in Manchester? (2005). Release In addition to its release as the opening song on Meat Is Murder, "The Headmaster Ritual" was released as a single in the Netherlands. The cover art for the single, chosen by Morrissey, features a black-and-white image of a child dressed as a cowboy from the 1965 film The Uncle. The song also appeared as a B-side on the American single release of "How Soon Is Now?" The song's lyric attracted controversy upon release, with the incumbent headmaster of Morrissey's alma mater interviewing with UK tabloids. The Manchester Education Authority threatened to ban the Smiths from playing in Manchester due to their objection to the song's lyric. Critical reception Pitchfork spoke glowingly of the song, writing "When [Meat Is Murder] good, it's great: 'The Headmaster Ritual', especially, is full of chills-down-the-spine moments from Morrissey (the wordless, yodeling chorus that rhymes with I want to go home/ I don't want to stay, the second verse's thrilling deviations from the first)" and commenting, "It's safe to say that nobody else, before or since, has opened a significant rock album by hammering the bejesus out of the capoed, open-tuned chord that begins 'The Headmaster Ritual'." Consequence ranked the song as the 24th best Smiths song, writing, "There's something almost spectral about the open-tuned chord Marr hammers in the song's intro. It's echoed in the tremolo effect Morrissey's vocals achieve in the chorus, which sounds halfway between a yodel and a cry for help." Guitar named the song as the band's 11th-greatest guitar moment, stating, "An in-your-face, staccato acoustic guitar assault triggers the beginning of Meat Is Murder, before dissolving away into one of Marr's slinkiest riffs, effortlessly evoking those formative days on the school playing fields". Rolling Stone named the song as the 39th-best Smiths song. Singer and Smiths collaborator Kirsty MacColl praised the song in a 1992 interview, stating, The Headmaster Ritual' is just so good. The lyrics [sic] are fantastic. ... In this song, the delivery is great, and the playing is fantastic, but the lyrics are something else. I think it's probably one of the best songs about being at school that I've ever heard." Colin Meloy of the Decemberists said of the song, "The brute in 'The Headmaster Ritual' was [to me] my mustached, short-shorted gym teacher Mr. Trenary." Cover versions It was covered by Radiohead for a 2007 webcast. After watching the cover, Marr