The Moz/Smiths Top 100, Part 161: SPEEDWAY

[Houdini]

Let's compile our own Morrissey/Smiths Top 100 by rating all 232 Moz/Smiths-songs.

Song for Today: SPEEDWAY

Voting should be something along these lines:
10: Perfection
9: Near perfect, brilliant
8: Really good Moz/Smiths song
7: Good Moz/Smiths song
6: Decent, Nothing special
5: Uninspired
4: Poor
3: Bad
2: Should never have been released
1: He/They should be ashamed

The Top 100 after 160 songs:

1) Now My Heart Is Full, rating: 9,63
2) I Know It's Over, rating: 9,51
3) Panic, rating: 9,51
4) Everyday Is Like Sunday, rating: 9,49
5) Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, rating: 9,49
6) Rubber Ring, rating: 9,45
7) Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, rating: 9,42
8) Reel Around The Fountain, rating: 9,37
9) Hand In Glove, rating: 9,34
10) Bigmouth Strikes Again, rating: 9,32
11) Shoplifters Of The World Unite, rating: 9,30
12) How Soon Is Now?, rating: 9,29
13) Jack The Ripper, rating: 9,25
14) Cemetry Gates, rating: 9,21
15) Late Night, Maudlin Street, rating: 9,17
16) Half A Person,rating: 9,15
17) November Spawned A Monster, rating: 9,13
18) I Want The One I Can't Have, rating: 9,11
19) Hairdresser On Fire,rating: 9,11
20) Seasick Yet Still Docked, rating: 9,11
21) Nobody Loves Us, rating: 9,10
22) Asleep, rating: 9,04
23) I've Changed My Plea To Guilty, rating: 9,03
24) Irish Blood, English Heart, rating: 9,02
25) A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours, rating: 8,98
26) First Of The Gang To Die, rating: 8,96
27) Handsome Devil, rating: 8,95
28) Paint A Vulgar Picture, rating: 8,93
29) I Won't Share You, rating: 8,93
30) Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, rating: 8,93
31) Piccadilly Palare, rating: 8,92
32) Girlfriend In A Coma, rating: 8,92
33) Sister, I'm A Poet, rating: 8,91
34) Life Is A Pigsty, rating: 8,90
35) Nowhere Fast, rating: 8,90
36) Disappointed, rating: 8,79
37) Rusholme Ruffians, rating: 8,76
38) Girl Afraid, rating: 8,72
39) Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, rating: 8,71
40) Is It Really So Strange?, rating: 8,67
41) I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday, rating: 8,61
42) Frankly, Mr Shankly, rating: 8,61
43) I Started Something I Couldn't Finish, rating: 8,60
44) Back To The Old House, rating: 8,58
45) Sheila Take A Bow, rating: 8,56
46) Ask, rating: 8,55
47) I Have Forgiven Jesus, rating: 8,49
48) Let Me Kiss You, rating: 8,48
49) Pretty Girls Make Graves, rating: 8,48
50) Southpaw, rating: 8,47
51) Friday Mourning, rating: 8,40
52) Jeane, rating: 8,40
53) Come Back To Camden, rating: 8,39
54) Alsatian Cousin, rating: 8,38
55) Hold On To Your Friends, rating: 8,37
56) I Know Very Well How I Got My Name, rating: 8,36
57) London, rating: 8,35
58) Lost, rating: 8,35
59) Barbarism Begins At Home, rating: 8,35
60) Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning, rating: 8,34
61) Interesting Drug, rating: 8,33
62) I Am Hated For Loving, rating: 8,33
63) My Love Life, rating: 8,32
64) Never Had No One Ever, rating: 8,28
65) I'd Love To, rating: 8,28
66) Maladjusted, rating: 8,26
67) Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together, rating: 8,22
68) Boxers, rating: 8,21
69) Shakespeare's Sister, rating: 8,19
70) I Don't Owe You Anything, rating: 8,16
71) No One Can Hold A Candle To You, rating: 8,16
72) Reader Meet Author, rating: 8,12
73) Ganglord, rating: 8,11
74) Glamorous Glue,rating: 8,05
75) I Don't Mind If You Forget Me, rating: 8,05
76) Lucky Lisp, average rating: 8,04
77) Sing Your Life, rating: 7,97
78) Meat Is Murder, rating: 7,96
79) Death Of A Disco Dancer, rating: 7,92
80) Satan Rejected My Soul, rating: 7,91
81) I Can Have Both, rating: 7,89
82) Alma Matters, rating: 7,88
83) I Like You, rating: 7,88
84) It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small, rating: 7,82
85) I'm Not Sorry, rating: 7,79
86) Girl Least Likely To, rating: 7,76
87) Miserable Lie, rating: 7,76
88) Driving Your Girlfriend Home, rating: 7,75
89) Certain People I Know, rating: 7,74
90) Little Man, What Now, rating: 7,73
91) Billy Budd, rating: 7,70
92) I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now, rating: 7,70
93) Mute Witness, rating: 7,69
94) A Swallow On My Neck, rating: 7,68
95) (I'm) The End Of The Family Line, rating: 7,68
96) Dear God Please Help Me, rating: 7,66
97) Oscillate Wildly, rating: 7,66
98) Break Up The Family, rating: 7,64
99) In The Future When All's Well, rating: 7,64
100) If You Don't Like Me, Don't Look At Me, rating: 7,62

