In such a stellar discography, what is the WORST Smiths song?

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I'm not even sure of my answer, but on first guess, Unloveable was my least favourite for quite awhile.

This is an interesting exercise when you truly believe all their recorded output to be sheer brilliance.

― A Cracker Jack On Crack (Bimble...), Saturday, 19 August 2006 03:46 (nineteen years ago)

"death of a disco dancer"

― you want pastrami? (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 19 August 2006 03:52 (nineteen years ago)

i just scrolled through the tracklistings and realised there isn't a single smiths song i dislike.

i'll go with 'meat is murder' however for its lack of irony

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Saturday, 19 August 2006 04:20 (nineteen years ago)

MiM seconded. It's the only one that actually makes me think, "Oh, shut up."

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Saturday, 19 August 2006 04:22 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't Death At One's Elbow the worst according to recieved opinion?

I think I'll go with Unhappy Birthday as that song shits me to tears,

― Domenico Buttez (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Saturday, 19 August 2006 04:31 (nineteen years ago)

My copy of Strangeways went missing last year, and I don't even remember how either of those goes.

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Saturday, 19 August 2006 04:36 (nineteen years ago)

"Death of a Disco Dancer" isn't great, but it at least has a memorable hook, which is more than can be said for "Meat is Murder." Not even the boring dreary Smiths songs I've never learned the names of (half the first album, two or three songs on The Queen Is Dead) are as irritatingly dull and heavy-handed as that slab of bloody musical gristle.

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Saturday, 19 August 2006 05:29 (nineteen years ago)

"meat is murder" is pretty fucking bad.

― you want pastrami? (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 19 August 2006 05:34 (nineteen years ago)

Oh fuck yeah, Meat Is Murder is the one. Ya'll have outdone me, I'd forgotten the worst Smiths song, conveniently.

― A Cracker Jack On Crack (Bimble...), Saturday, 19 August 2006 06:24 (nineteen years ago)

And having said that, I'm a vegetarian!

― A Cracker Jack On Crack (Bimble...), Saturday, 19 August 2006 06:24 (nineteen years ago)

But see how I never realized until tonight that I never had "Money Changes Everything" on CD, and I panicked. Then I realized it was not, I repeat NOT on Louder Than Bombs, my trusty compilation of singles owned for years. No. It was only on "the World Won't Listen", a comp. I had a dream about when it first came out and I dreamt the inner sleeves were coloured orange - ARE THEY?????

I'm dying to have "Money Changes Everything" on something other than a 20 year old cassette tape.

Also I heard "I Keep Mine Hidden" unexpectedly in my head as I walked to the bus stop today.

― A Cracker Jack On Crack (Bimble...), Saturday, 19 August 2006 06:35 (nineteen years ago)

GOLDEN LIGHTS IS THE WORST SMITHS SONGG

― chaki (chaki), Saturday, 19 August 2006 09:28 (nineteen years ago)

omg I LOVE death is a disco dancer and death at one's elbow and am surprised to hear that others could consider them so low - esp doadd, I thought it was one of their classics.

― spectra (spectra), Saturday, 19 August 2006 09:44 (nineteen years ago)

Golden Lights. It's a no brainer.

― Edward White (E White), Saturday, 19 August 2006 09:53 (nineteen years ago)

i like golden lights! meat is murder is a good choice. it's the only time i want to skip a song on a smiths album. it's a little embarrassing to listen to. dan perry loves it though. cuz meat is murder is his all-time favorite most perfect smiths album ever. and he is crazy.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 19 August 2006 11:13 (nineteen years ago)

Girlfriend In A Coma is their worst single and possibly worst track. i think i may be forgetting some horrors but i think GIAC is worse that everything listed so far.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 19 August 2006 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

If Meat is Murder only had one side, Dan would be right.

― Pier Paolo Semolina (noodle vague), Saturday, 19 August 2006 11:48 (nineteen years ago)

all of them

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Saturday, 19 August 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

In such a stellar discography, what is the WORST Morrissey song?

lolol shits, giggles... ahem ;)

Shakespeare's Sister is pretty tossed off and inessential imho. And the Bohemian Rhapsody-ism's of the chorus... blech.

― rollin', rollin', rollin', keep them dogies rollin', rawhide! thread (fandango), Saturday, 19 August 2006 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

stellar discography? wha? i would nominate any of the tracks that sound like a synthesizer playing the walking-bass demo. take out the witty lyrics and usually (though not always) awesome vocal stylings, and you have a largely crappy musical catalog.

― Dan Gr (certain), Saturday, 19 August 2006 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

How Soon is Now?...maybe because people have burned that song OUT.

― youth problem (YouthProblem), Saturday, 19 August 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

the cover of "golden lights", obv..
really, as far as originals... not one fucking dud.

and, "meat is murder" is fucking great.

shit, sometimes i think some of you really don't even deserve music.

