THE SMITHS' FIRST EPONYMOUS ALBUM POLL IS HERE!

Picture didn't work. Drat.

http://www.inkblotmagazine.com/rev-archive/images/ca_Smiths.jpg

What Difference Does it Make?

Other than Meat is Murder, though, this is my least favorite Smiths record. : /

Charming Man v. Reel

Stuck between Still Ill and Hand in Glove. I'll have to think this over because Still Ill on Rank is amazing but Hand in Glove is a long time favorite.

this is tough

reel

You've Got Everything Now

nearly impossible. could be 'reel' for opening up with an album closer

Very tough. At the moment 'Reel Around The Fountain'.

Opening and closing tracks seem streets ahead of everything else.

ooh...stumped. Unlike the other polls where I, erm, just actually pick the best one in the sure knowledge that I am right based on my superior charm, wit, style, and intellect etc ... For this one nothing stood out; I've listened to this album so much, and the songs are much more evenly spread in their quality.

With the other three 'studio' albums, its easier to pick out the clunkers on Meat and the throwaways on Queen ruin it as a listen all the way through album. On Strangeways the mediocre tracks are downright anonymous.

So what I did to pick my current favourite on the 1st album is look at the title and think 'which one would I rather hear right now'. The answer, which surprised me too, is 'Miserable Lie'.

It's a clattering collision of the best elements of the Smiths, but since the song was written so early in their career those elements are rather new-born, naked and defenceless. That falsetto and the rockabilly guitar, the slow bit - the fast bit, the buzzcocks-punk drumming and the funk bass runs, all there, all unpolished and not quite gelled, the wallowing self pity which here is just sheer nihilism, the corny. overused idioms that spell out camp northerner.

Its hard to think of another Smiths song that isn't foreshadowed by it.

Though come to think of it, I'd better do my vote right now, Im changing my mind already... Charming man is actually a better tune, Reel has better lyrics and singing.. what difference has a better beat.

http://www.geocities.com/costelt/Lyrics/Smiths_Singles/handinglove.jpg

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.

This Charming Man of course wasn't on the original album. But hey.

Suffer Little Children just pips What Difference...? but i think those two are leagues ahead of the rest.

"Suffer Little Children" over "Pretty Girls" fr me. It might be interesting to hear this again, I bet I haven't played it in 20 years.

Definitely my least favorite Smiths record. "Hand in Glove" for me.

reel edges charming man and hand for me....this is easily my favorite smiths album though, so it's hard

http://www.geocities.com/costelt/Lyrics/Smiths_Singles/whatdifferencestamp.jpg

"Reel Around the Fountain"

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/ZachRScott/smiths.jpg

I went with "What Difference." Marr is god.

Either "I don't Owe You" or "Pretty Girls"

They're the ones that I don't feel are over-familiar.

"What Difference Does It Make?", obviously.

"Still Ill", obviously.

This is about level with The Queen Is Dead as my favourite Smiths album. I went for You've Got Everything Now.

Anudder for Still Ill

You've Got Everything Now, but the album version is so lead-booted.

You've Got Everything is great, I meant to say.

Reel Around the Fountain for the "pin and mount me like a butterfly" line

Possibly my least favourite Smiths album although "This Charming Man" is still great.

The Peel Session version of "What Difference Does it Make" from Hatful is a lot better, but it's still the best jangle riff evah.

I voted but I'm not sure what difference it will make.

Hahahahah!

Witness the downfall of American democracy folks! It's all gone! The Constitution is swiss cheese!

"Miserable Lie", 'cause it reminds me of the Meat Puppets, and because the combination of the title and Morrisey's falsetto make me smile.

Fifteen minutes with you
I wouldn't say no
oh people see no worth in you
oh but I do

^^^ILX

This Charming Man, Still Ill, Hand In Glove, What Difference Does It Make?...these are all great songs on Hatful of Hollow, but I'm not a big fan of the versions on this album. So I'll go for Pretty Girls Make Graves.

This Charming Man is the #1 indie disco song ever (proven by science or something) so I went for that ahead of WDDIM.

It's time that the tale were told. Of how you took a child and you made him old.

And did I ever tell you by the way/I never did like your face

^best

When I first heard this album, I felt that some of the numbers dragged on a bit, monotonous. But once I started to learn all the lyrics and every little nuance of it I began to relish all of it. "Miserable Lie" in particular is like watching a whole play unfold. It's theatre, innit? Almost (dare I say it) proggy?

I would be quite happy though if What Difference wins, that riff is really extraordinary for the "fuck you" angry emotion it conveys. You'd probably have to be punk rock to get that whole thing down any better.

My personal favourite is probably "I Don't Owe You Anything", but "Miserable Lie" gives it a good run for its money.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Am I the only person who prefers the album version of "What Difference"?

See, the single/album version of What Difference Does It Make? is the first example, I think, of the crazy guitar overlaying that Johnny Marr got into, so the guitar sounds amazing but it kinda highlights that it's a weak song apart from the riff. Also, from this point on The Smiths would rarely sound like a band rather than a multitracked extraganza. I like what they became, but Hatful is ace too for that four-piece-band sound and the version of What Difference on it is perhaps the best of it. The tones of Morrissey's vocal & the bass are so pleasurable.

"What Difference" and "Hand in Glove" and "Charming Man" are all worthy contenders, but I have to go with "Reel" because I sang it in the shower today and it is so good a song that it survived my voice, and even sounded brilliant.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Bah - This Charming Man isn't even really on the album proper.

Someone said "Suffer Little Children" was #1 and they were not wrong.

It seems this remains the only Smiths poll. "The Queen Is Dead" anyone?

nope:
Best Song On The Queen Is Dead