Favorite album by The Smiths

Stop Breathin' · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:50 pm

Give me a little "why", if you don't mind. Be as brief or extended as you please.

pollysix · **Joined:** Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:56 am **Posts:** 5174

It was the first one I ever got.

Although it's technically a compilation, a lot of their albums have duplicate songs on them. I love "The Queen is Dead"... and all the others, it's just if I had to pick one for a desert island, "Louder..." has more songs. :wink:

<--big fan

KPH · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 2:53 pm

Queen - only Smiths record I can listen to from beginning to end without skipping a song, plus I like about half of the songs a whole bunch and don't really dislike a single song, which is not how I feel with their other records.

Z · **Joined:** Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:38 pm **Posts:** 7979

hatful of hollow is the only smiths album that i own. i've heard some of the others and have never been compelled to acquire any.

Evil Dr. K · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:51 am **Posts:** 6327

I went for 'Hatful of Hollow' simply because hearing 'William It Was Really Nothing' for the first time was one of those life changing musical moments.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:03 pm

The Queen is Dead, song for song it's just their best album and probably would rank pretty high up on my Listmania (had I done one). Lots of funny, memorable songs thoughout, including two of my favourite Smiths' tunes 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' and 'There is a Light That Never Goes Out'.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:04 pm

konstantinl Wrote:

I went for 'Hatful of Hollow' simply because hearing 'William It Was Really Nothing' for the first time was one of those life changing musical moments.

This might be my favourite Smiths song, aside from the two I mentioned on Queen.

bgl3 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:13 pm

konstantinl Wrote:

I went for 'Hatful of Hollow' simply because hearing 'William It Was Really Nothing' for the first time was one of those life changing musical moments.

no guru · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:24 pm

The who?

no guru · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:38 pm

my real answer: TQID is the most consistent and only has one eye-rolling woe-is-me song. But I like all their albums a lot.

alongwaltz. · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:42 pm

1. Louder
Queen
Smiths
Strangeways
Hatful of Hollow
World Won't Listen
Meat Is Murder

Louder Than Bombs is the first album I heard by them and the first thing I heard by them that wasn't "How Soon Is Now?" It destroyed me. I immediately bought it the next day.

The Queen Is Dead's their best proper album.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:55 pm

I only own Strangeways and have never liked it. Maybe this is a sign that I dismissed them based on the wrong album.

mcaputo · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:56 pm

Has to be The Queen is Dead just for the sheer brilliance of the following 'jocular' lyric coupled with Morrissey's elocution in the chorus.

From the ice-age to the dole-age
There is but one concern
I have just discovered

Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls mothers are bigger than other girls mothers

As Antony said to Cleopatra
As he opened a crate of ale
Oh I say

pollysix · **Joined:** Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:56 am **Posts:** 5174

frosted Wrote:

my real answer: TQID is the most consistent and only has one eye-rolling woe-is-me song. But I like all their albums a lot.

I hope you're not referring to "Never Had No One Ever".
One of my fav Smiths songs.

My favorite was when I convinced a friend of mine to perform an acoustic cover of that song back when his (now-ex) girlfriend was treating him mean. We knew she's be at the show, it was wicked.

pollysix · **Joined:** Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:56 am **Posts:** 5174

MCaputo Wrote:

As Antony said to Cleopatra
As he opened a crate of ale
Oh I say

For some weird reason I was just thinking of that part of that song yesterday.
Must have been one of the boobie pics I linked to from here.

Stone red's dark sunshine · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 2:17 pm **Posts:** 1096

Hatful of Hollow for me. It was the first one I heard in its entirety, and I searched it out (as import only in those days, at least). The early recordings really catch their energy and emotion in a way that didn't show up for (some of) the same songs on the self-titled debut. Plus, it has many of their finest songs.

If I had to pick a proper album, it'd be TQID, hands down.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:12 pm

Drinky Wrote:

I only own Strangeways and have never liked it. Maybe this is a sign that I dismissed them based on the wrong album.

You definitely have, I would suggest picking up one of their singles comps or TQID. Strangeways isn't very good relative to the rest of their stuff.

billy g · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:41 pm **Posts:** 9020

Hatful of Hollow is by far the best. It has the most energy and the interplay between Marr's Guitar and Morrissey's vox is the most playful.

