#TheSmiths – Tom MacInnes, Writer

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #18: Just Like Heaven by The Cure (KEXP)

This list of songs is inspired by lists published by radio station KEXP-FM from Seattle in 2010, as well as the latest poll taken in 2021 by Rolling Stone Magazine. For the most part I will faithfully countdown from their lists, starting at Song #500 and going until I reach Song #1. When you see the song title listed as something like: Song #XXX (KEXP)….it means that I am working off of the official KEXP list. Song XXX (RS) means the song is coming from the Rolling Stone list. If I post the song title as being: Song #xxx (KTOM), it means I have gone rogue and am inserting a song choice from my own personal list of tunes I really like. In any case, you are going to get to hear a great song and learn the story behind it. Finally, just so everyone is aware, I am not a music critic nor a musician. I am a music fan and an armchair storyteller. Here is the story behind today’s song. Enjoy.

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #18: Just Like Heaven by The Cure.

One of the things that constantly amazes me as this countdown unfolds is how time has stood still for so many of these songs that have made the list. There was a time, early on in the countdown, when I received a few minor complaints that I was favouring newer music over the classic tunes from The Beatles and Elvis and The Rolling Stones. The complaints centred on a small stretch of songs, within the first twenty or so posted, that all seems to focus on Manchester, England in the early 1980s. The funny thing about this is that even those songs from the early 1980s….the ones derided as being “new music” are, in fact, forty years old. The bands and singers who first broke into our musical consciousnesses back then are now all qualifying for the Senior’s discounts in restaurants and at department stores. Yet, their music still sounds fresh and relevant and important. Such is the case with today’s song, “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure.

In my mind, I find myself still reflecting upon the impact that bands like The Cure, Depeche Mode, Joy Division/New Order and The Smiths all had on me and millions of other fans. Between all four bands, they have sold over 150 million albums. All have been inducted into The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. All but The Smiths continue to tour to sold -out audiences. Their music appears in movies and on TV shows to this day. Their songs, like The Cure’s, “Just Like Heaven” continue to play in high rotation on my own personal playlists at home. So, it is not surprising to note that their music finds itself near the top of this countdown list, as well as, sprinkled liberally, all the way through. In fact, if you are a fan of The Smiths, you can read all of their posts here, here, here, here and here. Fans of Depeche Mode can read posts here, here and here. Those interested in Joy Division/New Order can read posts here, here, here, here, here and here. And, as for The Cure, their posts can be read, here, here and, of course, today’s song, “Just Like Heaven”.

“Just Like Heaven”, along with “A Forest”, have been my favourite Cure songs for the better part of my life. “Just Like Heaven” opens with one of my favourite “first verses” ever because, as a much younger man, it describes the type of feelings and emotional reaction I was always hoping that some girl would feel for me one day. In the case of this song, singer Robert Smith must have been a lot like me because he is writing about the young woman who would go on, one day, to become his wife. The song opens with the girl saying to the boy:

“Show me, show me, show me, how you do that trick.

The one that makes me scream!” she said.

“The one that makes me laugh!”, she said.

And she threw her arms around my head.

“Show me how you do it

and I promise you, I promise that

I’ll run away with you.

I’ll run away with you.”

Those words about falling in love with his future wife occurred at a special spot in England known as Beachy Head. It is a windswept, beautiful location; one which seared itself into Robert Smith’s heart and his mind. This memory took the form of a song that Smith confesses, never would have been written without the presence of his wife in his life. In a world where successful musicians can end up over-indulged and excessively pampered, to the point where they lose their bearings and give way to addictions of one sort or another, Robert Smith always points to the constant presence of his wife, Mary, all throughout his career as being one of the main reasons why The Cure have had a career that has lasted a long as it has and been as successful as it has. At a time like we are experiencing in our society, it is refreshing to see someone like Robert Smith expressing his love for his wife, not through physical actions but, instead, through the words of a song that turned out to be one of the biggest selling songs of all-time. It is certainly a song that makes me smile whenever I hear it and makes me reflect on how lucky I am to have someone who throws her arms around my head, from time to time. Living life with a soulmate is the ultimate blessing. It is what this song always means to me.

So, without further delay, here is Robert Smith and The Cure with one of my all-time favourite songs, “Just Like Heaven”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Cure, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for helping to inspire the writing of this post. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #24: How Soon Is Now? by The Smiths (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #24: How Soon Is Now? by The Smiths.

