"It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small"
(Morrissey/Alain Whyte)

 

A slow ballad written by Spencer Cobrin and bearing this title was recorded (with guide vocals) during a b-sides session in the summer of 1997, but ended up being shelved. Exact date and location of recording unknown. It would have been written shortly before that, or at the latest in the studio. If a producer was involved it would have been Steve Lillywhite or Danton Supple. Musicians are assumed to be Boz Boorer (guitars, perhaps more), Alain Whyte (guitars, perhaps more), Jonny Bridgwood (bass) and Spencer Cobrin (drums).

The definitive version, the one with which we are now familiar, is a faster number written by Alain Whyte featuring a variation on the original lyrics. It was recorded during the "You Are The Quarry" sessions at Sarm Hook End in Berkshire in the autumn of 2003 and mixed at Conway Studios in Los Angeles with producer Jerry Finn, although it is generally credited as having been recorded in Los Angeles in 2004. Musicians on this recording were Boz Boorer (guitar), Alain Whyte (guitar), Gary Day (bass), Dean Butterworth (drums) and Roger Manning (piano).

It was recorded once more when Morrissey appeared on Janice Long's radio programme on BBC2, on 17 December 2004, with musicians Boz Boorer (guitars), Jesse Tobias (guitars), Gary Day (bass), Dean Butterworth (drums) and Michael Farrell (keyboards). "Redondo Beach", "Noise Is The Best Revenge" and "I'm Playing Easy To Get" were also recorded on the same occasion.

 

single version {3:31}
• 7", USA cd-single and Europe cd-single #1 of "Irish Blood, English Heart"
• Japan edition of "You Are The Quarry" album
• Deluxe edition of "You Are The Quarry" album
"Swords" album

 

Janice Long session 17 December 2004 {3:25}
"Redondo Beach"/"There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" dvd-single
"Noise Is The Best Revenge" from this session was also given an official release, but the other two tracks ("I'm Playing Easy To Get" and "Redondo Beach") are only available on various manufactured bootlegs as well as in digital format on the internet.

 

This song has never been done live.

 

No demos or studio outtakes of this song have leaked to the general public at this point in time.