This paper investigates how Morrissey has
employed his music to challenge hegemonic assumptions about gender and
sexuality in creative and provocative ways. Morrissey’s work invites a deep
textual reading that reveals a complex counter-hegemonic stance on the issue of
gender and sexuality. This is undertaken
through a close critical reading of his song ‘I Can Have Both’. The paper is
organised as follows: We begin by introducing
Morrissey and provide an overview of the growing body of scholarship focused on
his creative work. We then examine how
queer theory has been used to make sense of Morrissey and how queering, in
turn, is in ample evidence in his overall creative output. Our paper presents a
detailed analysis of ‘I Can Have Both’. Our analysis draws upon the standard
methodological approaches used in Popular Music Studies.