Morrissey has made a bizarre claim over the Make-Up is a Lie single, Notre-Dame, implying it must receive more radio airplay. The track received a deluxe edition release earlier this year with two songs cut from Make-Up is a Lie included. A post to Morrissey Central has since claimed the song is at number six in the charts and yet has received no airtime on radio stations.
The song, a conspiracy theory about what caused the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, was one of three singles released by Morrissey’s team in the lead-up to his latest studio album, Make-Up is a Lie. Morrissey said: “With no airplay, Morrissey’s new single Notre-Dame is number 6 in the Official UK Chart.
“The public wants to hear the song, but the BBC will not play it even though their stations are a public service duty-bound to reflect public taste. Obviously not! If the song is suspected of independent thought – God forbid!, it is not played, therefore, under these circumstances, any station that pledges allegiance to diversity is lying. When people say ‘Diversity is our strength’ they fail to mention how their notion of ‘diversity’ entails very strict Third Reich regulations and punishments. I wonder why people can’t simply be honest about these things?”
Morrissey’s Notre-Dame is not currently listed on the Official UK Chart singles website at time of writing (July 5). The song features at fourth and fifth respectively on the Physical Singles Chart and Singles Sales Chart. The Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 paints a very different picture, with Notre-Dame peaking at 67 at the time of its release in February, and leaving the charts just a week later.
The Smiths frontman may mean the UK vinyl charts, where the deluxe edition sits in fourth place. His latest album peaked at number three and spent just one week in the Top 100. This is not the first time the Suedehead hitmaker has complained of being frozen out by the mainstream media, saying there was an “Iron Curtain” boycott against his sold-out show at The O2 Arena in London. The Guardian, The Times, and The Telegraph covered the show.
After the show in London back in February, Morrissey released a brief statement on the triumphant night, claiming in “Soviet England” the show had received no coverage from the press, the radio, or the television. His statement also compared the alleged blackout to an “iron curtain”. He wrote: “No press, no radio, no television – the usual iron curtain blackout, yet still the people fill the London O2. Could you imagine how big this would be if Morrissey’s music was allowed to be heard in Soviet England?”
While press coverage for the event was mixed, fans took to the r/Morrissey subreddit and shared their thoughts on what will likely be the How Soon is Now? songwriter’s only show in the UK this year.
One fan wrote: “Morrissey was on top form but the venue and acoustics were a bit shit, and the new songs… well better I say less.” Another agreed, adding: “Pretty good setlist, agreed on the acoustics. I thought the songs got better and better towards the end. Slightly disappointed that he didn’t play Life is a Pigsty or Hairdresser on Fire, but can’t complain too much, great show overall.”
A third wrote: “His voice is great, his band is great, his energy is markedly lower than I saw a couple years ago but all in all – still so good to see him.” Other attendees believed the energy was in a bit of a lull compared to previous outings from the veteran frontman.
One fan noted: “I also thought that his energy was down on when I’ve seen him the last couple of years (although I know he was ill last week— what with, do we know?— so it could just be that). I saw him in Dublin last year, and he was much zippier then.” A full setlist of Morrissey’s O2 Arena show can be found below.
- Billy Budd
- I Just Want to See the Boy Happy
- Suedehead
- Notre-Dame
- Make-Up is a Lie
- Amazona (Roxy Music cover)
- A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours
- Now My Heart Is Full
- The Monsters of Pig Alley
- I Know It’s Over
- Irish Blood, English Heart
- World Peace is None of Your Business
- Everyday is Like Sunday
- How Soon Is Now?
- Best Friend on the Payroll
- Jack the Ripper
- I Will See You in Far-Off Places
- There is a Light That Never Goes Out
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