 

[Comtesse]

Even after listening to it thousands of times over the years, this song still gives me chills down my spine. I interpret it as Morrissey's response to the NME and their charges of racism (among other charges) and attempt to smear his career, and also, at the end, a call out to his fans who stood by him through the entire ordeal. I think you really do have to be a fan who weathered those awful times to truly appreciate the sentiment of the song - although it's obviously a genius song that should be loved by everyone (including YOU Uncleskinny ). Easily one of his top 5 solo compositions and the most amazing ending to a Moz or Smiths album ever. A shiver-inducing 10.

 

[Assassin]

10!

I think it's one of those songs you really have to listen all the way through. I just love the last minute or so of it.

 

[Houdini]

And for those who miss their favourite song in the list above, here are the ones that are already out of the top 100:

101) Ouija Board, Ouija Board, rating: 7,60
102) I Will See You In Far Off Places, rating: 7,58
103) Our Frank, rating: 7,55
104) Accept Yourself, rating: 7,55
105) He Knows I'd Love To See Him, rating: 7,46
106) My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye, rating: 7,41
107) Pregnant For The Last Time, rating: 7,39
108) I Knew I Was Next, rating: 7,39
109) Oh Well, I'll Never Learn, rating: 7,36
110) A Song From Under The Floorboards, rating: 7,36
111) Munich Air Disaster 1958, rating: 7,35
112) King Leer, rating: 7,35
113) Have-A-Go Merchant,rating: 7,32
114) Let The Right One Slip In, rating: 7,30
115) How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?, rating: 7,30
116) Interlude, rating: 7,29
117) Good Looking Man About Town,rating: 7,28
118) Do Your Best And Don't Worry, rating: 7,26
119) Skin Storm, rating: 7,26
120) Bengali In Platforms, rating: 7,23
121) I Keep Mine Hidden, rating: 7,19
122) Michael's Bones, rating: 7,16
123) I Just Want To See The Boy Happy, rating: 7,15
124) Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice, rating: 7,11
125) I Am Two People, rating: 7,10
126) Human Being, rating: 7,07
127) On The Streets I Ran, rating: 7,00
128) Dial-A-Cliche, rating: 6,98
129) Pashernate Love, rating: 6,97
130) Now I Am A Was, rating: 6,94
131) Heir Apparent, rating: 6,94
132) Redondo Beach, rating: 6,89
133) Christian Dior, rating: 6,84
134) Dagenham Dave, rating: 6,78
135) Roy's Keen, rating: 6,75
136) At Amber, rating: 6,75
137) Ammunition, rating: 6,74
138) At Last I Am Born, rating: 6,71
139) Moonriver, rating: 6,65
140) Margaret On The Guillotine, rating: 6,64
141) Best Friend On The Payroll, rating: 6,60
142) Cosmic Dancer, rating: 6,54
143) Mexico, rating: 6,51
144) East West, rating: 6,49
145) America Is Not The World, rating: 6,46
146) Black-Eyed Susan, rating: 6,45
147) Money Changes Everything, rating: 6,42
148) Death At One's Elbow, rating: 6,41
149) Asian Rut, rating: 6,39
150) Ambitious Outsiders, rating: 6,34
151) He Cried,rating: 6,24
152) Slum Mums, rating: 6,12
153) Noise Is The Best Revenge, rating: 6,08
154) Get Off The Stage, rating: 6,07
155) All The Lazy Dykes, rating: 6,06
156) Found Found Found, rating: 5,87
157) Sorrow Will Come In The End, rating: 5,41
158) Papa Jack, rating: 5,10
159) Golden Lights, rating: 4,95
160) Journalists Who Lie, rating: 4,76

