Can someone explain The Smiths to me?

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  • 1STmammal2wearPants1STmammal2wearPants Worcester, MA Posts: 2,825
    The difference being that the Smiths had talent and were original where as Nickleback were formulaic and dull?
    What a shit, insipid analogy and I'm by no means a fan of the Smiths.

    the fact that his screenname has oasis in it says a lot.
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  • wwfairfieldwwfairfield Posts: 216
    take away the smiths , bauhaus & the echo & the bunnymen album ocean rain

    and the world does not exist today
  • gabersgabers Posts: 2,787
    The Smiths - Suffer little Children ( 1960s Myra Hindley and lover Ian Brady abducted and murdered several small children in and around Manchester.Steven Patrick Morrissey was the same age as several of the victims.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zqg6ds4_GI&feature=related


    The Smiths - William it was Nothing ("i dont dream about anyone except myself)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeBbfJn4EqA&feature=related

    The Smiths - Back To The Old House (You never knew how much I really liked you cause I never even told you)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q41RWez9Krk


    The Smiths - Rusholme Ruffians ( Violent lovely song) :D
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIaURk_UKCs&feature=related


    The Smiths - The Queen is Dead (Live) ("Her very Lowness with a head in a sling I'm truly sorry - but it sounds like a wonderful thing")
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ5F9yQCu_Y


    Jeane - The Smiths ( "the lowlife has lost its appeal" )
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNRghlld8HU

    The Smiths Please please please let me get what I want ("Havent had a dream in a long time")
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRYpd3_roHg


    Morrissey- The Smiths- A Rush & A Push & The Land Is Ours (Live) ("HELLO I am the ghost of Troubled Joe")
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNPCB3zKzFA&feature=related


    Morrissey - The Smiths- Paint A Vulgar Picture (Anti Record company song)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRVTWgOMSIM

    What, no this???

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc4w7zQpmqs

    :D

    OP, just buy all of the Smiths original studio albums, there are only four of them. Trade in some of your already outdated emo albums for these brilliant ones, and enjoy the enlightenment. Here are their four studio albums:

    The Smiths
    Meat is Murder
    The Queen is Dead
    Strangeways, Here We Come

    Out of all the compilations the best, easily IMO, is Hatful of Hollow. It's not only a compilation of some of their best songs (and one of the few places you can find Handsome Devil), but the song structures were altered a bit and to me sound better than the originals in many cases.
  • say_hisay_hi Posts: 311
    take away the smiths , bauhaus & the echo & the bunnymen album ocean rain

    and the world does not exist today

    Please recommend me some Echo & The Bunnymen. :)
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  • libragirllibragirl Posts: 4,632
    You just need to listen to the music. I'm sure people already suggested albums. I started with the singles but you should definitely listen to the Queen is Dead.
    These cuts are leaving creases. Trace the scars to fit the pieces, to tell the story, you don't need to say a word.
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    Please recommend me some Echo & The Bunnymen. :)
    As he said, Ocean Rain :)
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  • hguz73hguz73 Posts: 245
    Placebo - Bigmouth Strikes Again
    Muse & Deftones - Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
    Love Spit Love & Everclear - How Soon Is Now
    Death Cab For Cutie - This Charming Man
    J Mascis and The Fog - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

    Other bands / artists that have covered them : Therapy?, Supergrass, Anthrax, Pete Yorn, The Decemberists, The Thrills, Afghan Whigs, Jeff Buckley, Belle and Sebastian, etc , etc

    There are also other live covers as well as Radiohead's livecast on the song "Headmaster Ritual"

    There must be some influence in their music, isn't it? Check out the diversity of bands in the above listing.
  • libragirllibragirl Posts: 4,632
    AFI covered Jack the Ripper And snake river conspiracy covered How Soon is Now
    These cuts are leaving creases. Trace the scars to fit the pieces, to tell the story, you don't need to say a word.
  • hrd2imgnhrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,860
    Does anyone else think YOU ARE sounds a lot like How soon is now? Not the wailing main part asas but the rthym? 
  • thispureamericanriotthispureamericanriot California Posts: 514
    Great UK article on the perceived greatness of The Smith. All I have to say is "The Headmaster Ritual".
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQTc4GolJt4
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,090
    Too much talking, not enough LISTENING 
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  • Never a big fan. I own the Queen is Dead and enjoy it. Never really felt I needed to own another album. OP check out that album and you should b good. 
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 28,258
    If someone has to explain The Smiths to you i'd say you will never get them , awsome band and Marr can just play the shit out of the Guitar ...
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • vitovito Chicago Posts: 1,434
    All I have to say is 'How Soon Is Now'?!!!
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  • PapPap Aspra Spitia, Greece Posts: 28,122
    #1 Hand In Glove
    #2 This Charming Man
    #3 Bigmouth Strikes Again
    #4 Barbarism Begins At Home
    #5 I Want The One I Can't Have
    #6 What Difference Does It Make?
    #7 Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
    #8 Morrissey - Spent The Day In Bed
    #9 - Morrissey - I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris



    You got the similarities? :wink:
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  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 3,218
    I am that old, and I never got into the Smiths. I think How Soon Is Now is a classic, but otherwise they never did much for me. I prefer The Cure, early REM, and anything by The Church. And Peter Murphy, early Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, Joy Division/ New Order, anything and everything by Roxy Music... you get the idea. I won't go so far as to slag on them, but I just never got the hype. Then again, I'm also not a Springsteen fan, so I might just be a contrarian. ;-)
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  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 3,218
    But --

    I saw Johnny Marr at Ohana on Saturday, and he is AMAZING.

    So maybe it's more accurate to say that I just don't get the appeal of Morrissey, because Johnny Marr kicks all kinds of ass. :-D
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • I always adored the contrast of the beauty in the music and vocals, and the morbid lyrics.
  • But --

    I saw Johnny Marr at Ohana on Saturday, and he is AMAZING.

    So maybe it's more accurate to say that I just don't get the appeal of Morrissey, because Johnny Marr kicks all kinds of ass. :-D

    Agree 100%. I didn't really get into The Smiths until I saw Johnny Marr live. Then I really got into them. I would go see a Smiths reunion, but I would not go see Morrisey solo. Going to see Johnny in a couple of weeks... can't wait!


  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,632
    Marr sings their songs better lol
  • thispureamericanriotthispureamericanriot California Posts: 514
    Ahh, I sowed my wild oats to the Smiths. Marr's jangly guitar reminds me of autumn sunsets at 17yo, Morrissey's acid tongue vocals = the joys of eternal youth. If you don't get it, guess you had to be there...
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 12,440
    Some great songs for sure.  But I want to jump out of a window when I hear the vocals. I was knee deep into the grateful dead, U2 and REM when the Smiths were popular.  Not for me.
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