― blood bitch (blood bitch), Saturday, 19 August 2006 15:51 (nineteen years ago)

Probably some of the repetitive ones on the debut. Obviously nothing from "Strangeways..." as by then they were at their best, finally having conventional song structures rather than the repetitive gibberish of the first couple of albums.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 19 August 2006 18:25 (nineteen years ago)

Hurray for Geir!

― Bidfurd (Bidfurd), Saturday, 19 August 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think their discography is that stellar but I don't see why "Death of a Disco Dancer" is that bad at all. Never thought it was regarded that poorly. "Meat Is Murder" is pretty bad but at least the guitars are kind of nice. I'm voting "Miserable Lie" for that endless and horrible falsetto. It pretty much always makes me hit the skip button.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 19 August 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

'Death of a Disco Dancer' is fantastic.

The worst one is, as already stated, 'Death at one's Elbow', and 'Meat Is Murder' is pretty much unlistenable. Of the ones that most people like, I don't get the love for 'Ask' or 'Shoplifters of the world'.

― Teh littlest HoBBo (the pirate king), Saturday, 19 August 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

Agreed on disco dancer being great.

Worst cos they're just throwaway:

Golden Lights
Work is a four letter word
Vicar in a tutu
Accept yourself

Most overrated:

Ask
Heaven knows I'm miserable now
How soon is now?

― paulhw (paulhw), Saturday, 19 August 2006 18:56 (nineteen years ago)

CHAKI'S GOT IT

― jergins (jergins), Saturday, 19 August 2006 18:59 (nineteen years ago)

Golden Lights

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Saturday, 19 August 2006 22:44 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't heard all of the things people are naming, but "Shakespear's Sister" is pretty awful, and one of the absolute worst follow-up singles of all time to boot.

― LC (Damian), Saturday, 19 August 2006 23:03 (nineteen years ago)

"Boy With the Thorn in His Side" is a bit draggy, I've never got on with it. It's not the worst though - I can't think of a worse Smiths song than "Meat is Murder"!

― David Orton (scarlet), Saturday, 19 August 2006 23:33 (nineteen years ago)

Death of a Disco Dancer" isn't great, but it at least has a memorable hook, which is more than can be said for "Meat is Murder." Not even the boring dreary Smiths songs I've never learned the names of (half the first album, two or three songs on The Queen Is Dead) are as irritatingly dull and heavy-handed as that slab of bloody musical gristle.

OTMFM. My high school best friend copied this album for my first Smiths experience. "They're so witty!" he insisted. I was rather appalled by the results. A couple of weeks later he copied The Queen is Dead and Louder Than Bombs and, happily, a love was born.

I'm dying to have "Money Changes Everything" on something other than a 20 year old cassette tape.

Sadly, I preferred it when Bryan Ferry rewrote and recorded it as "The Right Stuff" (with Johnny Marr in the video, hiding as if embarrassed by the wardrobe expenses).

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Sunday, 20 August 2006 00:02 (nineteen years ago)

"Shakespear's Sister" is uber great as is DOADD, the coda when Moz finishes is unbeatable.

and only Esteban Butteszssasa has mentioned the horrid Unhappy Birthday.... SHAME on you all

― pscott (elwisty), Sunday, 20 August 2006 00:11 (nineteen years ago)

Sure. but GOLDEN LIGHTS!!!

― paulhw (paulhw), Sunday, 20 August 2006 02:38 (nineteen years ago)

I am always baffled by people who hate on "Girlfriend In A Coma", it just seems so obviously great to me.

― aaron d.g. (aaron d.g.), Sunday, 20 August 2006 02:39 (nineteen years ago)

Never Had No One Ever has always been a sore thumb for me. While it isn't necessarily the worst by itself (Golden Lights and Death At One's Elbow would fight for that), it does really mess the flow on Queen Is Dead and because of that I consider it to be the worst. Then again, as the adolescent years are now behind me, most of their material doesn't move me anymore. Oh to be a teenager again. Only Rusholme Ruffians still sounds fucking amazing.

― Antti Piirainen (Antti), Sunday, 20 August 2006 05:44 (nineteen years ago)

So am I the only person who has no problem with "Golden Lights" at all? (If we're talking covers, I don't think much of that live James revamp.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 20 August 2006 05:50 (nineteen years ago)

Nope. I've always been charmed by "Golden Lights," especially Kirsty MacColl's harmonies.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Sunday, 20 August 2006 05:56 (nineteen years ago)

"Golden Lights" blows, definitely.

"Sheila Take a Bow" is their worst single by miles.

I've never liked "Half a Person" either.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 20 August 2006 06:25 (nineteen years ago)

Heard "Rubber Ring" at a disco last night; it sounded marvellous. Even their half forgotten b-sides (like this one) are genius.
Their worst (non-cover) song has to be "I Keep Mine Hidden".

