Strangeways

Website · by **elko** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 10:41 pm

Ok, about time for this I think. Common opinion is that this is the masterpiece, but what do you think?

So...

Your favourite track:

Your worst track:

Best lyric:

Song/lyric/line you relate to most/has relevance to you:

Overall opinion of album, how it compares to others, etc.:

Feel free to add any other comments and that.

by **Mr-Shankly** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 7:44 pm

Your favourite track: Cemetery Gates

Your worst track: Never Had No One Ever

Best lyric: ' With loves and hates, and passions just like mine, they were born and then they lived and then they died, seems so unfair, i want to cry

Song/lyric/line you relate to most/has relevance to you: As the pub that wrecks your body, and the church, all they want is your money.

Overall opinion of album, how it compares to others, etc.: I've only heard this and Meat is Murder. But to me I could never get bored of listening to this album.

Website · by **girl_afraid** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 3:01 pm

Hehe, I've been waiting for this one for ages!

Your favourite track: God, this is such a hard question... Either the title track (the only drum solo I can ever mime along to... is air-drum a phrase?), I Know It's Over, or There Is A Light. But then again, Cemetry Gates has always been a real favourite of mine and although I thought Some Girls... was overly flippant at first, it seems to embody The Smiths: beautiful, complex but effortless melody, funny lyrics with a nice little political jibe in ("From the ice age to the dole-age"), the ability to surprise (the fade-in/-out intro) and real solid support from Andy and Mike.

Your worst track: Hm... possibly Bigmouth, just because I've heard it too many times really, although I do love the imagery in the lyrics, and the fact that you really have to have background knowledge about The Smiths to get the most out of the song (hearing aid reference etc.). I love in-jokes

I really don't like picking a least favourite out of this album though - the whole thing seems so well-crafted and it is the best album ever as far as I'm concerned.

Best lyric: "In a darkened underpass, I thought Oh God, my chance has come at last, but then a strange fear gripped me and I just couldn't ask". I love that line, it just totally sums up life in general - all the missed opportunities and wasted dreams that happened because you were too scared to ask. It has a really lovely rhythm to it as well.

Song/lyric/line you relate to most/has relevance to you: "I know it's over, still I cling, I don't know where else I can go", and I Know It's Over in general. To me, this song is what breaking up is about, that kind of horrible stage right near the end where you know it's over, but you stay together because however painful it is, it seems easier than starting all over again.

Overall opinion of album, how it compares to others, etc.: My favourite Smiths album and therefore my favourite album ever. The first one I bought, and the first Smiths tracks I heard came off this one too, so it has loads of memories for me... I just think it's perfect really, it is The Smiths at their peak - Strangeways may have some of the best Morrissey/Marr songs, but it sounds disjointed somehow, and this album is just so damn good!

Website · by **elko** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 5:26 pm

Hmm, nice choices there, you're not the only one who 'air-drums'

I know this is going to be tough.

Your favourite track: Ok..I've narrowed it down to 10 tracks. Seriously, every song is just fantastic, and gives a different reason why The Smiths are so great. The Queen Is Dead is just the best rock song ever, and There Is A Light is the best pop song. Those two are probably my favourites, but Cemetry Gates just makes me feel fantastic every time I hear it.

Your worst track: None! The only two tracks that are of a slightly lowere quality than the others I would say are Frankly Mr. Shankly and Never Had No-one Ever. Frankly Mr Shankly is a great song, but after The Queen Is Dead it just feels a bit weak to me, and Never Had No-one Ever just doesn't really take off, if you know what I mean.

Best lyric: The Queen Is Dead. Manages to be very personal while talking about a broad subject.

Song/lyric/line you relate to most/has relevance to you: Oh, I don't really know. Obviously some have no relevance to me (Cemetry Gates, Some Girls...), but Frankly Mr. Shankly just always makes me remember how much I hate people who think they're articulate because they can write in paragraphs, or whatever.

