And here's another track that could have been a hit single:-mp3 : The Smiths - I Want The One I Can't Have
Indeed, there was a point in time when Morrissey was on stage introducing the as-yet unreleased song as a forthcoming 45. Instead, it became a stand-out track on Meat Is Murder.
Oh, let me get one thing off my chest. I'm a big fan of said album...it's just the title track that I cant listen to. Just in case I caused confusion a few weeks ago.
A crackingly upbeat tune with a painfully funny lyric, it had a title that resonated with those whose boy/girl of their dreams was always out of reach.
Oh and there's a eulogy of sorts to a teenage murderer that somehow got past the taste police....
And the tune was later sort of ripped off and turned into a huge hit single:-
mp3 : The Housemartins - Happy Hour
Finally.....if you want an example of why I don't really like how Morrissey often interprets the old songs in the solo performances:-
mp3 : Morrissey - I Want The One I Can't Have
The beauty of the original is lost in this plodding rock version while the great man delivers a vocal that borders on self-parody..... it was recorded at the Rotal Albert Hall, London in 2002 and released as a track on the b-side of I Just Want To See The Boy Happy.
Feel free to shout at me if you disagree.
6 comments:
Great song, but the part of me that loves everything that the Housemartins ever did always gets disproportionately annoyed when people point out the similarity between those two songs...
There are absolutely no similarities between Happy Hour und I Want The One ... other than the strumming of the guitar. Different key, different chord progression, different melody. The rythm section is slightly the same, but you cannot really claim that the Smiths invented this stomp!
You're right, JC. Even when it comes to his own solo songs, Morrissey is a parody of himself!
Greetings from Germany. Have a nice christmas time!
Sven
Thank you J.C.
Meat is murder is a great record. The lyrics are great and it was really courageous to release such a record for a second LP. Very ambitious and risky.
If there is one band really closer in style than Housemartins it's the Sundays.
Have you already posted "I Kicked a Boy" or "Here's where the Story ends" from the Sundays? I really love it.
ooof! The out of tune singing is driving me bonkers. This would sound so much better if they'd just let Paul Heaton sing it ;)
Maybe JC, but Happy Hour was good.
Nope, don't disagree. Every version of a Smiths song I've heard him cover since he began doing so has been dreadful. I wish he'd discontinue the practice and stick to his solo stuff if the arrangements are going to be all wrong. I was particularly offended by one of his performances of "This Charming Man" which I can now not un-hear. It was a crime against the back catalog as one of the best pop songs ever written was disemboweled live on stage.
The title track to MIM is unlistenable (the only Smiths song I'll say that about) but I love 'Happy Hour'. As always, love the blog though I often don't comment. Strongly suggest you think about cross-posting to Twitter (I know you've said in the past you don't think you have the time), but I think it'd really boost your readership. Just my two cents.
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