Potential Rarities For Boz Set

[Ben]

Based on rarities research, there actually seems to be a decent amount of unreleased recordings that could be unearthed for a box set. Following is the start of a list of documented unreleased rarities. If anyone knows of any other recordings that have a high probabilty of still being in existence, please add them to the list. Who knows, maybe someone involved in the production of the upcoming box set will read these posts and work towards preserving these recordings for the fans. It would be great if these bits of Smiths (and music) history could be saved before they are lost to time or deteriorate in a record vault or dusty basement somewhere. Anyway, here's to hoping we all get to hear some of these tracks someday!

1) I Want A Boy For My Birthday
2) A Fool Such As I (even if it is missing the first few bars)
3) Heavy Track (Instrumental)
4) Bengali In Platforms (The pre-moz-solo Smiths take on the track - although I think Ivor Perry is on guitar and not Marr...so Marr probably wouldn't want it on a box set.)
5) Fast One (Instrumental)
6) I Misses You (Instrumental)
7) A Matter Of Opinion
The 6 different "Untitled Instrumentals" that Goddard uncovered
9) Shoplifters (Instrumental)
10)Frankly Mr. Shankly (Horn Version)
11) Never Had No One Ever (Horn Version)
12) Queen Is Dead (w/ extended intro)
13) What Do You See In Him? (Live early version of Wonderful Woman)
14) Original Smiths Demo Reels Including Suffer Little Children (w/ the sounds of children on a playgroup)
15) There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Early vocal takes with slightly different Moz lyrics "There is a light IN YOUR EYES that never goes out"
16) Shoplifters (Instrumental version)
17) Troy Tates version of the first album
18) Girlfriend In A Coma (Alternate take with slightly different lyrics including "cheerfully strangle her" and "with tears in my eyes I ask of you".)

Cheers,
Ben

[jp]

[Ben]

Oops! Hehehe. I see I hit the "z" instead of the "x" which is right next to it on the keyboard. Interestingly in Moz world "Box Set" and "Boz Set" does make quite a bit of difference!

[dallow_bg]

Wow, there's some stuff on that list that even I haven't heard about.
Interesting lyric changes.

Where did you get this info?
I haven't read the Songs That Saved Your Life book yet for some reason.
Is all revealed there?

[Lon]

[the ghost of troubled Mr. Smith]

I really don't care whats on it as long as they dont try doop us into buying any kind of jungle or boombastic remix album. Without exaggeration, I'd honestly rather chew my own face off than listen to another Smiths song be defiled by synth's and drum machines designed to 'pump the bass 2 da max'.

[Ben]

Hi Dallow,

Yes, I believe most of the lyric changes are noted in the Goddard book. I tried to only included items on the list that were Smiths-specific and had either been documented or confirmed by multiple sources as existing. I believe most of Goddards information came from listening to the dozens of tapes that Mike Joyce has reported having.

Mike Joyce had this to say in response to some questions I asked him on his web site several years ago:

"I Want a Boy" was played by The Smiths in the very early days, 1982. I don't have a recording of that, but I have a 1982 rehearsal tape of "What Do You See In Him?" Which eventually became, "Wonderful Woman". I also have about 100 tapes of assorted stuff including: Out- takes,instrumentals and unreleased material that I am thinking of taking to WEA. "Never had no one ever", with trumpet would you believe! Dale was playing bass with Johnny and Morrissey when I turned up at Spirit studio's in Manchester. He played the Ritz gig also."

The Dale that Mike is referring to at the end of his statement is the same Dale Hebert that auctioned off the original Smiths demo reels several years ago. Along with the demo reel the winning bidder received a complete copy of "I Want A Boy For My Birthday". To prove the legitimacy of the tracks, the 30 second clip that we have today was created. My understanding is a fan/collector from Denmark (who consentrates on one-of-a-kind Smiths collectibles) was the winning bidder. Anyone know this collector? The original demo reel supposedly also contained an alternate version of "Suffer Little Children" that contained the sounds of children playing on a playground in the background (with dogs barking).

I'm sure tapes deteriorate over time so hopefully someone will preserve these bits of history before they fall aprat.

Cheers,
Ben

> Wow, there's some stuff on that list that even I haven't heard about.
> Interesting lyric changes.

> Where did you get this info?
> I haven't read the Songs That Saved Your Life book yet for some reason.
> Is all revealed there?