"Certain People I Know" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, released in December 1992 as the third single from his third studio album, ''

Your Arsenal ''Your Arsenal'' is the third studio album by English singer Morrissey, released on 27 July 1992 by record label HMV. The album received critical acclaim and reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. Content Morrissey had been rehearsing w ...

'' (1992). It was the third and final Morrissey single to be produced by

glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...

musician

Mick Ronson Michael Ronson (26 May 1946 – 29 April 1993) was an English musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success working with David Bowie as the guitarist of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session musici ...

. Reaching number 35 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, the song had the distinction of being Morrissey's lowest-charting solo single up to that point. "Certain People I Know" was the first Morrissey single to be released following the singer's bottling off stage at the Madstock festival when he supported Madness and the subsequent ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' story regarding his alleged racism. This led to the single cover being changed from featuring the singer's name spelt out in the colours of the

Union Jack The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...

to plain black writing.Q Magazine Smiths and Morrissey Special Edition, 2004

Reviews

Ned Raggett of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

called the lead track "a bit of an odd choice" for a single but added that its B-sides "are among Morrissey's best".

Track listings

7-inch vinyl and cassette # "Certain People I Know" ( Morrissey,

Alain Whyte Alain Gordon Whyte (pronounced Alan) (born 3 July 1967) is an English musician, songwriter, composer and singer. He was Morrissey's main songwriting partner and guitarist between 1991 and 2007. Prior to 1991, Whyte previously been in the bands ...

) # "Jack the Ripper" (Morrissey,

Boz Boorer Martin James "Boz" Boorer (born 19 May 1962 in Edgware, Middlesex, England) is an English guitarist and producer most known for his work founding the new wave rockabilly group the Polecats; and later for his work as a co-writer, guitarist and m ...

) 12-inch vinyl and CD # "Certain People I Know" # "You've Had Her" (Morrissey, Boorer) # "Jack the Ripper"

Musicians

* Morrissey: voice * Alain Whyte: guitar * Boz Boorer: guitar * Gary Day: bass guitar * Spencer Cobrin: drums

References

{{Authority control Morrissey songs 1992 singles 1992 songs Rockabilly songs Songs written by Alain Whyte Songs written by Morrissey