''Swords'' is a compilation album by

Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then ...

, released in the UK on 26 October 2009 and in the US on 3 November on Polydor. The album features 18 single

B-sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

collected from the preceding three Morrissey albums – ''

You Are the Quarry ''You Are the Quarry'' is the seventh studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 17 May 2004 by record label Attack, and was his first album in seven years following 1997's ''Maladjusted''. The album was a hug ...

'' (2004), ''

Ringleader of the Tormentors ''Ringleader of the Tormentors'' is the eighth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 3 April 2006 by record label Attack. The album was described as showcasing "a thicker, more rock-driven sound", which ...

'' (2006), and ''

Years of Refusal ''Years of Refusal'' is the ninth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 16 February 2009 in the UK by record label Decca and on 17 February 2009 in the US by Lost Highway. It was the last album complete ...

'' (2009). Morrissey issued a total of 24 studio B-sides during 2004–2009, as well as numerous live B-side tracks, making ''Swords'' an incomplete collection of his non-album work of the era. However, in his review of the album,

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...

of allmusic.com notes that "Not all the flipsides are here, but all the noteworthy ones are." Initial copies of the CD include a bonus disc of eight songs recorded live in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

during Morrissey's 2009 tour. The compilation was supported by the Swords Tour, featuring dates in the UK, the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, France, Germany, Ireland,"Morrissey tour dates in Europe; Swords: Album release information"
True-to-you.net. 2009-09-12. Retrieved 2009-09-12. and the United States. In a statement, Morrissey revealed that he had intended ''Swords'' to be a budget album, and was disappointed to see it be retailed for such a high price.

Track listing

Personnel

The band

– vocalist *

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 ...

– guitarist (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16) *

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 ...

– guitarist *

Jesse Tobias Jesse Tobias (born April 1, 1972) is an American guitarist who is the lead guitarist and co-writer for Morrissey since 2004. Tobias first gained fame during a brief tenure with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1993, although he was replaced by Dave ...

– guitarist (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 14, 17 and 18) * Gary Day – bassist (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16) * Solomon Walker – bassist (tracks 5, 9, 14, 17 and 18) * Matt Walker – drummer (tracks 5, 9, 14, 17 and 18) *

Dean Butterworth Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...

– drummer (tracks 2, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16) *

Matt Chamberlain Matthew Chamberlain (born April 17, 1967) is an American session musician, drummer, producer and songwriter. Biography Life and career Chamberlain was born in San Pedro, California on April 17, 1967. He began learning how to play the drums ...

– drummer (tracks 1 and 11) * Michael Farrell – keyboards (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 14 and 17) *

Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (born May 27, 1966) is an American keyboardist, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the bands Jellyfish, the Moog Cookbook, and Imperial Drag. He has also spent several years as a member of Beck's backing band, contri ...

– keyboards (tracks 2, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 18)

Additional credits

Kristeen Young Kristeen Young (born 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Young began playing piano as a child. She has released seven studio albums. Young has also sung with several artists including David Bowie ...

– additional vocals (track 7) *

Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alon ...

– backing vocals (track 9) *

Jerry Finn Jermone Gregory Finn (March 31, 1969 – August 21, 2008), sometimes credited as "Huckle" Jerry Finn, was an American record producer and mix engineer. He worked with numerous punk rock and pop-punk artists such as Blink-182, AFI, Sum 41, Alkal ...

– producer (tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 12–18) *

Tony Visconti Anthony Edward Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American record producer, musician and singer. Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers. His first hit single was T. Rex's " Ride a White Swan" in 1970, the first of man ...

– producer (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 11) *

Gustavo Santaolalla Gustavo Alfredo Santaolalla (born 19 August 1951) is an Argentine musician, composer, and record producer. He is known for composing his film scores with his collaborator and acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu, which composed the ...

– producer (tracks 5 and 14)

References

{{Authority control Morrissey compilation albums Albums produced by Tony Visconti Albums produced by Jerry Finn 2009 compilation albums Polydor Records compilation albums