I’m changing the name of Christine Leigh’s boyfriend from Stephen Joseph to John Quays because I think it sounds like “junkies”. As his fate reflects the fate of all the users in the story, it seems fitting to giving him a name that reflects that.
I took it from a track on The Fall’s “Live At The Witch Trials” album “No Xmas For John Quays”.
John Quays is said to be either a reference to seventies politician Hugh Jabaals. His name in the song was changed at the last minute to avoid any libel. Then again, it could be a reference to a former member of The Fall who succumbed to the lure of heroin. My favourite, is that it’s “riff” on William S. Burroughs story “The Junkie’s Christmas”.
A junkie gets the immaculate fix when he gives away his junk on Christmas eve.
Mark E. Smith’s lyrics are significantly obscure to make any definitive interpretation impossible.
Darrin // Nightingale 