"The Last of the Famous International Playboys" is a song by British solo artist Morrissey. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's third release after the Smiths break-up. Morrissey was inspired lyrically by the East End gangster brothers the Kray Twins, whom he believed to be an example of the media glamourizing violent criminals. Street took influence from the Fall for the song's music, with the intro also resembling that of "The Man Who Sold the World" by David Bowie. The single was the first Morrissey solo single to feature his former Smiths bandmates Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce, and Craig Gannon. "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" was recorded and released following Morrissey's debut album, Viva Hate. Upon release, the single became yet another commercial hit for Morrissey, reaching number six in the UK in spite of initially mixed reviews. The song would later appear on the 1990 compilation album, Bona Drag. In the years since its release, "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" has become one of Morrissey's most remembered songs and remains critically acclaimed by modern writers. Background In a 1989 interview, Morrissey joked, The Last of the Famous International Playboys' are Bowie, Bolan, Devoto and me." Lyrically, however, "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" largely mythologizes the notorious pair of vicious London gangsters known as the Kray twins (Ronnie and Reggie Kray), who held a tight rein on the East End of London during the 1950s and 1960s. Morrissey has explained that he wanted to explore the way that the tabloid press made celebrities out of violent criminals in the song, saying that the Krays "exemplify" the "way notorious people can be quite glamorous." He elaborated in a separate interview, "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" and follow-up single "Interesting Drug" are notable for featuring three of Morrissey's former colleagues in the Smiths—Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce and one-time Smiths rhythm guitarist Craig Gannon. For his previous solo work on the Viva Hate album, Morrissey consciously chose not to work with his former bandmates; Street commented, "I think he thought it would cloud the issue." All three sidemen also appear on the B-side, "Lucky Lisp". As on Morrissey's previous solo songs, Street composed the music for "The Last of the Famous International Playboys". This included the song's bassline, in spite of the presence of Rourke. Street explained, "The