“How Soon Is Now?” is a funny song in many respects. It is a song whose sound has come to represent the entire genre of Alternative music from the 1980s and 90s and yet, it never charted well and was only, initially released as a B-side single. “How Soon Is Now?” opens with as iconic an opening guitar riff as any song, from any era but, because it was created using so many experimental techniques, it became notoriously difficult to play live and, as such, there are few videos of The Smiths actually ever playing this song in concert. Many Smiths fan view “How Soon Is Now?” the same way many Nirvana fans view, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” which is to say, none of them view the song as being the band’s best work nor do they think it acts as being truly representative of who the band really was. And yet, here we are at the very end of this countdown, with a song that is universally regarded as one of the most important songs ever created. How did that happen? Let’s find out why. Here is the story of “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths.

“How Soon Is Now?” was never released as a stand-alone single. It was placed as a B-side to a song called, “William, It Was Really Nothing” and didn’t appear on an album until The Smiths released a compilation album called, “A Hatful of Hollow” in 1984. One of the reasons stated for not releasing the song as single was that it was seven minutes in length, which was thought to be far too long for a conventional radio song. As also mentioned, the fact that the song was difficult to fully replicate live meant that it was not a song that should be promoted thus creating an expectation among fans that they would buy the single and then see it performed at the next Smiths show. So, “How Soon Is Now?” was left to find its own legs, so to speak. Which it did….in clubs and basements and bedrooms by those for whom this song became an anthem.

The lyrics to “How Soon Is Now?” were written by Morrissey, as they always were in this musical partnership that he and Johnny Marr shared. As songs go, the lyrics are rather sparse, compared to the musical structure, which carries the lion’s share of the weight in this song. But, that is not to dismiss the lyrics because, as Morrissey was often able to do, he tapped into the emotional angst of an entire generation of lost souls with two verses that went, as follows:

“I am the Son

And the Heir

Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar.

I am the Son and Heir

Of nothing in particular.

You shut your mouth!

How can you say

I go about things the wrong way?

I am human and I need to be loved,

Just like everybody else does.”

As was often the case with Morrissey, he drew inspiration for his lyrics from classic works of literature. In this case, he borrowed the line about being “The Son and Heir of nothing in particular” from the book, “Middlemarch” by George Eliot. But, most of all, Morrissey captured what it felt like to feel awkward and shy and unwanted and unseen. We lived in a world then, as now, where we were led by the media and by advertisers to believe that everyone was living lives of glamour and pleasure and that we could too, if only we were in better shape or more fashionable or whatever. But, the reality for a great many of us was that we felt that we were underwhelming and not deserving of happiness. We looked at our less-than-perfect bodies and our ordinary clothes and wondered how we were to ever stand out and be noticed. That is what Morrissey captured with his lyrics to “How Soon Is Now?”. He said to the world that he was shy and awkward, too. At the end of the song, he wrote that:

“You go to the Club on your own.

You leave on your own.

You go home and you cry and you want to die“.

Whether or not the metric we use to evaluate our own self-worth should be predicated on how we are viewed in the eyes of others, through the socially-distorted lens of the media, is up for debate. But, what isn’t up for debate is how easily we all fall into the trap of self-defeatism. We give up before we even give opportunity the chance to find us on the dance floor. So, we sit at the bar, heads bowed and listen to the words and chords of a band who got us like no other ever did. “How Soon Is Now?” is our anthem. And, judging by how popular the song has become over time, the army of the disaffected must be legion.

So, without further delay, here is one of my favourite “sounding” songs of all-time. “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths is a song that spoke to the young man I used to be and continues to speak for millions the world over, almost forty years after it was first released as a throw-away B-side song that never felt as though it fit in. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths, can be found here.

The link to the video for a behind-the-scenes look by Johnny Marr, at how the song was made, can be found here. ***In this video, Marr talks about the type of music that inspired him as a young boy and, in particular, a man named Bo Diddly. Marr mentions that “Bo Diddly beat”….I wrote about that here, should you care to learn more about that.

The link to the video for a short documentary about “How Soon Is Now?” and why it holds such an important place in music history, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Smiths, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for playing the best and most important music since forever. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #185: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #185: There Is a Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths.

