ALBUM REACTION: The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come

[@AlexHaitz]

More THE SMITHS Reactions: The Queen is Dead: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZukoZ9_obKdlZI Self-Titled: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3S4pWWEf86kgsk Hatful of Hollow: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5itc5-pgcd9lck Meat is Murder: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4nLoJyId8mMqNU

[@blackbird5787]

The little girl singing Cemetry Gates was beautiful!😙

[@StevenEspaniola]

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me is the best song of all time!!

[@KenDoLL666]

This album takes time but as a massive Smith's fan, It grew and grew on me . I now put it right behind queen is dead as their best work!!

[@TheVolshebny]

100%. Up until a few months ago, I only had a few songs on this album that i truly liked and now, i can't stop listening! It's an album that slowly unravels over time and you realise really good details that makes the whole song and even album different. My album order in terms of best to worst used to be The Queen is dead, Smiths, Meat Is Murder, Strangeways. Now it's got to be The Queen Is Dead, Strangeways, Smiths, Meat Is Murder!

[@MultiSUPERLATIVO]

They are so mature in this album. The music comes easily. Much, much relaxed than the tension in The Queen Is Dead. Many people say this album is The Smiths last laugh. I agree.

[@josephhertzberg2734]

Agree, it's almost perfect

[@carlosrecuerdaruiz2948]

Best Stephen Street work !

[@motelghost477]

"I won't share You", perhaps the most telling song ever put on any album.

[@DecidedlyIndecisive09]

In my opinion, "Paint a Vulgar Picture" is the most underrated song in the Smiths discography, and maybe of all time. Every note and lyric is in the right place, but it's one you have to identify with to fully appreciate.

[@emanuelbarreto5315]

That song it's a whole experience. Underrated af

[@SantyPLAY_]

Tienes razón. Es de mis canciones favoritas de la banda

[@zuzannamazurek8630]

100% agree. It's a masterpiece

[@mctrashpedal]

"Down to the knees" Jesus. So good

[@dianablock1130]

I love this album...A Rush and a Push is my favorite track on this.

[@KenDoLL666]

That's the coolest thing I've seen lately , she definitely has an old soul. So so cute!!

[@MrTumshie]

I listened to this album for the first time in years last week, when I knew you'd be listening to it. I'd forgotten how much I love it but your reaction to it also reminded me that I wasn't too sure about it when it first came out. Hopefully it'll grow on you as much as it did on me. I know exactly what you mean about pride in your daughter's musical taste. I'd always been proud that my now adult daughter liked the stuff she grew up hearing me play and was all the prouder when she was around 20 and asked me to copy all my 60's Jamaican ska albums for her. It took me a while as much of it was only on vinyl at the time but I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face the whole time. Your wee lassie is adorable by the way.

[@danielkirkby4182]

Great review . My kids used to sing panic all the time , hang the dj hang the dj. My wife went nuts haha. She said she would leave me if they went to school singing it

[@benjaminstewart1617]

Daniel Kirkby wtf that’s not exactly a valid reason to leave someone 😂😂

[@misterkite]

The ending of Death of a Disco Dancer always reminded me of the later beatles..

[@dianablock1130]

Your daughter is so adorable!! Keats and Yeats are on her side!

[@AlexHaitz]

But she loses because Wilde is on mine.

[@dianablock1130]

@@AlexHaitz haa haa! excellent response!

[@timeless4772]

@@AlexHaitz hahah great 👍🏻

[@justaguy1451]

"Stop me if you think you've heard..." and "I won't share you" are the two stand out tracks on this album for me. The rest varies between ok and good in my opinion.

[@gregorykrug8034]

I have two boys (nine and seven) who are very familiar with The Smiths. My nine-year-old's three favorite groups (as of today) are Rush, Zeppelin and The Police.

[@alessandroscuderi7300]

Strangeways was probably my least favorite Smiths album originally, but over time i got accustomed to that sound and its probably my 2nd favorite after Queen is Dead.

[@TiltonRD]

I won’t share you was morrissey singing to marr as the band was over by then. Well I wonder and the joke isn’t funny anymore are my stand out tracks on the album (meat is murder) but then again I’ve been a massive fan of the smiths since the 80s and can listen to all their songs probably part from golden lights. Anyway thanks for reviewing the smiths albums 👍🏻 if you never do warm to them at least we know they may have a new fan in your daughter lol

[@manosduras1]

SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES!!!!!!!!

[@antonioeisadora]

Next step: MORRISSEY - VIVA HATE!

[@ronpotts6385]

Death At One's Elbow is about Joe Orton, a gay British playright who was killed with a hammer by an ex. The 1987 film "Prick Up Your Ears" told his story.

[@chordorchard7213]

His partner, Kenneth Halliwell. Wasn't an ex. They lived together. Tempestuous and fairly grim relationship by the end but still together....

