It's Over

Morrissey Channels Roy Orbison

Morrissey’s 58th single, ‘It’s Over’ is a cover of Roy Orbison’s¹ 1964 top ten hit from 1964. Morrissey recorded the song in the summer of 2018 at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California. Joe Chiccarelli produced the track. Morrissey’s musicians on the song consisted of Boz Boorer and Jesse Tobias on guitars, Sean Hurley on bass, Matthew Ira Walker on drums, and Roger Manning on keyboards. Additional vocals on the track are credited to ‘L.P.²’.

The single’s cover art consists of a photo still of Robert Mitchum³ from the 1952 film, The Lusty Men⁴. This photo was also utilized as a concert backdrop in the course of Morrissey’s North America Tour 2019.

Listen to Morrissey’s cover of ‘It’s Over’ here:

The single has a protracted and somewhat complicated release history.

It was initially released on February 25, 2019 on Spotify, followed the next day as a digital download by way of a pre-order of the yet-to-be released California Son album studio album (a collection of cover songs that was released on May 24, 2019. ‘It’s Over’ is featured as its 6th track). On March 27, 2019, Morrissey Central shared an unofficial ‘It’s Over’ music video. Watch the video here:

In late December 2019, the single appears at a couple of HMV shops (a UK music and entertainment retailer), namely Newcastle and Birmingham. It was formally released on January 24, 2020. The single made it to number 1 on the UK Singles Chart.

‘It’s Over’ was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees, and performed by the former. Orbison’s single was released April 7, 1964 and peaked at no. 9 on the Billboard music chart in the United States, and made it to no. 1 on the UK singles chart.

Orbison, who possessed a vocal range from baritone to tenor, sang in a highly distinct manner that has been described as “other worldly” and angelic. Similarly, Morrissey