What's the best melody of The Smiths?

I have always loved the chord changes in "I Want the One I Can't Have." He does like four chord changes in less than a third of a measure...




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Well, there are so many.

I'll still say This Charming Man.

Still Ill is a gorgeous tune, more apparent on Rank.
 
The Draize Train

The Draize Train demanded lyrics - it was one of Marr's best ever tunes, and Moz refused to do Lyrics. It would have been an absolute f***ing belter.

Now prove me wrong.

Uncle Sk.
 
Re: The Draize Train

> The Draize Train demanded lyrics - it was one of Marr's best ever tunes,
> and Moz refused to do Lyrics. It would have been an absolute f***ing
> belter.

> Now prove me wrong.

> Uncle Sk.

OK. What if Morrissey had sung "Dagenham Dave, Dagenham Dave, oh-oh-oh, Dagenham Dave!" over and over on top of it? Would you still think it was so great then?
 
Headmaster Ritual

It's almost...... hypnotizing.

But for real, Johnny M was f***ing genius, so it's a little hard to choose.
 
Re: The Draize Train

I think that tune is better left alone, with no lyrics.
I also love 'money changes everything' which could have
done with lyrics.
 
Re: The Draize Train

> The Draize Train demanded lyrics - it was one of Marr's best ever tunes,
> and Moz refused to do Lyrics. It would have been an absolute f***ing
> belter.

> Now prove me wrong.

> Uncle Sk.

I see your point. Personally,I would rather he added lyrics to "Money Changes Everything" and " Honey,You Know Where To Find Me".
"Oscillate Wildly" really works as an instrumental.

From what I recall Morrissey really didn't rate "The Draize Train". He thought it one of Marr's few poor compositions and felt it was a bit too "funky" for his taste...
 
Re: The Draize Train

> I think that tune is better left alone, with no lyrics.
> I also love 'money changes everything' which could have
> done with lyrics.
Money Changes Everything did have lyrics put to it, but by Bryan Ferry, it was renamed The Right Stuff which got to #37 in October 87
 
Re: The Draize Train

Well I'll look for it.

But I would rather have Morrissey lyrics on it,
especially because the title he gave, is so promising.
Money certainly changes everything.

> Money Changes Everything did have lyrics put to it, but by Bryan Ferry, it
> was renamed The Right Stuff which got to #37 in October 87
 
Re: The Draize Train

The studio version is indeed poor and lacks direction,
while the live rendition as it appears on Rank is excellent.
I don't think Morrissey would have agreed for it to be played live
if he didn't like it.

> I see your point. Personally,I would rather he added lyrics to "Money
> Changes Everything" and " Honey,You Know Where To Find Me".
> "Oscillate Wildly" really works as an instrumental.

> From what I recall Morrissey really didn't rate "The Draize
> Train". He thought it one of Marr's few poor compositions and felt it
> was a bit too "funky" for his taste...
 
Re: The Wrong Stuff

Downloaded 'The Right Stuff".
God what a butchering. It deserved to be at #137.
Did he really need Marr's instrumental for this?

> Money Changes Everything did have lyrics put to it, but by Bryan Ferry, it
> was renamed The Right Stuff which got to #37 in October 87
 
> I have always loved the chord changes in "I Want the One I Can't
> Have." He does like four chord changes in less than a third of a
> measure...

they're ace.but my favourite is "Girl afraid", the way the guitar and bass blend together, a fantastic intro
 
Re: The Draize Train

> The studio version is indeed poor and lacks direction,
> while the live rendition as it appears on Rank is excellent.
> I don't think Morrissey would have agreed for it to be played live
> if he didn't like it.

I saw The Smiths play it live and as soon as it started Moz left the stage for a change of shirt.Here is an excerpt from "Songs That Saved Your Life":-

Morrissey -"I was asked to write words for it but I thought it was the weakest thing Johnny had ever done.Geoff Travis came to see me one day with a tape of it and said 'It's the best thing Johnny has written and it's a number one single if you put words to it' But I said," No Geoff,it's not right".

It was also the only one of the 3 Smiths instrumentals that was credited solely to Marr and not Morrissey/Marr which I think sums up Morrissey's feelings for the track.

It's inclusion in "Rank" is seen as a peace offering from Moz to Marr in the aftermath of the acrimonious split. Although Moz did not like the track it's inclusion on Rank with Marr as sole composer led to greater royalties for Johnny.

Personally,I like the track.
 
Re: The Draize Train

You're probably right.
Morrissey works in mysterious ways.

I think it's solely credited to Marr, because Morrissey didn't give the track its title, like with the other two.

I don't know if Morrissey didn't leave the stage when they played the other instrumentals though.

Again the studio version is weak, but the live version is terrific.
I personally cannot see why Morrissey would think its one of Marr's weakest
compositions. Maybe it's because of the personal tensions between them.
We don't know how it first sounded either.

> I saw The Smiths play it live and as soon as it started Moz left the stage
> for a change of shirt.Here is an excerpt from "Songs That Saved Your
> Life":-

> Morrissey -"I was asked to write words for it but I thought it was
> the weakest thing Johnny had ever done.Geoff Travis came to see me one day
> with a tape of it and said 'It's the best thing Johnny has written and
> it's a number one single if you put words to it' But I said," No
> Geoff,it's not right".

> It was also the only one of the 3 Smiths instrumentals that was credited
> solely to Marr and not Morrissey/Marr which I think sums up Morrissey's
> feelings for the track.

> It's inclusion in "Rank" is seen as a peace offering from Moz to
> Marr in the aftermath of the acrimonious split. Although Moz did not like
> the track it's inclusion on Rank with Marr as sole composer led to greater
> royalties for Johnny.

> Personally,I like the track.
 
Re: The Really Wrong Stuff

Listening again to 'The Right Stuff'.
Morrissey, as Simon Goddard said it, is brilliant in that
he doesn't necessarily put the chorus in its traditional
place, or where you would expect it to be.
Bryan Ferry has put the chorus over the best part
of the instrumental.

And what is it with the right stuff?
He should have used the title Morrissey gave it,
which is more interesting as a theme for a song.

> Downloaded 'The Right Stuff".
> God what a butchering. It deserved to be at #137.
> Did he really need Marr's instrumental for this?
 
Re: Headmaster Ritual

THERE'S A LIGHT playing at Brixton ACADEMY 1986

Marr played this song like noone, his fingers "fly" on the guitar!!
 
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