'Nowhere Fast'

Morrissey's Withering Critique

This Rockabilly infused song with its sardonic lyrics was first recorded by the Smiths during the July 1984 sessions at Jam Studios in London with producer John Porter, alongside material that would soon after be released on the 'William, It Was Really Nothing' single.  This thus far unreleased first version of 'Nowhere Fast' was planned as the follow-up single to the aforementioned 'William, It Was Really Nothing'.  An early version of 'Rusholme Ruffians' as well as the studio version of 'This Night Has Opened My Eyes' was also recorded during this session, which were eyed as potential b-sides to the 'Nowhere Fast' single; however, the Smiths ultimately decided to shelve the planned single.

Another version of 'Nowhere Fast' was recorded on  August 1, 1984 for the Smiths' third appearance on John Peel's BBC programme (broadcast on August 9, 1984), with producer John Porter.    Listen to the John Peel version of 'Nowhere Fast' here:

The definitive version of 'Nowhere Fast' was primarily recorded in October 1984 at Amazon Studios in Liverpool, with the Smiths (mainly Johnny Marr) acting as producer, and Stephen Street as recording engineer. Overdubs were added to the song the following month at Ridge Farm Studios in Surrey. The song's final mixing was done in December 1984 at Island Record's Fallout Shelter.  The song was of course released as the sixth track on the Smiths' Meat Is Murder studio album on February 11, 1985.  

'Nowhere Fast' is a fast, rollicking song that contains some of Morrissey's most withering lyrics, starting with his declaration that he'd "...like to drop my trousers to the world" (a likely first in the annals of pop music) before criticizing his hometown ("each household appliance is like a new science in my town") as well as the British monarchy (" I'd like to drop my trousers to the Queen/every sensible child will know what this means/the poor and the needy are selfish and greedy on her terms").  Morrissey sings of a sort of disassociation, or perhaps simply one of apathy, so acute that he may be driven to harm himself should he feel a "natural" emotion.  Indeed, this apathy is so profound that thoughts of life and death hold no particular appeal to him, one way or the other. Far from being an indication of cognitive illness or even trauma, the lyrics underscore the sober observations and conclusions of someone with an all too firm grasp upon his mileu (and especially his place in it).  The singer indirectly expresses sadness (which in fact is certainly a "natural" emotion) when describing the sound of a train going by.  It would seem that the singer is really expressing his desire to be on that train (any train), going somewhere - anywhere - away from his surroundings. 

"The album Meat Is Murder I still rate very highly but again stuff like 'Nowhere Fast' could have been done better."

- Johnny Marr, Melody Maker,August 1985

"I was trying to draw on American music in a way that had been forgotten. I'm into writing with rhythms that are very infectious but don't have any traces of James Brown in because I wanted my band to be different. A very deliberate and keen interest in finding rhythms that other bands around me were not using, that I liked hearing my parents play: Eddie Cochran; Elvis Presley; and because I was such a Stones nut, Bo Diddley. I always was obsessed by that beat. 'Nowhere Fast' has that rockabilly rhythm and 'Shakespeare's Sister' was written entirely from that rhythm; some idea of a fucked-up Johnny Cash on drugs. It sounds half like that."

-Johnny Marr, The Guardian, September 2013

I'd like to drop my trousers to the world
I am a man of means (of slender means)
each household appliance
is like a new science in my town
and if the day came when I felt a
natural emotion
I'd get such a shock I'd probably jump 
in the ocean
and when a train goes by
it's such a sad sound

I'd like to drop my trousers to the Queen
every sensible child will know what this means
the poor and the needy
are selfish and greedy on her terms
and if the day came when I felt a
natural emotion
I'd get such a shock I'd probably jump 
in the ocean
and when a train goes by
it's such a sad sound

And when I'm lying in my bed
I think about life
and I think about death
and neither one particularly appeals to me 
and if the day came when I felt a
natural emotion
I'd get such a shock I'd probably lie
in the middle of the street and die
I'd lie down and die

Studio album version of 'Nowhere Fast':