I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris

"I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" is a song written by Morrissey along with Boz Boorer, the two being responsible for lyrics and music respectively. The song was the first single to be released from Morrissey's 2009 album Years of Refusal.^[1][2] It was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Jerry Finn, the man behind 2004's You Are the Quarry. The single was released on 9 February 2009 and has reached No. 21 on the UK Singles Chart, and is his last single to reach the UK Top 40. In Scotland the song topped the Scottish Singles Chart, becoming Morrissey's second of three number one singles on that chart, although this was because the Scottish chart at that point only counted physical sales at a time when download sales had become dominant.

"I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris"
Single by Morrissey
from the album Years of Refusal
B-side	"Because of My Poor Education" "Shame is the Name" "Death of a Disco Dancer"
Released	9 February 2009
Recorded	2007
Genre	Alternative rock, indie pop
Length	2:30
Label	Decca Records
Songwriter(s)	Morrissey, Boz Boorer
Producer(s)	Jerry Finn
Morrissey singles chronology
"All You Need Is Me" (2008) "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" (2009) "Something Is Squeezing My Skull" (2009)

The song premiered on BBC Radio 2 on 22 December 2008 but made its live debut 17 July 2007 at the Morocco Shrine Auditorium in Jacksonville, Florida on the second leg of Morrissey's 2007/2008 'Greatest Hits Tour'. Morrissey often joked that the song was originally written to be his entry to the 2007 Eurovision song contest.^[3]

Reception

Reviewing a pre-release copy of the single, Filter magazine said the song contained "Morrissey’s classic croon" and that they could not get enough of it.^[4]

In its first week of release "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart as well as number one on the Scottish Singles Chart, giving Morrissey his second number-one single in that country, after "All You Need Is Me" in 2008.^[5] The song also charted in France at number 26 and Sweden at number 58.

In the United States, the song received somewhat limited exposure on alternative rock and triple A stations including WWCD, WEQX, Spectrum, and WXRV.^[6]

The single also received some pre-release attention for its artwork; the inside sleeve features an image of Morrissey and his bandmates posing entirely naked except for vinyl records covering their genitals.^[7]

Track listing

CD1

1. "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris"
2. "Because of My Poor Education" (Morrissey/Whyte)

CD2

1. "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris"
2. "Shame Is the Name" (Morrissey/Whyte)

7"

1. "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris"
2. "Death of a Disco Dancer" (Live, Waukegan, 17 October 2007) (Morrissey/Marr)

Personnel

• Morrissey – vocals
• Boz Boorer – guitar
• Jesse Tobias – guitar
• Solomon Walker – bass guitar
• Matt Walker – drums
• Roger Manning – keyboard
• Mark Isham – trumpet ("I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris")
• Chrissie Hynde – backing vocals ("Shame Is the Name")
• Michael Farrell – keyboard ("Death of a Disco Dancer")

Charts

Chart (2009)	Peak position
France (SNEP)^[8]	26
Scotland (OCC)^[9]	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[10]	58
UK Singles (OCC)^[11]	21

References

1. "Boz Boorer interview at adam-ant.net; info on new album, Southpaw Grammar re-release". Morrissey-solo. 2008-07-27. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
2. "Boz Boorer interview". Adam-ant.net. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
3. Beech, Mark (14 January 2009). "Watch Out U2, Springsteen, Here Comes Lady Gaga: CDs (Update1)". Bloomburg.com. Retrieved on 11 March 2009.
4. "Morrissey, I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris Audio 2009-01-19 at the Wayback Machine". Filter (12 January 2009). Retrieved on 20 January 2009.
5. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 08 June 2008 - 14 June 2008". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
6. "Song History". Addboard.mediabase.com. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
7. "Grin and bare it -- Morrissey reveals all", Irish Independent, February 14, 2009.
8. "Morrissey – I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
9. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
10. "Morrissey – I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
11. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 June 2018.