?


  • Total voters
    143

Houdini

Junior Member
In 2007, and early 2008, we put up polls for all 234 then released Morrissey and The Smiths-songs. More than 25,000 votes were cast and the result was The Morrissey/Smiths Top 100, or indeed, The Morrissey/The Smiths Top 234. This year many people have asked me to continue with the polls as 18 new Morrissey-songs have been released since. With the release of 'Swords' now seems as good a time as any to start them.

Song 242: Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbedl

Voting should be something along these lines:
10: Perfection
9: Near perfect, brilliant
8: Really good Moz/Smiths song
7: Good Moz/Smiths song
6: OK, Nothing special
5: Uninspired
4: Poor
3: Bad
2: Should never have been released
1: He should be ashamed

Previous polls (voting will remain open):

Part 241: Something Is Squeezing My Skull
Part 240: Because Of My Poor Education
Part 239: Shame Is The Name
Part 238: I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Part 237: My Dearest Love
Part 236: Drive-In Saturday
Part 235: Children In Pieces
Part 234: That's How People Grow Up
Part 233: All You Need Is Me
Part 232 and previous
 
A very good song, again better live,
I love the military drum beat at the end,
about a 7, cause its not fantastic. :blushing:
 
Good one, really 7.5.

Reminds me in theme of "Hole in the River" Crowded House.

Why did she do it?
Life is nothing much to lose..

and agreed, Lottie, better live. :)
 
When I first listened to this song I adored it....and it was like that for sometime. Somehow I got slightly less enthusiastic about it lately. Not sure why :blushing:

Still, it's a great one from YoR . 8
 
like too many modern day Morrissey songs, it's a great piece of music (with an unusually imaginative arrangement) ruined by heavy hearted, humourless lyrics. bailiffs with bad breath, pigs in grey suits - did anyone realise he'd ever end up writing such bloody awful poetry?
 
like too many modern day Morrissey songs, it's a great piece of music (with an unusually imaginative arrangement) ruined by heavy hearted, humourless lyrics. bailiffs with bad breath, pigs in grey suits - did anyone realise he'd ever end up writing such bloody awful poetry?

ah, but then we also have here:

"Life is nothing much to lose
it's just so lonely here without you
so we're gonna run to you
we're gonna come to you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
we're gonna be with you
we're gonna join you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
and we will be safe and sheltered in our graves
we'll come before you, and we will kiss you
by way of one final hug, mama
oh..."


the way he sings those lyrics....
 
ah, but then we also have here:

"Life is nothing much to lose
it's just so lonely here without you
so we're gonna run to you
we're gonna come to you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
we're gonna be with you
we're gonna join you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
and we will be safe and sheltered in our graves
we'll come before you, and we will kiss you
by way of one final hug, mama
oh..."


the way he sings those lyrics....

I got shivers just reading those, second best song on YOR behind Birthday! 9
 
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ah, but then we also have here:

"Life is nothing much to lose
it's just so lonely here without you
so we're gonna run to you
we're gonna come to you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
we're gonna be with you
we're gonna join you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
and we will be safe and sheltered in our graves
we'll come before you, and we will kiss you
by way of one final hug, mama
oh..."


the way he sings those lyrics....


Yes, I think that's one of possibly only 3 truly brilliant moments on Refusal!
9 for that part alone.
 
A very strong album track and a call to arms when played live.

At this point a good number of fans are probably tired of yet more "money-men" and "bailiffs" populating Morrissey's narrative, but I'd say that this is the best of all the songs that tackle Joycegate.

As you know I regularly shave with Occam's razor and believe this unusually dark (even for Morrissey) track is being sung to his mother after she's taken her own life due to the stress of dealing with the barrage of collectors (something we know actually happened). Morrissey and his sister pledge to join her.

Love it.
 
a 7

the name of the track feels/looks very promising, but comparing to Carol
it's just average, lyrics are too easy made, themmusic is a typical easy
track, like theirs always 2/3 on every
 
9. I love it. :love:

ah, but then we also have here:

"Life is nothing much to lose
it's just so lonely here without you
so we're gonna run to you
we're gonna come to you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
we're gonna be with you
we're gonna join you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
and we will be safe and sheltered in our graves
we'll come before you, and we will kiss you
by way of one final hug, mama
oh..."


the way he sings those lyrics....

Those lines and his delivery make me forgive him all his lawyer-baliff ramblings. So hard-hitting and emotional.
 
A very good song, again better live,
I love the military drum beat at the end,
about a 7, cause its not fantastic. :blushing:

Ditto all that...

Insert my usual rant about contemporary Morrissey music here.
 
As you know I regularly shave with Occam's razor and believe this unusually dark (even for Morrissey) track is being sung to his mother after she's taken her own life due to the stress of dealing with the barrage of collectors (something we know actually happened). Morrissey and his sister pledge to join her.

Love it.

This has aways been the way I interpret it too.

Prefer the original live version to the one that ended up on the record though. Lacks some of its punch.
 
ah, but then we also have here:

"Life is nothing much to lose
it's just so lonely here without you
so we're gonna run to you
we're gonna come to you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
we're gonna be with you
we're gonna join you
we're gonna lie down beside you, mama
and we will be safe and sheltered in our graves
we'll come before you, and we will kiss you
by way of one final hug, mama
oh..."


the way he sings those lyrics....

these lyrics are very good.
I really like it.

8
 
Seven. A touch of drama in the melody, which I usually like. Powerful lyrics. Nicely varied in beat, intensity and melody. A well-constructed song.

cheers
 
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