The Smiths

[baboon2004]

Have to revive this thread. I've been listening to a lot of The Smiths over the past few months, perhaps more than since my teenage years.

They're still stunning - the years can't blunt or thrust out of fashion music as good as this. The seemingly unwitting, yet sublime chemistry between Morrissey and Marr is just utterly unique. I love many , many artists, but nothing feels as singularly thrilling as listening to 'Paint a Vulgar Picture' or 'Bigmouth Strikes Again', after a time without having heard these songs.

 

[Benny Bunter]

I concur with what Woebot said in the very first post in this thread. Its just awesome how damn memorable the lyrics to Smiths songs were. They are the only band where I know every single word to every single song, and usually I never remember anything more than a few lines from even my most listened-to songs. And the jokes just never wear thin. This seems to be what really makes them stand out from the other big indie band from that era like New Order, The Cure etc who all seem a bit dated lyrically (i know they're different really, but you know what I mean).

 

[gumdrops]

when did the smiths become sacred cows? i got into them in the late 90s/early 00s and i dont remember seeing them in every 'best ever...' poll on tv or in magazines/papers as much as i have done in the last 5 or so years (prob to do with morrisseys comeback/all the bands namechecking them i know but still).

 

[jenks]

They were the soundtrack to my life back in the eighties and seeing them on the Rough Trade BBC4 stuff really did give me a thrill.

I know I should be over all that kind of fandom stuff but they really did matter to me back then and there are very few days go by when I don't have aline from one of their songs go through my head.

However, I can entirely understand why others really despise them.

 

[mistersloane]

If I go back to the Smiths now, I'm always struck by just how fucking weird they were, especially the early stuff. It really sounds... just wrong really, and I think that's probably a clue to their longevity, they really don't sound like anything else. It kind of gives me hope, that something that strange can be canonised, rather than be a margin or cult.

You still rarely hear them on the radio as well, which I think is interesting, and which means they'll just keep on getting huger, because there isn't the over exposure to their work which you get with, I dunno, U2 or Queen or whatever. Queen are probably their best comparison as a band, that total weirdness of homosexuality when it goes rock.

 

[Tentative Andy]

Hmmm, good thread. My considered position would be that I think the Smiths have a good number of excellent songs - and Morrisey's lyrics and vocals play a key part in that excellence as much as Marr's tunes and guitar parts - but I would never describe myself as a Smiths fan, I think there is something in what they stood for, or at least were taken to stand for, that is objectionable to me.
Great to see Pulp getting some love too, I think I related to Jarvis Cocker in the same way that some people are saying they related to Morrissey. Perhaps that's just a generatational thing, but I reckon there's an objective difference in their stances too.

 

[empty mirror]

when i think of bands that have had the greatest longevity in my life in terms of consistent play over the most years, it would be the smiths followed by the cure (i frequently get disgusted with the latter, but a week never goes by without hearing a smiths/moz track). i even managed to play a smiths song on the radio this month ("this night has opened my eyes" for our parenthood-themed track---twisted!)

rubber ring, people! it seems mozzer wrote those lyrics for this thread

 

[Martin Dust]

Massive Fan Boy, have just about everything from The Smiths and Morrissey, funniest man alive.

 

[swears]

If I go back to the Smiths now, I'm always struck by just how fucking weird they were, especially the early stuff. It really sounds... just wrong really, and I think that's probably a clue to their longevity, they really don't sound like anything else. It kind of gives me hope, that something that strange can be canonised, rather than be a margin or cult.

I think it's an uncanny thing, quite trad music given a few minor tweaks and inflections, the attitude that makes it seem a bit off. But without being too obviously weird, or even aiming for that.

 

[qwerty south]

i prefer moz solo ('now my heart is full' is very nietzschean, 'everyday is like sunday' etc) to the smiths (too adolescent and self obsessed).

having said that, the new single is shite.

definitely an interesting character!

 

[empty mirror]

ugh. yeah the new single is bad. i hear the LP is good but i can't get past the single. maybe the first moz i won't buy. still wish i could catch him this tour. maybe i could go, climb on stage for a hug and get 86ed before catching any of the new songs.

 

[low band]

I never get bored of The Smiths.

The thing that turned me on to them back in the eighties was not Moz's witty lyricism's or Marr's jangly guitar, but Andy Rourke's bass playing, truly top stuff. Just below Chic and above early SLF for personal Bass guitar enjoyment.

 

[baboon2004]

I never get bored of The Smiths.

The thing that turned me on to them back in the eighties was not Moz's witty lyricism's or Marr's jangly guitar, but Andy Rourke's bass playing, truly top stuff. Just below Chic and above early SLF for personal Bass guitar enjoyment.

Very good point - I seem to remember Bigmouth being a particularly good example.

Although he is a despicable twat as a person, Morrissey's lyrics just show up almost everyone else's lyrics for what they are - witless doggerel. And although there are quite a few bands who have some songs with mould-breaking and memorable lyrics, every single song? No other band does that.

Plus Hand in Glove is, as said upthread, just fucking weird. It hasn't really got a tune, even, or not a conventional melody.

 

[Tentative Andy]

Yes indeed, Rourke's bass playing is tops.

 

[sufi]

THE DIANA-MORRISSEY PHENOMENON

i think at some level we knew it all along...

 

[rubberdingyrapids]

this charming man and i know its over are perfect.

but the moz is not half as clever or witty as he thinks he is/was these days.

though the rick astley replacement for bowie on that old single cover he recently reissued was genius.

 

[Woebot]

vh2 on constantly where i'm working and they did this ten videos by the smiths thing

and (swoons) gee it was glorious

i seem to know every single effing lyric! and i NEVER usually absorb lyrics. and their authority! and the sonix!

sick! silly!

i hear you dear old @Woebot.

time to fess up (apart in fact from right now). the smiths are pretty much all i have been listening to. truly shameful!

it's something about the ability to moan along (in silence) to morosey. knowing ALL the lyrics - of which there are never very many and which are usually repeated.

and the band is SOOO GOOD - all four of them in parallel universes at the best of times - yet completely in unison

just so damn engrossing to me on its own. no need for adjunct theory fetish or accompanying pop video. everything else seems very boring qua music. 🥱

time to throw in the towel here i'm sure! before i am cancelled!!!

 

[Woebot]

was i not perhaps with you that evening matt?

indeed there we were eating our sweets ration in front of TOTP

 

[Corpsey]

I think one of the signs of a great singer is how fun it is to impersonate them.

By which metric Morrissey is up there with Johnny Rotten and Liam G.

 

[Benny Bunter]

Practically flawless back catalogue, I can always come back to them, no need to be ashamed. How do you rank the LPs @Matthew ?

I'd go,
1. Meat is murder
2. Queen is dead
3. The Smiths
4. Strangeways here we come