25 Aug 2009
You’ll have to join Jools for the jam sketch
Moody Chops is about all those musicians who continue to play the impoverished, tortured artist even when they’re on the way to sharing G&Ts in the Long Room with Mick and Sir Tim. Or at least that’s how I’ve always read it. One or two people seem to think it’s specifically about Morrissey though. And by the way, the Dutch were never going to decide they could reclaim the IJsselmeer after all, and achieve it in six years, by 2003. Apparently. Thanks to David
See lyrics to Moody Chops
19 Letters Sent:
Simon Aughton
I’ve always thought it was about Thom Yorke. Something to do with the hand-up-the-sleeve reference.
Aug 25th, 2009
Mr Larrington
Re: “Now you’ve got water to stop [?]”
I’ve always heard this as “Now you’ve got wads of the stuff”, i.e. Filthy Lucre.
Aug 25th, 2009
Mr Larrington
Additional pedantry: “But know you’ve got national acclaim” – I think that “k” is surplus to requirements.
Aug 25th, 2009
Dave F.
I think Zuiderzee is one word.
You’re gonna have to take your hand from out of your sleeve.
Unlike Mark E Smith:
You’re gonna have to join Jools for the jam sketch
I agree with “wads of the stuff” It sounds like only one syllable when he says wads.
I think Chris is correct with “But know …”
Aug 25th, 2009
dj
and you’ve missed the “join” from the first “join jools for the jam sketch”
Aug 25th, 2009
Ricardo
Think 2nd line is “You’ve gone and got national acclaim”, and 10th is “But no, you’ve got national acclaim.
Agree that Zuiderzee should be one word, and, like Simon, above, always assumed it to be about Thom Yorke.
Aug 25th, 2009
Chris The Siteowner
Ta for all that folks. Hope I’ve made the rather large number of appropriate corrections!
Aug 25th, 2009
Dave F.
I think Chris was correct originally with “You gone and…”
I can’t here the “‘ve”
Aug 25th, 2009
A Gubba Lookalike
I never considered Morrissey for this song, always Thom Yorke.
It makes sense because this song coincides with the aftermath of OK Computer, which certainly gave Yorke “national acclaim”. Morrissey hit his peak in the late 80′s, if the song was “you’ve gone and continued coasting on your background national acclaim”. Maybe I’m just pedantic.
Aug 25th, 2009
Chris The Siteowner
It wasn’t me who thought it was about Moz, it was people like this. But those wacky Moz fans got it right.
Aug 25th, 2009
Ben
I was always under the impression it was aimed at Leonard Cohen, isn’t he a well known arm in sleeve tucker?
Aug 25th, 2009
Daryl
Richard Ashcroft or Liam Gallagher for me.
Aug 26th, 2009
Charles Exford
How could the song be about anyone who achieved national acclaim before “Later” became established as the music business establishment’s broadsheet acceptable outlet ? Which rules out Mozza & Len.
I think its targets are mostly generic, but if it’s ‘abou’t anyone it’s about more about N. Blackwell Esq. than anyone else, projecting himself once again into the kind of music business career he has so stubbornly rejected and resisted, and once again justifying that choice..
Aug 27th, 2009
Daryl
“Alright boys, fill the skip” is such a brilliant line.
Sep 3rd, 2009
Mark
Surely it’s “You’re mumbling, you’re gonna have to be defined”?
Mind you, I also always thought it was “No one can be maudlin in a minor key”.
I love this site!
Nov 12th, 2010
Pot bellied fool
Not sure if anyone’s picked up on this, or if this is even the appropriate place to mention it, but Moody Chops takes a line directly from Blind Willie McTell’s Talkin’ to You Wimmen About the Blues …at one point Mary Willis says to Willie “you gonna drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log”. The tune is downloadable here – you need Winrar tho’. God bless us one and all.
Jan 1st, 2011
Chris The Siteowner
It’s also available as an MP3 – along with its story – here. But the odd thing is, the recording was apparently only “rediscovered” in 2007. Not being an old bluesman myself, I’d like to know more!
Jan 2nd, 2011
Ricardo
I think that Jimmie Rodgers seems to be generally credited as the first to have coined the phrase, though it has been used many times since.
It appears in Blue Yodel No 1, recorded in 1927, the opening lyrics of which will also be familiar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIBmGZxAhg
Jan 2nd, 2011
Rubber Faced Irritant
I was simultaneously intrigued and baffled by the re-emergence of MC in the last 2 setlists. I may be the only person who, on hearing ‘Hey There Moody Chops’ can’t help thinking ‘Hey There Mardy Bum’ by Arctic Monkeys. Dylan can’t sue, but should NB57? Probably not.
Jul 12th, 2011
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