| "Suedehead" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Morrissey | ||||
| from the album Viva Hate | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 15 February 1988[1] | |||
| Genre | Jangle pop[2] | |||
| Length | 3:54 | |||
| Label | HMV | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Stephen Street | |||
| Morrissey singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Suedehead" on YouTube | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
"Suedehead" is the debut solo single by English singer Morrissey, released on 15 February 1988. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's first solo release after the Smiths break-up. Morrissey was inspired lyrically by the suedehead subculture, recalling an individual from his teenage years in the context of the movement. Street, who had originally sought to contribute his musical ideas to Morrissey to use for Smiths B-sides, also contributed bass guitar, while Vini Reilly and Andrew Paresi rounded out his new solo band.
"Suedehead" was featured on Morrissey's debut album, Viva Hate, and the compilation album Bona Drag, the latter of which also featured the B-side "Hairdresser on Fire". Upon release, the song saw commercial success, reaching number five in the UK, as well as rave reviews for its Smiths-esque musicianship and the new Morrissey-Street writing team. Encouraged by the success of the single, Morrissey would continue working with Street for subsequent singles and the rest of Viva Hate.
Since its release, "Suedehead" has become one of Morrissey's most successful songs and remains critically acclaimed by modern writers.
- ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 13 February 1988. p. 31. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ Leivers, Dannii (3 December 2014). "Live Report: Morrissey At The O2 Arena, London". Clash. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ Raggett, Ned. "Suedehead Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 October 2012.