[@jacksprat4578]

I know quite a few people think Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me is overproduced (a bit like Phil Spector's version of The Long and Winding Road perhaps), but I like it the way it is. I'm a bit surprised you find Unhappy Birthday to be gimmicky. Although it's not exactly one of my favourites, I always thought the words and the music went together really well in that song. I'm not surprised you don't have anything to say about Death At One's Elbow lol. I don't think anyone likes that one much. But even so, these days I find it a bit easier on the ears than some of the early songs that I used to love.

[@mradriankool]

Johnny Marr on death of a disco dancer, just keeps ratcheting up up and up, its a long song, but so worth further listens

[@hisalexness8478]

I think that ‘A rush and a push and the land is ours’ was a mantra from the IRA terrorist group in Ireland. So clearly this has some significance for Morrissey who is 2nd generation Irish.

[@timebandito4278]

OMG your daughter is adorable!!! I was actually gonna suggest the album Flood by "They Might Be Giants," and seeing your daughter, I can guarantee she will LOVE that one! TMBG actually made a couple of kids albums -- very educational. "Flood" is an extremely influential, brilliant work.

[@AlexHaitz]

I’ve actually heard it, and my daughter has Birdhouse In Your Soul on her (my old) phone!

[@timebandito4278]

@@AlexHaitz HAHA That's awesome. Very kid friendly band. If you're intrigued you should give "John Henry" a listen. Has a much darker feel and more complex compositions and musicianship -- but still very quirky. It's in my top 10 of all time

[@garyjohnson9459]

A trip through the Pixies albums in sequence would be nice // I drop songs on my daughters soptify playlist all the time when I catch her singing one of my induced songs it’s cool.

[@CreAnt.]

The hurting first album by tears for fears

[@lucax8934]

Maybe you could react to some Morrissey solo stuff next? I think he's quite great

[@jacksprat4578]

I thought Morrissey's first two solo singles (Suedehead and Everyday is like Sunday) were as good as anything he did with The Smiths, but I personally haven't listened to any of the albums he released beyond 1995. The Cocteau Twins is a good choice for a first reaction video. Very ethereal. The singer has a great voice, but the lyrics are incomprehensible, which some (including me) might say is no bad thing. If you find you like them, you might also like a band called Slowdive, although they are a bit more melancholy. Anyway, I'm interested to see what you make of Louder Than Bombs / The World Won't Listen. By the way, if anyone would like to hear the best song The Smiths never recorded, I think I found it last week: Pennies Found by The Holiday Crowd!

[@howiseeit5326]

You're missing out on you are the quarry then.

[@29memyselfandi]

His new one “I am not a dog on a chain” is genuinely superb. His best solo record.

[@itskyb]

I just discovered your channel today. I love your reactions to the albums of my youth. May I suggest doing reviews of The The and Lush?

[@theboywithathorninhisside.4179]

At the end of the Day.. forget about their Studio Albums. Live SMITHS/MORRISSEY. In Concert is actually what they were all about . And you mentioned the brake up, some say is was a possibility of a Cilla Black cover Marr refused. But that's obviously 'Auther Johnny Rogan' gossip.

[@chrisknowlton9460]

I always saw this album used in stores and I didn't like Girlfriend in a coma so I assumed it sucked. Finally got it for $5 and it was surprisingly good!

[@thoru4367]

Utterly agree with you on Last Night that it's overblown a bit i think it could be better if they arranged it with acoustic guitar instead

[@davidjb-750]

Most adorable thing. “Mummy, what’s a dizzy whore?” 😊

[@lukelafferty1553]

Strange ways was my favorite smiths album for a long time but the queen is dead is the greatest

[@mattjohn4731]

Omg that kid video is adorable. Music is the best companion

[@dontfeedthemilkshake]

Love the reaction to GF in a coma. It seems a lot of people miss the sense of comedy and northern humor Morrissey threw around in their discography. Definitely one of their "funnier" songs.

[@anapaulacameron2438]

There's a music teacher on KZbin that claims that exposing children of up to 4 years old to complex music -classic or jazz for instance - can make them pitch perfect. The guy's son, Dylan, is already pitch perfect. Check it out, I missed the bond with my daughter but I'd have given it a go.

[@doiminiclynch5208]

Loved all the smiths videos. Maybe do some more recent belle and sebastian albums (write about love or girls in peacetime) i think youd like them. Cant wait for cocteau twins!!

[@AlexHaitz]

I’ve heard Cat with the Cream off of Girls in Peacetime, and I dug it pretty hard.

[@thatstrangeguy159]

Definitely listen to The Stone Roses and then Oasis, leads on perfectly.

[@AlexHaitz]

I will be doing Stone Roses, but I’ve already listened to Oasis’ first two albums.

[@thatstrangeguy159]

@@AlexHaitz Ah cool, it'll be interesting to see what you think of them. Their debut is incredible but the follow up Second Coming was a huge disappointment, though still a few good songs on there (Love Spreads, Tightrope and Good Times are my favourites).

