Song · Morrissey
“Hairdresser on Fire” by Morrissey
Released 1988
“Hairdresser on Fire” by Morrissey appears on 11 radio countdowns from 5 stations between 1988 and 2006. It was first released in 1988. Its best result is #39 on the 91X Top 91 Songs of 1988. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #102 alternative song of 1988 and #2,246 alternative song of all time.
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"Hairdresser on Fire" first slipped out in 1988 as a B-side to "Suedehead," Morrissey's debut solo single, and later found homes on the American edition of Viva Hate and on the 1990 compilation Bona Drag. The subject is gloriously petty: Morrissey fuming because he can't get in to see his hairdresser, played for every ounce of wounded wit.
Stephen Street wrote the music, produced it and plays bass and guitar, Vini Reilly adds guitar and keyboards, and Andrew Paresi drums, while a small string section of two violins, a viola and three cellos gives the jangle its swoon. Critics have praised that string-laced chime and the wordplay alike, and it has grown into a fan favorite, a regular on his compilations and in his live sets.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 87 | KROQ Los Angeles, CA | KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1988 | 107 |
| 1988 | 39 | 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana | 91X Top 91 Songs of 1988 | 91 |
| 1988 | 102 | Live 105 San Francisco, CA | Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1988 | 106 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 308 | KROQ | KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988) | 496 |
| 1988 | 207 | Live 105 | Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988) | 501 |
| 1989 | 392 | KROQ | KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989) | 495 |
| 1991 | 439 | CFNY 102.1 The Edge | CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) | 1002 |
| 1994 | 138 | Live 105 | Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) | 500 |
| 2002 | 1981 | Fred (XM 44) | Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) | 2002 |
| 2003 | 185 | Fred (XM 44) | Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) | 2044 |
| 2006 | 264 | Live 105 | Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) | 500 |
Also listed as: Hairdresser On Fire.
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