The Morrissey-inspired track which aired on a Simpsons episode last month has now been officially released. It is available on streaming services.
The track is titled “Everybody Is Horrid except Me (And Possibly You)”. The track was sung by Benedict Cumberbatch’s character Quilloughby.
The song was included in the Simpsons episode “Panic On The Streets Of Springfield”.
It also refers to Morrissey’s band the Smith’s track “Panic”. You can also check out the track from that Simpsons episode for yourselves below.
Quilloghby was an imaginary friend of Lisa Simpson, depressed British Indie Rock singer from 1980s Britain. The track was sung by Quilloughby and Lisa Simpson in the episode. Lisa Simpson is of course voiced by Yeardley Smith. It was also co-written by Bret MacKenzie from Flight of the Conchords.
Morrissey hit back
After it aired, Morrissey was heavily critical of the episode. That’s probably putting it mildly!
Releasing his statement in the wake of the episode’s airing. Morrissey had this to say.
“Surprising what a “turn for the worst“ the writing for The Simpson’s tv show has taken in recent years”.
He continued, “Sadly, The Simpson’s show started out creating great insight into the modern cultural experience, but has since degenerated to trying to capitalise on cheap controversy and expounding on vicious rumors”.
“Poking fun at subjects is one thing. Other shows like SNL still do a great job at finding ways to inspire great satire. But when a show stoops so low to use harshly hateful tactics like showing the Morrissey character with his belly hanging out of his shirt (when he has never looked like that at any point in his career) makes you wonder who the real hurtful, racist group is here”.
“Even worse – calling the Morrissey character out for being a racist, without pointing out any specific instances, offers nothing. It only serves to insult the artist. They should take that mirror and hold it up to themselves”, he added. Read this statement and more here.
Morrissey did not stop there. Writing via his own Morrissey Central website, the singer branded the episode “a taunting lawsuit, but one that requires more funding than I could possibly muster in order to make a challenge”. Read more about this here.
