How Soon Is Now? (single)

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Cover art
US 12" cover art
Reissue cover art
THE SMITHS Single
Name How Soon Is Now?
Release 28 January 1985 (reissued 1992)
Total Length 6:43
3:41 (edit)
Recorded July 1984
August 1984 (Peel Session)
Writer/composer Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Producer John Porter
Art work Cover star: Seán Barrett in 'Dunkirk' (1958) / Vanessa Redgrave & David Hemmings in 'Blowup' (1966)
Layout: Caryn Gough
Vinyl Etching THE TATTY TRUTH
Publisher Rough Trade Records (UK)
Sire Records (US)
Format(s) 7" Vinyl, 12" Vinyl, CD
Chart position UK #24
UK #16 (reissue)
Single chronology
William, It Was Really Nothing
How Soon Is Now?
Shakespeare's Sister
Single WEA reissue chronology
This Charming Man (WEA reissue)
How Soon Is Now?
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (WEA release)

Information

Track list

7" Vinyl

UK - [Rough Trade RT 176]

  1. How Soon Is Now? – 3:41 (Morrissey/Marr)
  2. Well I Wonder – 4:00 (Morrissey/Marr)

12" Vinyl

UK - [Rough Trade RTT 176]

  1. How Soon Is Now? – 6:43 (Morrissey/Marr)
  2. Well I Wonder – 4:00 (Morrissey/Marr)
  3. Oscillate Wildly – 3:26 (Morrissey/Marr)

US 12" Vinyl

US - [Sire 0-20284]

  1. How Soon Is Now? – 6:43 (Morrissey/Marr)
  2. Girl Afraid – 2:46 (Morrissey/Marr)
  3. How Soon Is Now? (edit) – 3:43 (Morrissey/Marr)

7" Vinyl Re-issue

UK - [WEA YZ 0002]

  1. How Soon Is Now? – 6:43 (Morrissey/Marr)
  2. Hand In Glove – 3:10 (Morrissey/Marr)

CD 1 Re-issue

UK - [WEA YZ0002CD1]

  1. How Soon Is Now? (edit) – 3:39 (Morrissey/Marr)
  2. The Queen Is Dead – 6:06 (Morrissey/Marr)
  3. Handsome Devil – 2:46 (Morrissey/Marr)
  4. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish – 3:47 (Morrissey/Marr)

CD 2 Re-issue

UK - [WEA YZ0002CD2]

  1. I Know It's Over – 5:49 (Morrissey/Marr)
  2. Suffer Little Children – 5:29 (Morrissey/Marr)
  3. Back To The Old House – 3:04 (Morrissey/Marr)
  4. How Soon Is Now? – 6:43 (Morrissey/Marr)

Lyrics

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

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

There's a club, if you'd like to go
You could meet somebody who really loves you
So you go, and you stand on your own
And you leave on your own
And you go home, and you cry and you want to die

When you say it's gonna happen "now"
Well, when exactly do you mean?
See, I've already waited too long
And all my hope is gone

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

Sleeve Artwork

Music Video

Credits

Live History

Play count (The Smiths concert): 83

The Smiths live history:

... further results

Play count (Morrissey concert): 571

Morrissey live history:

... further results

Appears On

Appears On Covers Compilation

Cover Versions

Mentioned In

Discogs Information

Credits

  • Bass Guitar - Andy Rourke
  • Drums - Mike Joyce
  • Guitar - Johnny Marr
  • Lacquer Cut By - Tim Young
  • Layout - Caryn Gough
  • Mastered By - Tim Young
  • Music By - Johnny Marr
  • Voice, Sleeve - Morrissey
  • Words By - Morrissey
  • Written-By - Johnny Marr
  • Written-By - Morrissey

Notes

Push-out centre. Other pressings ([r=3509740]) have a solid centre.

Label side A: © 1984 Warner Bros. Music Ltd. From the Rough Trade LP "[r=382135]" (Rough 76)

Label side B: © 1985 Warner Bros. Music Ltd. From the Rough Trade LP "[r=373240]" (Rough 81)

Back cover: Layout by Caryn Gough at Ai Mastered at CBS

Made in the UK ℗ 1985 Rough Trade Records UK distribution by THE CARTEL

All runout information is stamped apart from 'THE TATTY TRUTH' and 'TY' which are etched.

Images

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Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Artwork produced from a still of Sean Barrett taken from the 1958 movie "Dunkirk". Some copies include fold-out poster of front sleeve.

"How Soon Is Now?" From the Rough Trade LP "Hatful Of Hollow" (Rough76) "Well I Wonder" From the Rough Trade LP "Meat Is Murder" (Rough 81)

Side A: © 1984 Warner Bros. Music Side B: © 1985 Warner Bros. Music

Mastered at CBS Made in the UK UK distribution by The Cartel

Images

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Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

B2 is an alternate US edit and different from the UK 7-inch mix.

