Strangeways better than Queen is Dead?

[John Miles]

Don't get me wrong, the Queen is Dead is a mater piece, but I personally think that Strangeways Here we Come is a much underated album and is definately on a parr if not surpassing the greatness of its predecessor. Take for example my two favourite songs on the album, and two of my favourite songs in the whole Smiths catalogue for that matter, Girlfriend in a Coma and Paint a Vulgar Picture. For me these songs are just absolutely beautiful and address issues in a way that only Morrissey could. They are both complex songs in their simplicity and overly romantic. From begining to end, this is a great album and I really can't understand why it has never got the recognition it deserves. For example, in most best album polls you are likely to see an appearance by Hatful of Hollow rather than Strangeways.

[Cili again]

> Don't get me wrong, the Queen is Dead is a mater piece, but I
> personally think that Strangeways Here we Come is a much
> underated album and is definately on a parr if not surpassing
> the greatness of its predecessor. Take for example my two
> favourite songs on the album, and two of my favourite songs in
> the whole Smiths catalogue for that matter, Girlfriend in a Coma
> and Paint a Vulgar Picture. For me these songs are just
> absolutely beautiful and address issues in a way that only
> Morrissey could. They are both complex songs in their simplicity
> and overly romantic. From begining to end, this is a great album
> and I really can't understand why it has never got the
> recognition it deserves. For example, in most best album polls
> you are likely to see an appearance by Hatful of Hollow rather
> than Strangeways.

I think "Strangeways, Here We Come" was a greater achievement for the band, than it was musically pleasing for the fans.

For me personally, "The Queen is Dead" somehow captured everything the Smiths meant and were. It was witty, funny, romantic, dynamic, lovely... guitars, guitars, guitars... It had everything. To me, "The Queen is Dead" will always mean more than "Strangeways."

Of course, the artists hold their creations up to a different light.

[LoafingOaf]

> I think "Strangeways, Here We Come" was a greater
> achievement for the band, than it was musically pleasing for the
> fans.

> For me personally, "The Queen is Dead" somehow
> captured everything the Smiths meant and were. It was witty,
> funny, romantic, dynamic, lovely... guitars, guitars, guitars...
> It had everything. To me, "The Queen is Dead" will
> always mean more than "Strangeways."

> Of course, the artists hold their creations up to a different
> light.

I used to feel STRANGEWAYS was the superior Smiths album, but I've recently come to the realization that it is MEAT IS MURDER that towers above all. I feel it is the most musically and lyrically interesting. It even gets funky! "Well I Wonder" brings tears to my eyes.

[LoafingOaf]

> I used to feel STRANGEWAYS was the superior Smiths album, but
> I've recently come to the realization that it is MEAT IS MURDER
> that towers above all. I feel it is the most musically and
> lyrically interesting. It even gets funky! "Well I
> Wonder" brings tears to my eyes.

Oh, and I mean the USA version, with "How Soon Is Now?" on it.

Listen to all the albums one after the other and you'll see how MEAT IS MURDER rules.

[Kerissa]

All of these albums are superior, dynamic and perfect. What we need to do to make it even more perfect, though is take the best songs from each album and put them all together. It will be ten thousand times better than all of them!

Personally, though, I prefer Strangeways. Death of a Disco Dancer, Last Night... and I Won't Share You are three of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard.

[nhon]

> I used to feel STRANGEWAYS was the superior Smiths album, but
> I've recently come to the realization that it is MEAT IS MURDER
> that towers above all. I feel it is the most musically and
> lyrically interesting. It even gets funky! "Well I
> Wonder" brings tears to my eyes.

and soon enough.. perhaps louder than bombs will crawl its way to the top of your tower.... i feel that the smiths themselves is like one big mood pill.. each of their song fits accordingly to your feelings and mood of the day.. you'll be walking home one day humming to "i wont share you" and then the next day while driving to work.. you're swinging along to "what differnce does it make".. i think there is no such thing as the best smiths album because i've seen it debated on here many times before.. every smiths album has its own medicine..

[LoafingOaf]

> All of these albums are superior, dynamic and perfect. What we
> need to do to make it even more perfect, though is take the best
> songs from each album and put them all together. It will be ten
> thousand times better than all of them!

Actually, that doesn't work for me. Some of the "weaker" tracks on each album still work together to make the whole album great if you listen to it from first track to last. I find albums recorded together and placed together for a reason to be more interesting than singles or greatest hits compilations.

> Personally, though, I prefer Strangeways. Death of a Disco
> Dancer, Last Night... and I Won't Share You are three of the
> most beautiful songs I've ever heard.

Yeah, those are my faves from that album too.

[That Annoying Old Comtesse]

> Don't get me wrong, the Queen is Dead is a mater piece, but I
> personally think that Strangeways Here we Come is a much
> underated album and is definately on a parr if not surpassing
> the greatness of its predecessor.

Oh, that's such a hard call... They are both very enjoyable albums. They both have their weak songs ("Death At One's Elbows" and "Vicar In A Tutu") and their lightweight pop songs ("Stop Me..." and "Bigmouth..."). I probably enjoy listening to "A Rush and a Push..." and "I Won't Share You" more than anything else by The Smiths... but I think I'd have to give the nod to The Queen Is Dead, simply because there is nothing on Strangeways that can compare with the brilliance of "I Know It's Over" and "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out": the best songs The Smiths ever recorded.


The Arcane Old Wardrobe

[garrett]

i totally agree on your songs of choice kerissa.

> All of these albums are superior, dynamic and perfect. What we
> need to do to make it even more perfect, though is take the best
> songs from each album and put them all together. It will be ten
> thousand times better than all of them!

> Personally, though, I prefer Strangeways. Death of a Disco
> Dancer, Last Night... and I Won't Share You are three of the
> most beautiful songs I've ever heard.

[Heidi]

> and soon enough.. perhaps louder than bombs will crawl its way
> to the top of your tower.... i feel that the smiths themselves
> is like one big mood pill.. each of their song fits accordingly
> to your feelings and mood of the day.. you'll be walking home
> one day humming to "i wont share you" and then the
> next day while driving to work.. you're swinging along to
> "what differnce does it make".. i think there is no
> such thing as the best smiths album because i've seen it debated
> on here many times before.. every smiths album has its own
> medicine..




I'm sick of the girl waiting in my shadow

[Kerissa]

What about Paint a Vulgur Picture and Girlfriend In A Coma? These are great songs too. And while the songs you mention are very beautiful, Strangeways stands out among the other records because it reflected how they had grown over the years.