The Smiths' 1986 hit "Bigmouth Strikes Again" features high-pitched backing vocals that baffled fans and spawned considerable speculation. The distinctive vocals sounded entirely unlike frontman Morrissey's characteristic low-pitched voice, prompting listeners to wonder whether guitarist Johnny Marr had contributed vocals or whether an unknown vocalist had been recruited for the track.

The backing vocals were in fact performed by Morrissey himself, though dramatically altered through pitch manipulation to resemble the Chipmunks or Pinky and Perky. The band credited the vocals to a fictitious person named Ann Coates—a playful reference to the Ancoats district of Manchester—as Morrissey had been laughing so intensely during recording that the effect became incorporated into the final version. Originally, Kirsty MacColl had recorded backing vocals for the track, but Johnny Marr removed them from the final mix, considering her harmonies unsuitable. Marr insisted that "Bigmouth Strikes Again" serve as the lead single from their 1986 album The Queen Is Dead, overriding bandmates' preference for "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out."