― harvey.w (harvey.w), Sunday, 20 August 2006 10:43 (nineteen years ago)

'accept yourself' is pure diamonds. a lyrical treat

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Sunday, 20 August 2006 10:49 (nineteen years ago)

I Keep Mine is rather awful. I didn't know it existed up to a minute ago. Amazingly long essay on Wikipedia about such a throwaway. It was their last song, that's maybe why.

Rubber Ring is great of course.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Sunday, 20 August 2006 11:17 (nineteen years ago)

I Keep Mine Hidden of course, sorry.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Sunday, 20 August 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

Come on, the "Yellow and green, a stumbling block / I'm a twenty-digit combination to unlock" lyric saves I Keep Mine Hidden from this fate!

― Domenico Buttez (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 20 August 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

P.S. GOLDEN LIGHTS WAS GREAT! SO WAS WORK IS A FOUR LETTER WORD!

― Domenico Buttez (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 20 August 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

"So am I the only person who has no problem with "Golden Lights" at all?"

i said i liked it! really, meat is murder is the only smiths song i've ever had a problem with. i should listen to some smiths rekkerds today and see if there is anything else that i can think of. i'm not a huge fan of ask. but i don't hate it or anything.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 20 August 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

"girlfriend in a coma" is wonderful.

"hand in glove" is kind of a drag.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Sunday, 20 August 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

I like "golden lights", love "girlfriend in a coma" and LOVE "shakespeare's sister"... oh the horrors of this thread... tho I guess I won't argue with "unhappy birthday" and "meat is murder"

why the hate for "death at one's elbow"? it's nice and punchy!

― spectra (spectra), Sunday, 20 August 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

oh yeah just remembered I can't stand "I won't share you", it's the weakest bit of Strangeways

― spectra (spectra), Sunday, 20 August 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

"I Won't Share You" only works in context with "Alsation Cousin" opening Viva Hate, y'know. But it's more inoffensive than flat-out boring.

― Domenico Buttez (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 20 August 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

One on the first album, starts slow, then goes off into a overfast pace like they couldn't think of anything to do with it and decided to finish it in as quick a time as possible.

That one.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 21 August 2006 07:36 (nineteen years ago)

Rubber Ring

― zeus (zeus), Monday, 21 August 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

I am always baffled by people who hate on "Girlfriend In A Coma", it just seems so obviously great to me.

It is the greatest Smiths song with no competition.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 21 August 2006 08:29 (nineteen years ago)

Work is a four letter word
Vicar in a tutu

You're completely on crack, as these are both great -- tho' "Work is a Four Letter Word" is technically a cover, I believe.

"Girlfriend in a Coma" is genius.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 21 August 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

johnny talks (very happily) about life in THE SMITHS unaware that within a few weeks, that would be that as far as the band went.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mg8PDN2CL4

you tube really is fantastic for smiths fans, especially considering the shoddy rubbish that's come out on dvd in their name.

― pisces (piscesx), Monday, 21 August 2006 10:15 (nineteen years ago)

"hand in glove" is kind of a drag.

on first blush or in retrospect?

for me, I guess "Meat" or maybe something from Strangeways

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Monday, 21 August 2006 10:29 (nineteen years ago)

i think "hand in glove" is amazing, but i guess the unevenful arrangement can ruin it for some people. "meat is murder" has got to be the worst, the unholy unity of bad music, bad lyrics, also known as "bathos"....

― Mark Scherrer (Applejack), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

Only fatty meat-eaters hate on "Meat Is Murder".

― blood bitch (blood bitch), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

note: all songs mentioned on this thread (that I've heard) are awesome.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 23 August 2006 02:27 (nineteen years ago)

Have you heard "Meat Is Murder" and "Golden Lights"?

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Wednesday, 23 August 2006 02:36 (nineteen years ago)

"Golden Lights" just seems like a throwaway cover to me. Nothing to get really worked up over one way or the other. "Death at One's Elbow" and "Unhappy Birthday" are similarly slight. "Ask," "Half a Person," and "Sheila Take a Bow" are three songs I think of as summing up everything that's great about the Smiths, especially "Ask" - I'm shocked it's even come up here. It's breezy and uplifting and has one of Morrissey's best tunes. Does no one else really have a problem with "Miserable Lie"? It used to come up a lot on alt.music.smiths.

― Sundar (sundar), Wednesday, 23 August 2006 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

Generally, I think a number of the vocals on the first album/Hatful are the biggest weakness in their discography, both in terms of the singing and the melodies themselves.

― Sundar (sundar), Wednesday, 23 August 2006 21:44 (nineteen years ago)

I've heard "Golden Lights" but not "Meat Is Murder." "Golden Lights" is unusual but it's fun anyway.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 23 August 2006 22:14 (nineteen years ago)

OK I just listened to "Meat Is Murder" and it's awesome too.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 23 August 2006 22:27 (nineteen years ago)

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