Or alternatively......how your humble scribe greedily grabbed the bait.I rarely do posts on Saturdays, but I'm all over the place this weekend with Mrs Villain being away with a crowd of her friends, leaving me home alone to suffer the agonies of the 2008 Ryder Cup (looks as if the Yanks are going to get a victory if Day 1 is anything to go by).
But a comment left behind by the handsome and talented ctelblog, author of the fantastic and educational Acid Ted blogspot, has to be taken head on.....
M'lud, Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury....young ctel has asked for evidence of great b-sides by the The Smiths. Let me delve into the cupboard, pull out all the 7" and 12" singles by the band that sit on the shelves, and allow me to read to you the full list of original Morrissey/Marr compositions that first appeared as b-sides in the order that they emerged:-
Handsome Devil
Accept Yourself
Jeane
Wonderful Woman
Back To the Old House
These Things Take Time
Girl Afraid
How Soon Is Now?
Please, Please, Please.....
Oscillate Wildly
Stretch Out And Wait
Rubber Ring
Asleep
Money Changes Everything
Unloveable
The Draize Train
Is It Really So Strange?
Sweet And Tender Hooligan
London
Half A Person
I Keep Mine Hidden
I wont argue that they're all classics, but there's at least a dozen of the above list that gain huge votes in lists of best Smiths songs of all time.
I call upon the following witnesses to collaborate the evidence.
Oh and most of the list can be found on this handy compilation
mp3 : The Smiths - Girl Afraid
mp3 : The Smiths - Stretch Out And Wait
Oh and as a special treat, here's something Johnny Marr has described as "a spectacular combination" that can only be found on the flip side of an original 12" single, as the two tracks have been separated on all subsequent compilations.
mp3 : The Smiths - Rubber Ring/Asleep (via sharebee)
Happy Listening.
6 comments:
excellent stuff, sir!
Mind you, what surprised me this morning going through the 7"s was how many of their b-sides were album tracks. This might get me shot by some folks but I reckon the Smiths were an even better singles band than The Jam. have even liked some of Weller's solo stuff. Not all of it, mind you, but there have been some good bits over the last decade and a half or so...
Well noted, that's quite a list. Let us not forget that the massive "How Soon is Now?" entered this world as a B-side (somewhat inexplicably); the A was "William It Was Really Nothing." Of course HSIN quickly found itself on an A-side too.
Hey JC,
I usually spend my time listening to the Fall at volume when the other half is away, it's the only time I don't hear "not that pish again".
As for Smiths b-sides, not being the biggest Smiths fan in the world to paraphrase a comment of your's on another blog, "maybe enough good tracks to make a half decent ep."
Drew
Dearest JC: You're right, all the naysayers are wrong.
The end.
Indeedy! and thanks for the track, as always xoxoxo
ctel, what ya gonna ask for next!?? Don't stop now, lad.
My comment was not a wind up. It was genuine. I bought the Smiths albums but not the singles. Am grateful for you doing this list. About half of these look good. Still doesn't quite seem to hit the heights of consistency of the Jam or Oasis.
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