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Morrissey’s
new album, Years Of Refusal, comes out
today. And as much as we love the Mozzer’s best solo moments,
nothing compares to the work he did with the Smiths, the immortal mope-rock
band whose songs epitomized lyrical literacy and musical jangle. They were such
an astounding band that they turned even Noel Gallagher into a fanboy.
Here, in my strongly biased opinion, are their 10 best tunes:
10. “Bigmouth Strikes Again”—One of three Queen Is Dead songs on this list, “Bigmouth” features a nice
anachronistic lyric about Joan of Arc and a Walkman. The song rocks fairly hard
by Smiths standards; a colleague recently told me that “Morrissey actually
growls on the live version off Rank,”
then played me the clip. (Sure enough, he does.)
9. “Ask”—A highlight among highlights on Louder Than Bombs, in which our narrator spends “warm summer days indoors / writing frightening verse to a buck-toothed girl in Luxembourg.”
8. “Rusholme Ruffians”—An underrated Meat Is Murder track, which makes our list for three reasons: Johnny Marr’s jangly guitar, Morrissey’s schoolboy angst and the hopelessly romantic lyric, “I might walk home alone / but my faith in love is still devout”
7. “Girlfriend in a Coma”—A vicious two-minute pop song that leaves you reeling.
6. “How Soon Is Now”—Thanks to Marr’s epic riff, this may be the most widely known Smiths song amongst the general public. For a band that specialized in intimacy, “How Soon” works surprisingly well as an ’80s anthem.
5. “Panic”—I’ve always wanted a radio show with this as my theme song. (Bonus points if you can watch the video without vomiting.)
4.
“This Charming Man”—The single-best showcase for Marr’s guitar?
3. “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side”—That heartbreaking melody! Those pleading lyrics! The song’s mix of confidence and insecurity would seem utterly peculiar if the Smiths didn’t make it such a franchise.
2. “Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now”—A song that defines the Smiths' whole ethos, musically and lyrically. Click here for the version you already know, and here for a live version with Marr’s guitar way out of tune (but Morrissey in glasses!).
1. “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”—The greatest, most quotable morbid love song in human history. Swell video, too. All together now: “And if a 10-ton truck kills the both of us / To die by your side, well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine.”
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Lit matchsticks to Marino for including (always a personal fav) Rusholme Ruffians.
"band whose songs epitomized lyrical literacy"
For the most part I'll agree, but if you precede a list of songs with that, maybe it's best to not include one with lyrics such as:
"Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ"
Call me crazy, but I've always found that section to be somewhat less than inspired.
Not bad... replace Bigmouth (the vocal effects on the refrain are annoying) with London. The boys put the punk back into post-punk for this one.
Replace Panic (the Hang The DJ bit goes on two long and is not particularly inspired song writing) with Stretch Out and Wait (UK single version). This ones has a beautiful melody and shatters the notion that all Smiths songs are depressing affairs.
Unlovable?
"I don't have much in my life, take it it's yours."
...poor little lad :)
Definitely agree with the notion of removing Panic from the list.
Here's mine:
10. Unloveable
9. Reel Around The Fountain
8. Cemetry Gates
7. Handsome Devil
6. I Know It's Over
5. This Charming Man
4. Half A Person
3. Paint A Vulgar Picture
2. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
1. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
10. there is a light
9.what she said
8. handsome devil
7. ask
6. this charming man
5. meat is murder
4. barbarism begins at home
3. heaven knows
2. death of a disco dancer
1. rubber ring
10)The Headmaster Ritual
9)Please, Please, Please
8)The Queen is Dead
7)I know it's Over
6)Stop Me If You Think...
5)How Soon is Now
4)Well I Wonder
3)There is a Light That Never Goes Out
2) This Charming Man
1) The Boy With a Thorn in His Side
Well I Wonder has to be in the top 10...
Pretty Girls Make Graves???
no doubt there's a light that never goes out is clearly their best song, probably one of the greatest songs ever written by anyone. but i would have replaced panick with stop me, a song that could be described as a lollypop to the ears.
Nobody wants 'Half a Person' in there? It's been covered well by Patty Griffin, and its androgynous lyrics rule. Not to mention how darn poppy and depressing it manages to be. Quintessential Smiths in my book.
always been a big fan of "you just haven't earned it yet baby"
Couldn't quite limit it to 10:
Barbarism Begins At Home
Headmaster Ritual
How Soon is Now
Reel Around the Fountain
I don’t Owe You Anything
Still Ill
This Night Has Opened My Eyes
Wonderful Woman
Well I Wonder
Suffer Little Children
There is a Light that Never Goes Out
Wow, how did I miss this article!? I agree with most of your picks, Nick (especially "Ask," YAY!), but what about "Asleep"? Granted, it's depressing as hell ("Don't try to wake me in the morning/'Cause I will be gone/Don't feel bad for me/I want you to know/Deep in the cellar of my heart I will feel so glad to go"), but the deceptively simple piano line and that spooky whooshing-air noise that runs through the song... I'm getting chill bumps just thinking about it.
And no one's got any love for "Frankly Mr. Shankly"? It's high in the running for best "take this job and shove it" song of all time. ("I didn't realize you wrote such bloody awful poetry"!!!)
P.S. I once read in some British mag that "There Is A Light..." is Thom Yorke's favorite song!
are we forgetting "asleep?"
as a nineties child, if it werent for "perks of being a wallflower" i wouldnt know who the smiths are..
-kevin of basquiatthinksimcool.blogspot.com
Hit me, kick me, call me names, but i never ever liked "There is a light...". The string-section always was too much for me.
instead:
10 London
9 The Queen is dead
8 Half a Person
7 Just haven't earned it yet baby
6 I started Something I couldn't finish
5 Handsome Devil
4 The Headmaster Ritual
3 That joke isn't funny anymore
2 How soon is now
1 What Difference does it make?
Am I the only Smiths' fan who thinks "You Just Haven't Earned it Yet, Baby" should be in the top five? The end of that song kills me. And the entire "Vauxhall and I" album ranks as good or better than all of the Smiths' catalogue.
How could 'Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me' be left off this list? That song leaves me breathless every time!
The Smiths are one of my favorite, if not, favorite bands ever.
My list would go something like this
10. How Soon Is Now?
9. Girlfriend In a Coma
8. William, it was really nothing
7. Stop me If you think you've hear this one before
6. Death of a Disco Dancer
5. Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody loved Me
4. Bigmouth Strikes AGain
3. This Charming Man
2. Please, please, Please let me get what I want
1. there is a light that never goes out