Bona Drag

Bona Drag
Cover art for the original 1990 CD release
Compilation album by Morrissey
Released	15 October 1990
Recorded	September 1987–December 1989
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	49:45
Label	His Master's Voice
Producer	Stephen Street Clive Langer Alan Winstanley
Morrissey chronology
Viva Hate (1988) Bona Drag (1990) Kill Uncle (1991)
Singles from Bona Drag
"Piccadilly Palare" Released: 9 October 1990

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Chicago Tribune	[2]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[3]
Los Angeles Times	[4]
NME	8/10[5]
Pitchfork	9.8/10[6]
Q	[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[8]
Uncut	[9]
The Village Voice	B+[10]

Bona Drag is a compilation album by the English singer Morrissey, released on 15 October 1990 by His Master's Voice. The album features an array of Morrissey's most popular songs from his early solo career, most of which had not been released on any previous album. The album name meaning nice outfits is an example of the subculture slang Polari explored further on the album's first track "Piccadilly Palare". The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on 6 December 2000. In 2010, the album was remastered and expanded to include six bonus tracks.

After releasing Viva Hate in 1988, Morrissey decided to release a string of stand-alone singles in the hopes of achieving success in that market, followed eventually by a second album.^[11] The first of these was "The Last of the Famous International Playboys", which peaked at number 6 in the UK.^[12] However, the second of these, "Interesting Drug", became delayed in March 1989 when Morrissey had an undisclosed financial disagreement with producer Stephen Street, leading Street to file an injunction on the release of the song.^[13] Street had been a longtime producer, musician and collaborator with Morrissey, dating back to his tenure with the Smiths.^[6] Street eventually lifted the injunction and "Interesting Drug" was released in April, peaking at number 9.^[13]

In the aftermath of his rift with Street, Morrissey began working with producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, known for their work with Madness and Elvis Costello.^[14] The first release, "Ouija Board, Ouija Board", was issued in November 1989 and peaked at number 18.^[15] However, the song was received poorly by critics and even religious leaders, the latter of whom accused Morrissey of being involved with the occult.^[16] The criticism and limited success of the single temporarily curtailed the sessions for Morrissey's second album.^[6] It was at this time that Morrissey also fell out with former Smiths members Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, who had performed on several of Morrissey's solo singles,^[6] due to financial issues dating back to their time with the Smiths.^[13]

In early 1990, Morrissey continued to work on the album, now titled Bona Drag, at Hook End Recording Studios.^[17] Six songs from these sessions would eventually see release, including "He Knows I'd Love to See Him" and "Get Off the Stage", while "Striptease With a Difference" would remain unreleased.^[17] Another single, "November Spawned a Monster", was released in April 1990 and peaked at number 12.^[18] Author David Bret noted that this single also saw Morrissey criticized for "a direct and deliberate mockery of the afflicted, delivered only in the poorest taste. Nothing could be further from the truth."^[18]

Ultimately, Morrissey decided to scrap the idea of a full-length LP and release a compilation of singles and B-sides instead.^[11] Morrissey explained, "People will view it suspiciously in England but not in the rest of the world where all those funny little singles were never released. It was initially for the rest of the world, but EMI were determined to release it here."^[19][20]

Bona Drag features all six of Morrissey's solo singles up to that point, two of which ("Suedehead" and "Everyday Is Like Sunday") were taken from Viva Hate and four of which were Top Ten hits.^[6] It also yielded one new single, "Piccadilly Palare", which reached number 9 in the UK charts.^[20] The album also includes seven B-sides.^[6]

The album is also significant for including the first tracks by Morrissey to chart in the United States. "Piccadilly Palare" and "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" both reached number 2 on the Modern Rock chart. "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" went to number 3, "November Spawned a Monster", number 6, and "Interesting Drug", number 11. Bona Drag launched Morrissey's career in the US, and in many ways it marked the turning point after which he became less popular in the UK but achieved increasing success in America.

The album sleeve photo is taken from Morrissey's "November Spawned a Monster" promotional video. Morrissey's shirt colour was altered from black to red.^[21]

On 4 October 2010, the album was reissued on the resurrected Major Minor label, with six officially unreleased studio recordings.^[21] The artwork was edited and inner artwork updated with previously unseen photos chosen by Morrissey.^[22] It entered the UK charts at number 67.^[23] The reissue notably included several edits, including removing a verse from "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" and restoring a previously-cut verse to "Piccadilly Palare".

All songs by Morrissey and Stephen Street, except where noted.

The 2010 re-release features the following additional tracks:^[21]

• "Happy Lovers at Last United" (Outtake from "Everyday Is Like Sunday" sessions)
• "Lifeguard on Duty" (Outtake from Viva Hate sessions)
• "Please Help the Cause Against Loneliness" (demo) (Outtake from Viva Hate, previously covered by Sandie Shaw)
• "Oh Phoney" (Outtake from Bona Drag sessions) (Morrissey, Armstrong)
• "The Bed Took Fire" (early version of "At Amber")
• "Let the Right One Slip In" (alternate long mix) (Morrissey, Alain Whyte)

The following changes have been made to the original album:

• "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" has a verse removed ("The glass is moving, no, I was not pushing that time")
• "Piccadilly Palare" has an extra verse, as has circulated on bootlegs ("A cold-water room")
• "Interesting Drug" fades into "November Spawned a Monster"
• "Suedehead" edited to remove guitar fade on the intro.

• Morrissey – vocals
• Kevin Armstrong – guitar (1, 3, 7, 10, 11)
• Craig Gannon – guitar (2, 5, 6, 12)
• Neil Taylor – guitar (2, 5, 6, 12)
• Vini Reilly – guitar (4, 8, 9, 13, 14), piano (4, 8, 9, 13, 14)
• Andy Rourke – bass (1–3, 5, 6, 10, 12)
• Stephen Street – bass (4, 8, 9, 13, 14), keyboards (2, 5, 6, 12)
• Matthew Seligman – bass (7, 11)
• Andrew Paresi – drums (1, 3, 4, 7–11, 13, 14)
• Mike Joyce – drums (2, 5, 6, 12)

The following credits were adapted from the LP liner notes:^[24]

Additional musicians

• Suggs – additional voice (1)
• Kirsty MacColl – additional voice (2)
• Mary Margaret O'Hara – additional voice (3)

Technical

• Clive Langer – producer (1, 3, 7, 10, 11)
• Alan Winstanley – producer (1, 3, 7, 10, 11)
• Stewart Day – assistant engineer (1, 3, 7, 10, 11)
• Stephen Street – producer (2, 4–6, 8, 9, 12–14)
• Steve Williams – assistant engineer (2, 4–6, 8, 9, 12–14)
• Morrissey – sleeve
• Jo Slee – art co-ordination
• Designland – layout
• Jurgen Teller – Wapping and Battersea photographs

• Bret, David (1995). Morrissey. New York City: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-7867-0218-4.