the biggest difference between Morrissey and Smiths songs is ...

[D Licious]

Neither of us is particularly slim!!
I think we could both do with losing a stone....or two! But couldn't most of us?

Not me, thanx

Is your girlfriend fat?

I like you

the biggest defference between Morrissey and Smiths songs is err Johnny Marr!

One of the best posts I've seen since I've been coming here over a year ago, I mean, a week ago

 

[Danny]

I think it's a big assumption that Morrissey has control over what songs get released as singles, particularly as for most of his solo career he's been on major labels.

But yes, I agree his singles haven't emphasised the quality in his solo career. Too often they seem to emphasise the upbeat "smithsy" side of his solo career whereas I think his solo strength is more the stuff that sounds nothing like The Smiths.

 

[Albion]

Neither of us is particularly slim!!
I think we could both do with losing a stone....or two! But couldn't most of us?

mmh i think i would probably die if i lost a stone or even two. I think you should tell her she could do with losing a stone and see what reaction you recieve?

I like you

Thank you, i don't know what i have done to earn your affection but i am grateful for it.

 

[D Licious]

Thank you, i don't know what i have done to earn your affection but i am grateful for it.

Asking someone if his girlfriend's FAT is reason enough.

 

[dothewatusi]

The Marr sound was distinctive THEN- but would it still be now?...Is Marr still creating songs and sounds that are new and distinctly his own? Or was it the combination of that guitar plus Moz' distinctive voice that attracted everyone?...I can't pick Marr out of Modest Mouse's sound...

You have to listen hard to hear to Marr's guitar contributions to Modest Mouse but they are there to discover. There is no mistaking the Marr sound. The opening of the overplayed Dashboard is all Marr. (I'll go in my corner now. )

 

[imogen11]

the biggest defference between Morrissey and Smiths songs is err Johnny Marr!

Bingo.

Next!

 

[imogen11]

It doesn't seem likely that he and Johnny M. will compose together any time soon, but how about bringing back Stephen Street?

Yes. Please!

 

[Dave]

they are longer

 

[Dave]

there have been better Morrissey solo songs than those released

I agree. Sometimes they are put on the B-side too.

 

[Musley]

I love both the Smiths and Morrissey as we all do. But at the end of the day I always go back to The Smiths when wanting to hear my favourite music. I don't know why, but I feel somehow disloyal to Moz when I say this. But why should that be when he wrote half of the most beautiful songs ever heard. I think Morrissey has made some brilliant songs as a solo artist, but for me the Smiths are just timeless. I have tried to listen to all different kinds of music but at the end of the day I always go back to the Smiths and I must have heard their songs thousands of times. I never tire of them. They, for me, have been the most important band there has ever been.

 

[_ E O R _ E]

Lyric wise, for a large number of songs Morrissey, while with The Smiths, portrays characters who have an introspection that carries itself either from the past into the present or from the present into the future, or the imagined possibilties.
With his solo career, the words have an observational, statement-like, or confessional feel to them.
Generally speaking, of course...

 

[Hellie]

Ringleaders was definately a change of direction.But on the whole i love all his solo songs. My favourite album of all though is Vauxhall and I.If he could bring out an album as good as this,he`d reach a lot of new people.

 

[dothewatusi]

I love both the Smiths and Morrissey as we all do. But at the end of the day I always go back to The Smiths when wanting to hear my favourite music. I don't know why, but I feel somehow disloyal to Moz when I say this. But why should that be when he wrote half of the most beautiful songs ever heard. I think Morrissey has made some brilliant songs as a solo artist, but for me the Smiths are just timeless. I have tried to listen to all different kinds of music but at the end of the day I always go back to the Smiths and I must have heard their songs thousands of times. I never tire of them. They, for me, have been the most important band there has ever been.

There's no disloyalty to Morrissey in loving The Smiths. Loving The Smiths means loving Morrissey. And Marr, if you're honest. Nothing wrong with that. Celebrate all the riches they have given us, together and apart. Now I'm going to have a good cry.

 

[Stoner Kebab]

awwww. dont cry.

 

[Stoner Kebab]

There's no disloyalty to Morrissey in loving The Smiths. Loving The Smiths means loving Morrissey. And Marr, if you're honest. Nothing wrong with that. Celebrate all the riches they have given us, together and apart. Now I'm going to have a good cry.

great nick.

 

[SouthpawGlamour]

the quality of the singles.
the Smiths singles were, with very few exceptions, blisteringly good.
the Moz singles, post-Bona Drag at least, have been woefully patchy/mediocre with only the occasional exception.

verily, there are plenty of great songs in the Moz back-catalogue but the singles haven't really been up to scratch, or have they? why should this be?

let's all have a heated debate!

The Smiths were unique and very special, but that's over! Morrissey as a solo artist has made some terrific songs. The single is now dead, the days of million selling singles are over. You need a few thousand to hit the top ten these days.

But to answer your question, the solo singles have been poor choices.

 

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

The Smiths were unique and very special, but that's over! Morrissey as a solo artist has made some terrific songs. The single is now dead, the days of million selling singles are over. You need a few thousand to hit the top ten these days.

But to answer your question, the solo singles have been poor choices.

I thought that the single as it used to be is dead, but that individual song sales are big- instead of a big chart topping single hit, the industry is finding that people are buying just the songs that they like off of an album- treating like a menu rather than a pris fixe. I'm hoping to see Morrissey let go of the old single sales and radio airplay business model and embrace some new ways of looking at things. The internet has ruined the music industry as he knows it, but there are new opportunities that weren't possible before.

People don't want to be told which song they are supposed to like next- let them pick the songs that most appeal to them. The effect is that sales would be spread across the strongest few songs on an album, instead of concentrated on one. It's got to be frustrating and irritating to everyone in the industry who is used to the old ways. Maybe someone needs to compile sales data differently- an act would get credit for any sale from that collection, or album, of songs. So the charts would read: "Morrissey is in the #4 slot this week with downloads from his new collection, ROTT. Top sellers were Youngest... and You Have Killed Me."

I would love to see him produce a multimedia exclusive, with his songs, videos, and other artwork in some kind of interactive presentation. That could be exclusive to hard copy CDs and would drive listeners to collect a variety of formats. First you download the inexpensive MP3 tracks, released on an accelerated schedule but staggered, then finally a few weeks or months later the deluxe edition would be available, with additional material like printable liner notes, etc.

Is anyone really taking advantage of ideas like this yet? Bonus video tracks on deluxe edition CDs are just a novelty, aren't they? I don't buy a whole lot of music, I don't hear much that I like.