 

[Kuiper]

1: Peter, how could you?!
2: Assassin, I agree, the last minute is epic and it's always sounded good live, but I can't believe he has never ended a concert with this song or even played it in the encore. When recording Vauxhall he realized what a perfect closer it was, and it's worked well as the main set closer before the encore (as it did on the first show of the 2002 tour, my favorite performance of the song that I've heard), but really I just don't think it fits very well played as the like 4th song of the night (has he did some times on the Maladjusted and Oye Esteban tour). This song is just TOO epic to not be near the end of the show.
3: Can someone explain to me why Ammunition is only #137 on that list?! I love a lot of songs in there, such as Ambitious Outsiders, Asian Rut, Best Friend on the Payroll, Black-Eyed Susan, Roy's Keen, On the Streets I Ran, Michael's Bones, but come on! Why isn't that song recognized as the classic it clearly is?
4: I'm glad to see Lifeguard in the top 60, the only song on Vauxhall that gives this song any competition for the best track from a great album.

 

[Iyar]

speedway marks my entire summer, as i listened to it everywhere and all the time: running, in the car, on the plane...i give it a 10. no question.

 

[Radio Berlin]

it makes me so happy to see now my heart is full at #1. But I don't approve of the rest of the list
and Speedway is a 9.5, I like why don't you f, I am hated for lovning and now my heart is full slightly better but I will still vote 10

 

[nugz]

this is my favorite moz solo song everrrrr.

i wish he would start playing this live. the line about "in my own sick way I've always been true to you" reminds me of someone in a kinda twisted, messed up relationship that never should be/never should have been, but you know that person will always have a special place in your heart, whether they deserve it or not. of course Morrissey could have meant something completely different, but thats the beauty of songs like this, you can make them to mean whatever you want, depending on what youre going through in your life at the time. that being said this is a big fat

10!!!

 

[lightupvirginmary]

This is my favourite morrissey song ever. The first time I heard it I had to hang onto something, it blew me away so much.
When he played it at brixton academy, I just thought 'this is the best moment of my life.'
And I always have to turn it up.

 

[sore_lips]

when i first heard the song, i literally almost fell out of bed.. i was blown away! it´s my favourite Morrissey song, especially in the live version from Ithe I Just Want To See The Boy Happy single.. i prefer that version over the album version.

but yes, without further thinking: a definite TEN!

 

[TuQui]

a perfect 10!!

 

[Corrissey]

PERFECT 10!!!

I like to listen to the 'song of the day' before I vote (get in the mood) and well, I listened to Vauxhall 4 times today

I love the chainsaw/guitar part at the opening and the drumming towards/at the end. His voice sounds simply devine and the lyrics are perfection. A quintessential Morrissey song -it could convert any non-believer.

Moz, we will always stay true to you. What a great name for a website I love his voice at the part (...because there's nothing left to break...) Anymore <--that word *UGH faints*

 

[SNS22]

Anyone else wonder why this wasn't a single?

Definitely the best Album Track he's ever recorded....

 

[meat_is_murder19]

All of the rumours
keeping me grounded
I never said that they were
completely unfounded
love that lyric top song

 

[Please]

Ok if this isn't a ten then i don't know what is

 

[Please]

Anyone else wonder why this wasn't a single?

Definitely the best Album Track he's ever recorded....

I often wonder this about many of his songs, but it makes the albums more enjoyable

 

[applebuttaz]

when i herd it live on introducing morrissey i was blown away i was like this isnt what i here on vauxhall and i but i love them either wa this is a 10 without a doubt.

 

[celibate]

a 10

This is Morrissey best song, and the best song Boz wrote

it was suposed to be his swansong, cause at the time they recorded it
in the studio, Morrissey thought it would be his last album.
Having just lost 3 of his closest and infuential friends [ Nigel Thomas,Tim Broad and Arsenal producer Mick Ronson] Morrissey was at one if his
dephts in his life, and it showed on Vauxhall.

this song must become nmr 1

best lines are the last parts of the lyrics
I could've mentioned your name
I could've dragged you in
guilt by implication
by assocation
I always stay true to you
in my own sick/strange way
I always stay true to you


ps the lyrics straight from tha head, just being awake, I know asocation is
written wrong

 

[Helios]

A 9, would've been 10 if not for the incredibly annoying speedway sound.

Houdini, please stop listing the results - or at least put a massive spoiler when you're going to show them. It's MUCH more fun to not know the results until the end.

 

[Well I Wonder]

8/10. I'm a fan. Great song.​