"Morrissey Sings The Smiths"

ThomasB

Member
If Morrissey were to make a studio LP of reimagined Smiths songs, what would you want the tracklist to look like? Would you ever want that to happen? Especially considering that he might butcher our favourites.

Personally, I love the sound of his voice currently and wouldn't hate such an album. As long we didn't have to wait for it too long, and an album of original material followed soon after.

(A)
1. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
2. I Keep Mine Hidden
3. Still Ill
4. Ask
5. Miserable Lie
6. I Want the One I Can't Have

(B)
7. Handsome Devil
8. Pretty Girls Make Graves
9. Shoplifters of the World Unite
10. Stretch Out and Wait
11. London
12. Asleep
 
If Morrissey were to make a studio LP of reimagined Smiths songs, what would you want the tracklist to look like? Would you ever want that to happen? Especially considering that he might butcher our favourites.

Personally, I love the sound of his voice currently and wouldn't hate such an album. As long we didn't have to wait for it too long, and an album of original material followed soon after.

(A)
1. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
2. I Keep Mine Hidden
3. Still Ill
4. Ask
5. Miserable Lie
6. I Want the One I Can't Have

(B)
7. Handsome Devil
8. Pretty Girls Make Graves
9. Shoplifters of the World Unite
10. Stretch Out and Wait
11. London
12. Asleep

Very interesting selection. Though perhaps I would skip 'Ask' and put in something more melancholy like 'Never Had No One Ever.' I'd love to hear Morrissey sing:

When you walk without ease
on these
streets where you were raised...
 
His voice in the early Smiths material was so flat - there's a lot from that period I'd like to hear him sing now. "Jeane", "Still Ill", "What Difference Does it Make?", "Handsome Devil", "You've Got Everything Now".
 
His voice in the early Smiths material was so flat - there's a lot from that period I'd like to hear him sing now. "Jeane", "Still Ill", "What Difference Does it Make?", "Handsome Devil", "You've Got Everything Now".
I agree abut his voice - it was the main reason I didn't get into them until later - and yes, love Jeane in particular. Also Reel Around the Fountain from that period. But I'm guessing the subject matter of that one (and possibly some others) might make singing them now difficult. Singing about an older man initiating a younger man sounds touching and edgy when you're 23; less so when you're 60 (even if he is still in theory the 'younger man'). Likewise Handsome Devil: I think there are things you can get away with in your youth that just sound a bit seedy when you're older.

Edited to say: I HATE what the current band is doing with Girl Afraid. It's not my favourite by a long way, but having Gustavo pad out the sound with keyboards because Jesse can't play the riff is just dismal. They sound like a bad tribute band. So if the 'reimagining' involved this same old bunch, I'd really rather not hear it.
 
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I agree abut his voice - it was the main reason I didn't get into them until later - and yes, love Jeane in particular. Also Reel Around the Fountain from that period. But I'm guessing the subject matter of that one (and possibly some others) might make singing them now difficult. Singing about an older man initiating a younger man sounds touching and edgy when you're 23; less so when you're 60 (even if he is still in theory the 'younger man'). Likewise Handsome Devil: I think there are things you can get away with in your youth that just sound a bit seedy when you're older.

Edited to say: I HATE what the current band is doing with Girl Afraid. It's not my favourite by a long way, but having Gustavo pad out the sound with keyboards because Jesse can't play the riff is just dismal. They sound like a bad tribute band. So if the 'reimagining' involved this same old bunch, I'd really rather not hear it.

I was waiting for a clip of the intro, because the guitar on Girl Afraid is sublime. Disappointed by the clip I've seen but we might get a full clip later.

Vegan Cro, look away now
 
Edited to say: I HATE what the current band is doing with Girl Afraid. It's not my favourite by a long way, but having Gustavo pad out the sound with keyboards because Jesse can't play the riff is just dismal. They sound like a bad tribute band. So if the 'reimagining' involved this same old bunch, I'd really rather not hear it.

I think they're fine playing the slower numbers ("I Know it's Over," "Stretch Out and Wait," etc.) but lackluster on some of the other stuff; Girl Afraid has been a bit rough so far. No complaints with Mando, though. Gary Day also rose to the challenge playing Andy Rourke's bass parts. Solomon Walker never sounded quite right to my ears playing Rourke's bass parts.
 
Girl Afraid is one of the hardest Smiths songs to play on guitar. It involves some really trickly little arpeggios, strange chord shapes that contort the fingers and follow one another quickly and some ultra fast picking. To do this fluidly at the tempo required is quite a feat. When Johnny plays it in the old live clip above it looks effortless, but I've seen contemporary footage of him attempting the intro in one of his 'Marr Talking About Guitar' things on youtube and even he messed it up and laughed.
 
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Only thing I might be vaguely interested in is Oscillate Wildly, The Draize Train and Money Changes Everything, with actual lyrics and vocal lines. Just to see what he could come up with after all these years.

Other than that, maybe 'Back to the Old House', performed in the same lumpen punk manner as the solo version of 'This Charming Man' , just for a laugh?
 
If Morrissey were to make a studio LP of reimagined Smiths songs, what would you want the tracklist to look like? Would you ever want that to happen? Especially considering that he might butcher our favourites.

Personally, I love the sound of his voice currently and wouldn't hate such an album. As long we didn't have to wait for it too long, and an album of original material followed soon after.

(A)
1. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
2. I Keep Mine Hidden
3. Still Ill
4. Ask
5. Miserable Lie
6. I Want the One I Can't Have

(B)
7. Handsome Devil
8. Pretty Girls Make Graves
9. Shoplifters of the World Unite
10. Stretch Out and Wait
11. London
12. Asleep

What'd be the point? Do you think Boz & co would improve upon the originals?
 
That was kind of the question of the thread.

Personally, I consider Morrissey a singer; I want to hear him sing. I don't expect him to make mindblowing decade-defining music. I listen to Morrissey because I love music and how it makes me feel; his voice lifts the soul.

In other words, I don't care if he makes it on a Pitchfork best-of list. (Most people here seem to think the opposite of me)

Could Boz & Co. improve upon the original? Obviously not. I think that if you listen to music only because you think it is somehow better than other music, then you don't actually appreciate music. For most people, listening to music is some kind of popularity contest.
 
The only possible way I'd want to see this happen is if the songs were truly 'reimagined' somehow and not merely covered by his current band. Short of that, I think we'd all be disappointed in the outcome.
 
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