“There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” comes from The Smiths third of four albums, “The Queen Is Dead”. This was the album that saw The Smiths at their most successful, in terms of mainstream reach and acceptance. The song was written by Morrissey and arranged by Johnny Marr, who added strings to this song, which was a departure from how The Smiths usually recorded their songs. But, according to Marr, once they began playing the song live, he declared “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” to be his favourite song in their catalogue and the best Pop song he had ever heard, period!

Any discussion concerning The Smiths tends to always centre upon their wonderful ability to “see the unseen” when it came to writing literate songs about the lives of their fans. “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” touches upon themes of loneliness and redemption in the arms of a lover that strike a universal theme. This is especially evident in lines such as:

“Take me out tonight

Where there’s music and there’s people

And they’re young and alive.

Driving in your car

I never, never want to go home

Because I haven’t got one

Anymore.“

The inspiration for the song was the Hollywood movie, “Rebel Without a Cause” starring James Dean. Because Dean ended up dying in a car crash not long after this movie was made, there were many critics/fans who claimed that “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” was a song written about death and suicide. Consequently, it has become a song that is routinely played at many funerals; including that of Cranberries singer, Dolores O’ Riorden, who had covered the song just prior to her own death.

Live performances of “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” showcase Morrissey’s voice like no other song does. He sounds magnificent in every live version of this song I have seen. As well, the reaction of fans during this particular song is typical of the reactions of Arena-esque rockers, even though this song isn’t a particularly raucous song. There is just something tragic and emotional that resonates with so many when it comes to a song about feeling detached from life, with nowhere to turn and nowhere to go, the only hope of absolution being a ride in a car with a lover and, ultimately, the release that can only be found in such a glorious death. As the lyrics note:

“To die by your side

Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine.“

The Smiths released their four albums in consecutive years, from 1984-87. The Queen is Dead came out in 1986 and contained an incredible mix of elements such as growing fame and influence, coupled with exhaustion from touring relentlessly, an increasingly political mindset (especially, from Morrissey) and the usual set of rising tensions that tend to be characteristic of many bands who have been in close quarters for too long together. The Smiths were twelve calendar months away from breaking up when they released “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”, which is regarded by many as their finest work. Let’s see if you agree.

Below, I will post the usual live concert video so that you can hear the rich timbre of Morrissey’s voice. I will, also, include a couple of cover versions, too, just to give you some idea of the universal appeal of this song and how well the song’s structure and lyrics hold up, even in the hands of others. For now, here are The Smiths with “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” from their album, “The Queen is Dead”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Smiths, can be found here.

The link to the video for the song, “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”, as sung by Morrissey solo, can be found here.

The link to the video for the song, “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”, as sung by The Cranberries, can be found here.

The link to the video for the song, “”There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”, as covered by Choir! Choir! Choir!, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for shining their light on the best music and artists from all round the world. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #287: This Charming Man by The Smiths (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #287: This Charming Man by The Smiths.

In 1983, The Smiths released their self-titled debut album. The second song from that album to hit the airwaves was, “This Charming Man”. This is the song that changed everything for the band. It was the very first taste of success for the song writing team of Johnny Marr (music) and Morrissey (lyrics). It was, also, a revelation to thousands of fans who were captivated by the power of Morrissey’s voice and the genius of Marr’s guitar work. More than that, though, “This Charming Man” is a song about homosexuality that is directly-stated, dressed up in Edwardian language and made to seem elegant and respectable. At the time of its release, “This Charming Man” by The Smiths was seen as a counter-balance to the flamboyant ways of singers such as Boy George from Culture Club”. As previously noted, The Smiths spoke to the unheard and the unseen and, with “This Charming Man”, they spoke directly to those struggling with their sexual identity. “With “This Charming Man”, The Smiths told their fans that they could be sexual and desirable and classy and, most importantly, that is was ok to be themselves.

“This Charming Man” is based on a movie called, “Sleuth” starring Sir Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine which, in turn, is based upon a Tony-Award winning play. The gist of the song is that a young man has an incident while riding a bicycle and is “helped” by a dashing, older man who happens along, offering him a ride in his car.

“Why pamper life’s complexity

When the leather runs smooth

On the passenger’s seat” croons Morrissey.

He, then, goes on to utter one of my favourite lines:

“I would go out tonight But I haven’t got a stitch to wear.

This man said, “Its Gruesome that someone so handsome, should care.”