Overall opinion of album, how it compares to others, etc.: The most solid and consistent album, and therefore the best. The one I would recommend to any newcomer, and the one that still holds the attention are so many plays.

by **Pashernate_Lover** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 6:41 am

Wow, I wrote a beautiful reply pertaining to first love, childhood, and lots of other nice things that the Queen is Dead contains for me, I submitted it, and it disappeared. Damn. Perhaps I will try again later.

by **Mal_Adjusted** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:03 pm

Your favourite track: I Know Its Over

Your worst track:

Best lyric: too many from every song but i guess ill have to say what one has stuck in my mind most for last 16years------------------'love is natural and real but not for such as you and i MY LOVE'

Song/lyric/line you relate to most/has relevance to you: Never Had No One Ever

Overall opinion of album, how it compares to others, etc.:

best studio album ever by anyone

by **vasanum** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 10:23 pm

favorite track: "i know it's over"

worst track: "cemetry gates"

best lyric: "but sometimes i'd feel more fulfilled / making christmas cards with the mentally ill"

lyric with most relevance: "i'm alone / and i'm outside your house / i hate to intrude / oh, i'm alone / i'm alone, i'm alone, i'm alone I'M ALONE and i NEVER / had no one, ever"

opinion: great album, but i don't think i could give it the title of my favorite smiths album

Website · by **elko** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 10:43 pm

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Pashernate_Lover @ Nov 14 2004, 07:41 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Wow, I wrote a beautiful reply pertaining to first love, childhood, and lots of other nice things that the Queen is Dead contains for me, I submitted it, and it disappeared. Damn. Perhaps I will try again later.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

I hate it when that happens. One tip would be if you've written a lot to Copy it, then if for some reason it doesn't work, you can just try again.

by **Black & Gold** » Mon Nov 15, 2004 1:56 pm

Your favourite track: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Your worst track: Hm, probably the one that I don't like as much as the rest of the album is Never Had No One Ever. I once enjoyed Bigmouth Strikes Again, but due to over-hearing it I guess it doesn't sound as good anymore.

Best lyric: When it comes down to the lyrics, I love the irony and sarcasm in Frankly, Mr. Shankly. Definitely fun. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is one of my Smith's favourite lyrics.

Song/lyric/line you relate to most/has relevance to you: 'And if a double decker bus crashes into us, to die by your side would be a heavenly way to die'

Overall opinion of album, how it compares to others, etc.: It's my favourite Smiths' album, I guess that says it all about what I think of it...

Website · by **elko** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:50 pm

How great it must have been to have been there as it all happened.

Noonan, I'm sure I've asked you this before, but do you write for a living? Apologies if you already answered, but I don't remember.

by **Still Ill** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 9:43 pm

As usual I can't spit any quick thoughts out on these, so it's the monkey still on my back.

Will have to dig out some time and do this quick before the next album 'review'. elko, you ought to paste your track by track review on here. It was this album, I think.

Website · by **elko** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 9:57 pm

Here it is then...

Doesn't really say anything new about it, but I wrote it when I was pretty bored.

...oooOOO The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead OOOooo...

Side One...

1. THE QUEEN IS DEAD - An epic. Starts with a musichall sample which gives in to a brutal drumroll and then in comes the bass and guitars. Johnny Marr has since said that Rourke's bassline was one against which all others should be judged. Morrissey's lyrics are among his finest, decribing the state of the nation as he sees it from his skewed viewpoint.

2. FRANKLY MR. SHANKLY - In terms of the album's layout and it's substance, this song is something of a triviality. Morrissey plays to the off-beat light hearted feel with a witty lyric aimed at Rough Trade Records boss Geoff Travis. This is The Smiths at their most friendly and accessible, but is actually quite mediocre.

3. I KNOW IT'S OVER - "Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head...". This song is in complete contrast to Frankly Mr. Shankly, it is a powerful, emotional epic. Rourke's bass holds the beginning together, before Johnny Marr's beautifully arranged guitars swamp over the top towards the songs emotional finish. Morrissey is restrained at the start, building gradually into a crescendo of desperation.

4. NEVER HAD NO-ONE EVER - For me, maybe the weakest track on the whole album. Setting it after I Know It's Over was not a good desicion by Morrissey, and the song never really gets going.

