"Ouija Board, Ouija Board" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, released as a single in November 1989. The track appears along with its B-side "Yes, I Am Blind" on the compilation album Bona Drag. A shorter edit, omitting a verse, appeared on the 2010 reissue of Bona Drag. The single was poorly received by the music press and the public; its highest position on the UK Singles Chart was No. 18, making it the first solo Morrissey single not to reach the top 10. "Yes, I Am Blind" was composed by Morrissey's ex-Smiths partner Andy Rourke, and the picture on the sleeve was taken by Anton Corbijn.
| "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Morrissey | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 13 November 1989[1] | |||
| Length | 4:25 | |||
| Label | HMV | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Morrissey, Stephen Street | |||
| Producer(s) | Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley | |||
| Morrissey singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
Lyrical content
editThe song is about the protagonist using a Ouija board to contact a dead friend, who tells him to "push off" ("push oof" in some renditions). It caused some debate in the press at the time over claims it promoted occult dabbling or devil worship. Morrissey replied to these claims by retorting: "The only contact I ever made with the dead was when I spoke to a journalist from The Sun."[3]
Critical reception
editIan McCann in NME gave the single a poor review, describing the record as a "dull, fey whine that would never see release unless the singer had a track record".[4] In a retrospective review, Ned Raggett of AllMusic described the lead track as "a weird semi-anthem that almost works" but praised its B-side "Yes, I Am Blind", calling it "a restrained but sharp performance, while the tearjerker-into-glam music is quite lovely."[2]
Music video
editThe video for the song, directed by Tim Broad, features Morrissey being led into the woods by some children who take him to see a spirit medium, played by Joan Sims, the British actress best known for her appearances in the Carry On film series. The video also features an early appearance by Kathy Burke. It was filmed on location in and around the Elizabethan house Hook End Manor in Checkendon, Oxfordshire, the residential studio where the song was also recorded.[5] The video ranked third on Pulp Magazine's "Most Tweaked Music Videos of All Time" list.[6]
Live performances
editMorrissey performed the song live on the 1999–2000 ¡Oye Esteban! tour. The song's distinctive introduction and end sequence had been used to bookend performances of "November Spawned a Monster" during the 1992 tour.[citation needed]
Track listings
edit7-inch, POP 1622 (UK)
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" | Morrissey, Stephen Street | 4:25 |
| 2. | "Yes, I Am Blind" | Morrissey, Andy Rourke | 3:30 |
12-inch, 12 POP 1622, CD, POP 1622 (UK)
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" | 4:25 | |
| 2. | "Yes, I Am Blind" | 3:30 | |
| 3. | "East, West" (Herman's Hermits cover) | Graham Gouldman | 2:35 |
Musicians
edit- Morrissey: voice
- Kevin Armstrong: guitar
- Kirsty MacColl: backing vocals
- Andrew Paresi: drums
- Matthew Seligman: bass
- Steve Hopkins: piano
Charts
edit| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] | 58 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[8] | 4 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] | 28 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 18 |
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[11] | 2 |
References
edit- ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 11 November 1989. p. 42.
- ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Ouija Board, Ouija Board Review". Allmusic. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ Rogan, Johnny Morrissey - The Album, p. 157
- ^ NME Ouija Board Review
- ^ Goddard, Simon (2012). Mozipedia : the encyclopedia of Morrissey and The Smiths. London: Ebury. p. 314. ISBN 978-0091927103.
- ^ PULP Magazine
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 48. 2 December 1989. p. V.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ouija Board, Ouija Board". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ "Morrissey – Ouija Board, Ouija Board". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ "Morrissey: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ "Morrissey Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2022.