[spine] 9 20284-0 A "How Soon Is Now?"/ Girl Afraid" $4.98

[spindle labels] 0-20284 Morrissey Marr Songs Ltd. All rights for the Western Hemisphere Adm. by Warner-Tamerlane Pub. Corp. BMI “SIRE ®” printed to the top-right of the Sire logo.

[back cover] Rough Trade © 1984 Sire Records Company ℗ 1984 Sire Records Company Made in U.S.A.

Some copies are gold foil stamped (Lent for Promotional Use Only....) on the cover.

Images

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Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Issued in a glossy sleeve with a thumb-cut at the back.

Runouts are etched.

[Sleeve:] "How Soon Is Now?" is taken from the Album "[url=https://www.discogs.com/master/3965-The-Smiths-Best-I]Best...[/url]"

Cover Stars [...] Photograph © 1966 Turner Entertainment Co. ℗ 1984 Warner Music UK Ltd. *[Track B] ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd. © 1992 Warner Music UK Ltd. The Copyright in this sound recording and artwork is owned by Warner Music U.K. Ltd. A Time Warner Company.

[Labels:] Distributed by [Warner 'W' logo] Warner Music UK Ltd. A Time Warner Company.

Images

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Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

[CD and inlay:] 1. ℗ 1984 Warner Music UK Ltd. 2. ℗ 1986 Warner Music UK Ltd. 3. ℗ BBC 1990 4. ℗ 1987 Warner Music UK Ltd. © 1992 Warner Music UK Ltd.

3. Taken from the [url=/label/BBC-Radio-1]BBC Radio One[/url] John Peel Show which was originally broadcast on 31.5.83. Released by arrangement with BBC Enterprises Ltd.

[Back cover:] The copyright in this sound recording and artwork is owned by Warner Music U.K. Ltd. A Time Warner Company.

[Back cover and inlay:] Cover Stars [...] Photograph © 1966 Turner Entertainment Co.

[Sticker on front, all upper-case] The Smiths ‘How Soon Is Now?’ This double CD box contains part I of a 2 CD set featuring classic tracks not included on ‘[url=/master/571070]Best…[/url]’ Limited Edition YZ0002 CD1

[Additional notes] - Released in a Double-CD case (standard depth jewel case with a hinged dark tray), but instead of the 2nd CD, the media tray holds a light green CD-shaped cardboard reading: The Smiths The Second [url=/release/490503]HOW SOON IS NOW?[/url] CD-Single fits in this space. Containing three more classic tracks not featured on [url=/master/571070]THE SMITHS BEST…[/url].

- The eight page fold-out inlay contains the lyrics of the tracks on both CD1 and CD2. - Durations printed on the release: 3:41 / 6:06 / 2:45 / 3:47

Images

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Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

[Inlay:] "HOW SOON IS NOW?" is taken from the Album "[url=/master/571070]Best . . .[/url]"

[Back cover:] Cover Stars [...] Photograph © 1966 Turner Entertainment Co. ℗ 1984 Warner Music UK Ltd. 1. ℗ 1986 Warner Music UK Ltd. © 1992 Warner Music UK Ltd. The copyright in this sound recording and artwork is owned by Warner Music U.K. Ltd. A Time Warner Company.

The inlay contains all lyrics.

The jewel case has a glued round sticker on the front reading [all upper-case]: The Smiths 'How Soon Is Now?' Contains three classic tracks not featured on '[url=/master/571070]Best...[/url]' YZ0002 CD2

Images

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Wikipedia Information

Smithshowsoonisnow.jpg

"How Soon Is Now?" is a song by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Originally a B-side of the 1984 single "William, It Was Really Nothing", "How Soon Is Now?" was subsequently featured on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow and on US, Canadian, Australian, and Warner UK editions of Meat Is Murder. Belatedly released as a single in the UK in 1985, it reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart. When re-released in 1992, it reached No. 16. In 2007, Marr said "How Soon Is Now?" is "possibly [the Smiths'] most enduring record. It's most people's favourite, I think." Despite its prominent place in the Smiths' repertoire, it is not generally considered to be representative of the band's style. Although a club favourite, it did not chart as well as expected. Most commentators put this down to the fact that the song had been out on vinyl in a number of forms before being released as a single in its own right. The original track runs for nearly seven minutes; the 7-inch single edit cut the length down to under four minutes. The complete version is generally used on compilations. A cover of the song by Love Spit Love was used in the soundtrack for the 1996 film The Craft and later appeared as the theme song of the television series Charmed for eight seasons.

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