One of the things that makes “This Charming Man” such a good song is the intentional decision to use rich language to evoke a more elegant exchange of favours. Morrissey, who is Gay, has been quoted as saying that he never saw himself reflected in the Gay scene, as depicted by the Media and the Entertainment Industry of the early 1980s (who were promoting Boy George) and was looking to create a something, more in the image of what he wished for himself, that might inspire and comfort others, too. It appears that he got his wish. When The Smiths first appeared on TV to play this song, they did so with an artistry and confidence that captured the attention of many who watched them. From that appearance on “The Peel Sessions”, all the way into our more modern and increasingly accepting times today, “This Charming Man” has been held up as one of the best songs ever for those who question whether or not being Gay and feeling elegant are compatible attributes. They most certainly are.

So, without further delay, please enjoy the song that really started it all for The Smiths. Here is “This Charming Man”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “This Charming Man” by The Smiths, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Smiths, can be found here.

Thanks to KEXP for supporting the best of music, regardless of the sexual orientation of the artist or band. Their wonderful website can be reached by clicking on the link here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #368: Panic by The Smiths (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #368: Panic by The Smiths.

“Panic” by The Smiths was released in 1986. The song was written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr as a commentary on their view that there was a disconnect between what was going on in the world (politically and economically) and what was being played by DJs on the radio. All throughout the 1980s The Smiths had built their careers by appealing to those who felt ignored or neglected by the greater of society. In “Panic” they spoke directly to this by including lines such as,

“Burn down the disco,

Hang the blessed DJ,

Because the music that they constantly play

It says nothing to me about my life.“

Not surprisingly, “Panic” was met with mixed reviews from those within the industry. Fans of the band tended to support the notion that much of what passed for popular music of the day was nothing more than sugary confection and lacked meaning and substance. However, the music industry took great exception to the song. The claimed that it was a thinly-veiled attack on music made by black musicians. The reasoning behind these accusations was that DJs and Discos were often home to musical movements such as Reggae and Ska which were primarily Jamaican in origin. Morrissey and Marr denied that there were any racial overtones to this song. However, by now Morrissey had begun to gain a reputation for pomposity and boorish public utterances. “Panic” did nothing to dissuade the critics of the band. While this song did not lead directly to “The Smiths” breaking up in 1987, it does highlight the growing emboldenment of Morrissey when it came to his politics and the growing sense of frustration within the rest of the band, who saw this as a distraction from their goal of making good music.

In the History of Modern Music, one of the more notable trends is for the lead singer of a band to outgrow the band. This can be the case when the record label believes there is more money to be made because of the talent/charisma of the lead singer (i.e., Diana Ross and the Supremes or George Michael of Wham). It can also happen if ego becomes involved (i.e., David Lee Roth and Van Halen or in the case of this post, Morrissey and The Smiths). When The Smiths disbanded, Morrissey continued on his own. He has had several songs that became popular but never achieved the same level of success as a solo artist that he did as a member of The Smiths. In fact, as time has gone on Morrissey’s politics have aligned themselves more with the right-wing views of musicians like Van Morrison and Eric Clapton making him, like them, an increasingly polarizing figure.

Morrissey’s story is a case in point where you don’t have to take my word for how things have turned out. When you end up in the bombsights of a satirical show like The Simpsons, you know your carcass has begun to bloat. Recently, The Simpsons devoted an entire episode to sending up Morrissey. The episode was called “Panic in the Streets of Springfield” (which plays on the opening line of the original song which starts off “Panic in the streets of London“.) In the episode, the Morrissey character is voiced by actor Benedict Cumberbatch. The character appears as Lisa’s invisible friend as she tries to sort out the confused feelings she is experiencing as she becomes a teenager. His views on life….that everyone else is inferior and that all other music is terrible…..wears thin on Lisa in the end. At that point, she begins to make her own judgments and refutes his gaslighting opinions. As the episode concludes, the Morrissey character is seen clearly for the raving irrelevancies that characterize his worldview. Lisa Simpson, who has always been the conscience of the show, grows as a result of her dismissal of Morrissey’s beliefs.