I'd rank them:

(1) Hatful of Hollow
(2) Meat is Murder
(3) Strangeways (Highly Underrated)
(4) TQID (Too many low points along with the high points)
(5) Louder than Bombs (overrated but still some strong tracks that are only available here)
(6) S/T (not bad but many songs are also on Hatful, and the Hatful versions are so much better)
(7) Rank (so bad that it softens the blow that I never saw them live)

billy g · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:41 pm **Posts:** 9020

DumpJack Wrote:

Drinky Wrote:

I only own Strangeways and have never liked it. Maybe this is a sign that I dismissed them based on the wrong album.

You definitely have, I would suggest picking up one of their singles comps or TQID. Strangeways isn't very good relative to the rest of their stuff.

I disagree I think its very strong. I see no reason why if you don't like Strangeways that you'd like most Smiths...Hatful is probably an exception since it has so much more energy.

But how can you not like the lyrics to Paint a Vulgar picture

Morrissey Wrote:

At the record company meeting
On their hands - a dead star
And oh, the plans they weave
And oh, the sickening greed

At the record company party
On their hands - a dead star
The sycophantic slags all say :
"I knew him first, and I knew him well"

Re-issue ! Re-package ! Re-package !
Re-evaluate the songs
Double-pack with a photograph
Extra Track (and a tacky badge)

A-list, playlist
"Please them , please them !"
"Please them !"
(sadly, THIS was your life)

But you could have said no
If you'd wanted to
You could have said no
If you'd wanted to

BPI, MTV, BBC
"Please them ! Please them !"
(sadly this was your life)

But you could have said no
If you'd wanted to
You could have walked away
...Couldn't you ?

I touched you at the soundcheck
You had no real way of knowing
In my heart I begged "Take me with you ...
I don't care where you're going..."

But to you I was faceless
I was fawning, I was boring
Just a child from those ugly new houses
Who could never begin to know

Who could never really know
Oh ...

Best of ! Most of !
Satiate the need
Slip them into different sleeves !
Buy both, and feel deceived

Climber - new entry, re-entry
World tour ! ("media whore")
"Please the Press in Belgium !"
(THIS was your life...)

And when it fails to recoup ?
Well, maybe :
You just haven't earned it yet, baby

I walked a pace behind you at the soundcheck
You're just the same as I am
What makes most people feel happy
Leads us headlong into harm

So, in my bedroom in those 'ugly new houses'
I danced my legs down to the knees
But me and my 'true love'
Will never meet again ...

At the record company meeting
On their hands - at last ! - a dead star !
But they can never taint you in my eyes
No, they can never touch you now

No, they cannot hurt you, my darling
They cannot touch you now
But me and my 'true love'
Will never meet again

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:50 pm

I dunno. Songs about the music biz don't do a lot for me.

Somehow it's easier to take coming from Ray Davies, even if (or maybe because) they're less overtly clever.

no guru · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:55 pm

pollysix Wrote:

frosted Wrote:

my real answer: TQID is the most consistent and only has one eye-rolling woe-is-me song. But I like all their albums a lot.

I hope you're not referring to "Never Had No One Ever".
One of my fav Smiths songs.

My favorite was when I convinced a friend of mine to perform an acoustic cover of that song back when his (now-ex) girlfriend was treating him mean. We knew she's be at the show, it was wicked.

Sorry, Polly. That's one of the few songs people can actually point to and say the Smiths were miserable bastards. It's my least favorite "proper" Smiths song. Wallows in it and bereft of the humour found in so many other tunes.

no guru · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:56 pm

But then I don't think Rank sucks, either.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 5:00 pm

billy g Wrote:

DumpJack Wrote:

Drinky Wrote:

I only own Strangeways and have never liked it. Maybe this is a sign that I dismissed them based on the wrong album.

You definitely have, I would suggest picking up one of their singles comps or TQID. Strangeways isn't very good relative to the rest of their stuff.

I disagree I think its very strong. I see no reason why if you don't like Strangeways that you'd like most Smiths...Hatful is probably an exception since it has so much more energy.

I think that's probably my opinion. I realize the potential comedy of the following point, but I find Strangeways a bit dour, maybe because they were on the verge of breakup, I don't know. The rest of their albums seem to have a bit more exuberance and humour (Girlfriend in a Coma, excepted). It's just never clicked while the other albums were all fairly instant for me, hence I could see why Drinky might not want to pursue any further Smiths listening, as I probably would have done the same.

Twilightkid · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 5:30 pm

Meat is Murder

alongwaltz. · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:14 pm

LTB is the album to play for people who claim the Smiths were whiny, miserable persons.

I almost entirely dislike Meat Is Murder. Especially 'How Soon Is Now?'

Favorite album by The Smiths

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