Released 6 October 1997 (UK) Genre Rock Label Island (UK) | Format 7", 12", CD, cassette Length 3:36 Writer(s) Morrissey, Alain Whyte | |
"Roy's Keen" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in October 1997. It was the second single to be taken from the Maladjusted album and was the third Morrissey single not to feature himself on the cover, instead a photograph of two boys taken by Roger Mayne on London Southam Street in the 1950s.
Contents
The single reached number 42 on the UK Singles Chart. The failure to reach the top 40 meant that a recorded performance of the song for Top of the Pops did not air until it was shown on Top of the Pops 2 in 2003.
The title is a pun of the name of former Manchester United footballer Roy Keane—a fact Morrissey acknowledged during live performances of the song by changing the lyrics to "never seen a keener midfielder". The song was played over the closing credits of Keane's 2002 documentary As I See It.
Despite being released as a single, the song was omitted from Maladjusted's remastered CD reissue in 2009.
7" vinyl and cassette
- "Roy's Keen"
- "Lost"
12" vinyl and CD (UK)
- "Roy's Keen"
- "Lost"
- "The Edges Are No Longer Parallel"
Musicians
Reception
In his review for AllMusic Ned Raggett described the title track as "one of Morrissey's most curious songs; the music is okay enough, though his band can and have done better, but the lyric is about a window cleaner, of all things." Raggett preferred the B-sides, especially The Edges Are No Longer Parallel, "one of his all-time best songs."