When making good music was at the core of their motivation The Smiths were one of the most important bands in the world. Consequently, we will see them again before this list concludes. However, when derision and condescension begin colouring one’s creative expression, the results are less impressive. “Panic” was meant to be an airing of a critical opinion of the state of music in the UK at the time. Nothing wrong with doing that. It is fine. We are all entitled to airing an evidenced-based opinion. But, by invoking race into the mix, Morrissey tipped his hand and revealed that there were ulterior motives involved. Whenever folks catch wind that a public figure is being less that forthright, it necessitates that their opinions should be held up to closer scrutiny and revealed for what they are (which is what happened to Morrissey). Thus, “Panic” became famous as a cautionary tale, rather than the scathing rebuke of modern music that it was intended to be. As it turns out, not all songs are meant for pleasure and enjoyment. Some serve as turning points in important careers and reminders to those in the spotlight that an attitude of dismissiveness wears thin after awhile. On stage, as in life, positivity trumps negativity and populism does, indeed, appear to have a shelf life. Here is “Panic” by “The Smiths”. Listen carefully and see what all the fuss was about.

The link to the video for “Panic!” by The Smiths can be found here. ***The lyrics version can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Smiths can be found here.

The link to the video for the Morrissey/Simpsons episode can be found here.

The link to KEXP can be found here. As always, thanks for supporting good music.

***All original content contained within this post remains the sole property of the author. No portion of this post shall be reblogged, copied or shared in any manner without the express written consent of the author. ©2021 http://www.tommacinneswriter.com

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History: Song #488…Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before by The Smiths (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #488: Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before by The Smiths.

The Smiths were formed in the same Manchester music scene as discussed in previous posts about The Happy Mondays, as well as, the band, James (which you can read here and here). However, regardless of the success of either of those groups, or of any other band that came out of Manchester, The Smiths were, by far, the biggest and most influential act of them all. In fact, in a recent poll conducted to see who people thought were the biggest bands in UK history, The Smiths came in at #6. The only bands in front of them were The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. The Smiths finished ahead of such legendary bands as Queen, The Who, The Kinks and many others.

The funny thing about this is that the numbers don’t back up the level of adoration and esteem in which the band is held by so many. The Smiths were a band for only five years. They produced only four albums. They never had a number one song nor a gold record. In fact, their biggest and most recognizable hit, “How Soon Is Now?” was actually first released as a “B-side” and only ever gained traction as a single of its own by word-of-mouth from fans. So, what is it, then, about The Smiths that has caused them to leave such a lasting impact on the modern music scene in the UK and around the world?

At their core, The Beatles had Lennon and McCartney, The Stones had Keef and Mick, The Smiths had Morrissey and Johnny Marr. Morrissey (whose first name was Stephen but, who only went by his surname) was the lead singer and chief lyricist. Johnny Marr was the lead guitar player and arranged all of the music. They were friends who met in their late teens. They discovered that they shared similar tastes in music and that they had come from similar working class neighbourhoods in northern England. They had that level of chemistry and connection that all the great duos seem to have. The songs that they produced together were intelligent, humorous, cutting and relevant to a whole host of people who previously felt unseen and unheard. At first blush, The Smiths can come across as overly fussy and angst-driven but, when you look past the surface, what you find is a band who seemed to understand the real lives of real people almost better than anyone ever. The Smiths sing about everything from how it feels to be unemployed, to not having anything to wear to go out dancing, to feeling alone because you can’t trust the idea that someone could actually, truly love you.

The Smiths appear multiple times over the course of this Top 500 list so, there is plenty of time to get into finer details on Morrissey/Marr and the songs they wrote. For now, enjoy this song about love and trust and alcoholism. If you have never heard The Smiths before, get ready for one of the most unique voices to ever sing into a microphone. As well, enjoy the beautiful guitar work of Johnny Marr, as he weaves his music in and out and around Morrissey’s words. In this video, Morrissey is leading a group of Morrissey look-a-likes on bicycles. The video is actually filled with Smiths memorabilia and references. For instance, this song comes from their fourth album Strangeways, Here We Come. Knowing that will explain some of the opening shots. The shirts they are wearing are all Smiths concert merchandise. Look out for Oscar Wilde, too. Apparently, he was a hero to Morrissey.

So, ladies and gentlemen, without further delay, here come The Smiths! Enjoy.

The link for the music video for Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before by The Smiths can be found here. ***The lyrics video can be found here.

Thank you to Morrissey, Johnny Marr and the rest of the band for making music that was so important to so many people. To learn more about The Smiths, check out their website here.

Thank you to KEXP, as always, for providing the inspiration that resulted in the creation of this post. A link to their fabulous website can be found here.

***As always, all original content contained within this post remains the sole property of the author. No portion of this post shall be reblogged, copied or shared in any manner without the express written consent of the author. ©2021 http://www.tommacinneswriter.com