5. CEMETRY GATES - It's mispelled title aside, the is a perfect piece of pop, yet unbelievably it was never released as a single, which just shows how much quality The Smiths had in all areas of their discography. Many people have talked about it's african 'hi-life' feel, but to me this just sounds like a beautiful guitar pop-song. I just love the main guitar riff, it always feels fresh no matter how often you hear it. Morrissey's lyrics are suited to the melody, but never say anything particularly heart-stopping, deservedly giving emphasis to Johnny Marr's guitar work.

Side two...

6. BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN - A brilliant opener for side two, a real stormer of a track that somehow maintains it's momentum throughout. Although it was not all that well received when it was first released as a single, it fits nicely with the feel of the album.

7. THE BOY WITH THE THORN IN HIS SIDE - Another track that wasn't all that well recieved as a single, many thought they were treading the same ground with this song. While this may be slightly true, it cannot be denied that in it's context here on the album it sounds absolutely glorious. Possibly the best melody of any Smiths song.

8. VICAR IN A TUTU - This song is not particularly interesting musically, but the lyrics redeem it by telling a curious story that fits the musical mood perfectly. It's one of the few Morrissey vocals that doesn't concentrate on personal relationships.

9. THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT - What can I say about this song that hasn't been said before? It's a pop masterpiece, at once both familiar and completely different. The lyrics shouldn't really fit with a song this uplifting, but somehow it just works. The reason this song is so widely accliamed is because it is seen as the best collaboration between Morrissey and Marr, but I would not say it is my favourite track (although don't ask me what is, 'cause I don't know).

10. SOME GIRLS ARE BIGGER THAN OTHERS - Of all the songs they could have put on the end of this fantastic album, The Smiths chose this one. I find this hard to understand, but it is still a fantastic song. This would have been so much more impressive if Morrissey had written anything approaching a decent lyric, as the music is actually very inventive. In contrast to There Is A Light..., all the effort that has gone into this track seems to have come almost exclusively from Johnny Marr.

In conclusion: The BEST ALBUM EVER MADE. If you don't own it, then buy it. If you do, then go listen to it! Along with all the other Smiths albums, you can hear the beauty in every note, and it just seems to demand attention, and classic status.

by **Still Ill** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 4:56 am

Two ways to view this: Good, you've summed it up nicely- that takes care of that, or Crap, how do I follow THAT?

I'll put my own spin on it when I get a chance!

Website · by **girl_afraid** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 8:27 pm

"I'll be like those monkeys who had to follow The Beatles!"

But anyway, excellent review. Sums it all up perfectly, really.

by **Still Ill** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 7:58 am

Your favourite track: Can't possibly pick. It always depends on mood, setting, etc. Boy with the thorn on his side, Cemetery Gates, Queen is Dead and of course I Know it's over are top favorites.

Your worst track: Couldn't say worst, but maybe less appealing would be Frankly, musically. I do like the lyrics though!

Best lyric: 'Cause there's always someone, somewhere with a big nose, who knows and who trips you up and laughs when you fall'. And, 'It's so easy to laugh t's so easy to hate it takes guts to be gentle and kind.'

Song/lyric/line you relate to most/has relevance to you: Take me out tonight, where there's music and there's people and they're young and alive. Lots of memories on that song alone that represents an era of Smiths at their height for me. I would never get tired of listening to this one in particular with headphones on. I love listening to every imaginable instrument being played on There is a Light. This (and Boy with a Thorn) would even lull me to an almost sleep-state. Still could.

Overall opinion of album, how it compares to others, etc.: I always wrestle with this one and Meat is Murder, which I love. It'll have to stand at #2 again for the meantime. Queen is Dead is a great rocking opener, and I love the rockabilly-ish Vicar in a Tutu (Nowhere Fast comes to mind) and unfortunately much as I love Bigmouth, it has been overplayed. Fantastic album (But I listened to Strangeways in its entirety the other day and sheesh, wondered why I didn't always rate it as highly as these two!)

Strangeways

The Queen Is Dead

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