2007年 12月 30日 日曜日 07:30

Top Fifteen Smiths Songs

In honor of me finally having the entire complete Smiths discography (including the troy tate sessions and the john peel sessions) I decided I would start to narrow down the elusive top fifteen songs that blow me away by the often imitated never repeated genius of The Smiths. Not an easy task to do since The Smiths pretty much helped me make it through my adolescence with most of my sanity intact. It helped me to know that I wasn't the only one who felt awkward and shy…that I wasn't the only who didn't think the world revolved around having sex and getting married. While I don't always think Morrisey is the nicest guy around (he often can be quite an ass), I do have to admit he's one of the most talented lyricists I've ever heard (not to mention his wonderous crooner vocals). His dark sense of wit and humor were often mistaken by Smiths critics to be whiny or self-indulgent, but those who were in on the joke completely got it and embraced the music as a soundtrack of square pegs of the world.

These songs are in no particular order, but I did have certain criteria when selecting them: 1. Lyrics: are they impactful, haunting, honest, insightful?; 2. Music: how well the music sets the atmosphere for the lyrics, Morrisey's inflection and passion; 3. Replayablity.

Reel Around the Fountain
Suffer Little Children
Hand In Glove
Stretch Out and Wait
Asleep
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
I Know It's Over
Shakespeare's Sister
Nowhere Fast
Back To the Old House
Paint A Vulgar Picture
Pretty Girls Make Graves
The Boy With a Thorn In His Side
This Night Has Opened My Eyes

The SmithsMorrisseyMeat Is MurderHatful of HollowThe Queen Is DeadStrangeways, Here We ComeThe SmithsLouder Than Bombs