Morrissey – Sunny

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  General Comment:Gofer1 I also think is about Rourke even when the theory about Sonny Liston

  Flag GreenMozzon February 12, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I'm pretty sure that "Sunny" in the song is actually The Smith's bassist, Andy Rourke. On both this website (foreverill.com/interviews/post87/…) and Johnny Marr's wikipedia page, it states that Rourke was fired from the band in early 1986 for heroin use, though he was later reinstated into the band. So I think this song might be referencing his use and how it affected Morrissey and the band; "Sunny" might have been the affectionate name he referred to him by.

  Flag gofer1on December 17, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:"I offered love and it was not required" sung with so much feeling and pain.
  
  Poor chap.

  Flag FishesWillLaughon August 15, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:This is my favorite, thus far, of Morrissey's song. I find it really movement and, as was stated above, truely poignant. There's a lot of heart and hurt in it

  Flag Star Slighton August 21, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:I think it could be about Sonny Liston, but the second verse and chorus, being so personal, makes me think it's more likely about a person Morrissey was close to, possibly a lover, whose life held parallels to the boxer's. I think Morrissey is using Sonny Liston's story to tell another, comparing a person to Sonny Liston. Also, the spelling is different, which may seem trivial, but Morrissey seems to notice these things.

  Flag Shadeson June 21, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:I might also add that the circumstances surrounding Sonny's death are still widely disputed and he was known to have connections to gangsters and a history in shady dealings.
  I don't think we should assume that 'Sunny' is dead at the end of this song, rather just heading for a fall. Theres no mention of his death, just the repeated support and unmoving acceptance of Morrissey (or the narrator)

  Flag mozza_fanon April 24, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:Yeah, Mozza went through a phase of obsession with Boxing (see Boxers as the most obvious reference).
  This song's just so poignant and moving. It's brimming with emotion and seems to combine the heroin addiction and his downfall from boxing.
  
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
  
  Here's an article on the aforementioned Sonny Liston. The story could refer to anyone but may well be drawn from this.
  Although set in the boxing world, it generalises to the helplessness of seeing someone ruin themselves, doing all you can and not being able to aid them.

  Flag mozza_fanon April 24, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:I think it's about the boxer Sonny Liston.
  
  "Punched and fell then you felt embarrassed" - there was a famous bout Liston had with Muhammad Ali, where he was knocked out in the first round. It is alleged that he threw the fight to pay off debts to gamblers.
  
  He died of a drug overdose, and was supposedly found with a syringe in his arm, which would fit with the third verse.

  Flag Uber_Geekon March 31, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:This song, I believe, is about someone Morrissey was in love with and possibly had a relationship with -- his name was Jake, so I have no idea why he's referred to as Sunny. He (and Morrissey) had a thing for fake tattoos. It's his tattooed stomach Morrissey is lying on the back cover of one of the albums (can't remember which). I think the "needle pressed onto tight skin" could be a reference to tattooing, although it appears to be about heroin. It would be just like Moz to try and trick us, wouldn't it??

  Flag rather_shyon March 23, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:I think it is about a boxer. Sonny something. I read it on a website specialized in analyzing Moz' songs.

  Flag Morrisseyon May 29, 2004   Link

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