Morrissey Accuses Universal of Blocking “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” Reissue, Universal Denies Claims

English singer Morrissey has claimed Universal has refused to reissue his track “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris,” according to Pitchfork.

Morrissey planned to reissue the track, originally released in 2009 on Years of Refusal, in honor of the victims of the recent Paris attacks. He now blames David Joseph, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK, on blocking the reissue.

A statement posted on True to You says:

David Joseph at Universal Music in London has refused the request made by Morrissey and the band to re-issue ‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’ as a loving tribute to the lives lost in the Paris atrocities. David Joseph is instead arranging his own tribute to Paris utilizing his current crop of Universal artists.

Universal responded with the following statement:

We have not received – let alone refused – any request from Morrissey himself related to ‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’. While we have not been contacted directly by Morrissey, after seeing the comments on his website last week, we asked his representative to confirm his intentions and which charity he had in mind to support via the song’s proceeds. We are yet to receive a reply.
Many people at Universal Music have been personally affected by the events in Paris. The implication that we have blocked a request from Morrissey in favour of another tribute “utilizing our current crop of Universal artists” is hurtful and wrong.

You can listen to “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” below.