[@MultiSUPERLATIVO]

Alex, there were so many hard things happening during the recording of this album. The guitar hero Johnny Marr was contributing with other bands, which created a huge problem with singer Morrissey. They were under pressure to quit Rough Trade and sign with the giant record lable EMI. Lots of things going on. The BBC launched this documentary telling a lot about those days, there are interviews with the musicians, producer. Audio only. Very revealing. Swansong, Strangeways Here We Come, the final album by The Smiths: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b01ntfvn

[@ogirdor7142]

Respectfully this guy seems to be kind of bored.

[@pyro380]

There´s something inexplicably funny about seeing you having no emotional reaction to Morissey´s crazy lyrics. Great analysis though!

[@AlexHaitz]

I swear, every first listen of Smiths songs was like a shock to my system in the moment. But now with repeated listens and time, they hold a special place in my life. Great music!

[@pyro380]

@@AlexHaitz That's great man. I followed your journey through the albums and was quite surprised that you found it off-putting to listen to Morrissey. But I guess he grew on you.

[@DamonAlbarn21]

React to Blur discography!

[@paulkristovic]

Morrissey & Johnny Marr have stated that Strangeways is the best Smiths album. I don't think so. There's a lot of experimentation on there and some really lovely moments but there's also a weariness that falls over almost every song. ...that harmonica on the fade out of I Wont Share You makes me feel that it's Johnny Marr saying goodbye to us all.

[@MetalGearyaTV]

Try a couple of Morrissey albums. "Vauxhall and I" is arguably his best work. Great musicians, great production, light and catchy music.

[@Wilantonjakov]

I love Twin Peaks :)

[@mattjohn4731]

I think Unhappy Birthday is excellent. Almost up there with my top Smiths song, the Headmaster Ritual. So is Paint A Vulgar Picture. Also the Disco Dancer song is about AIDS patients. Which makes it much heavier.

[@jbaker6811]

Analytically correct. Maybe have a beer then listen again. When you play "Last Night" on the guitar, you appreciate the melodic structure more but then thats true of a lot of music.

[@desertfenton]

You also need to dive into Moz solo stuff- Jack The Ripper might be the best thing ever ...

[@ms8742]

Morrissey and Marr both said this was their favorite album. It's my least favorite. To me "Paint a Vulgar picture" is the best song on it. Also, if your daughter likes Alvvays, you should listen to the band Ivy (Rest in Peace Adam Schlesinger) One of the best bands of the 90's that never got the attention they should. Check out Apartment Life or Long Distance or In the Clear...all great albums. Criminally ignored.

[@Grithron2]

NEW COMMENT: If Alex has a problem with Smiths track titles - I've got two words to say to that: Anthony Braxton?!! OLD COMMENT: I remember when I Started Something... was in the charts and on Radio 1. Once past the shock of the harder-than-usual guitar tone, I detected a "1960s French pop" tinge in that song, musically... And: lyric which ambiguously could be about either an unwelcome sexual proposition or a rape - also "very mid-20thC French" n'est-ce pas! Death Of A Disco Dancer - as many outtakes and live tapes affirm, the Smiths weren't a natural "jamming band", but still this is one of the more engaging examples of them "just playing". Moz's technically-unsound piano solo is definitely a plus, not a minus. (I wish he'd dabbled in piano, or drums, in some other context - here he sounds like an inspired-amateur in the Coleman/Van Vliet tradition) Stop Me... interpretations depend on whether you think one or both of the injuries (the bicycle and the beating) were fictional, and what really happened was an infidelity, followed by drinking and a consequent self-inflicted injury. I don't hear any specific homosexual connotations in this (and yes, I know about the colloquial use of "her" !) Last Night,,, "Smiths by numbers"? Bizarre! The piano part isn't really an "introduction" - in the song's final form it feels more like the first half of a narrative which is completed when the band and their synth-strings crash in. The piano part being suggestive of uneasy dreaming, or maybe the auditory hallucinations people sometimes have when inbetween sleep and full wakefulness. (I'd be slacking if I didn't include a link to what is, so far as I know, the only inspired cover version of that song: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpy5famfnauFqdU ) Paint... - it contains, as the NME put it, "the guitar break Johnny bribed Satan to own". And what a lyric! Amusing phrases like "a child from those ugly new houses", and all the alliteration, and the Loch Lomond reference. There's the missing-verse which reveals that the dead star committed suicide (and that his body wasn't found for ages: shades of Jobriath) Da1E - Moz is using gender-neutral character names again (Glenn as in Miller, or Glenn as in Close?) A variant lyric in an outtake suggested one of the protagonists was going to be female, but Moz decided at a later stage to make it more resonant with Orton/Halliwell (hence the title, and the choice of weaponry in the murder-suicide)*. Moz obviously likes the song, but Johnny went off it for a while (claiming in one interview to have forgotten it, then listening to it and saying "oh god, did we really write that?") I Wont Share You - it took until Tony Fletcher's book for any critic to support my own intepretation, i.e: that instead of being a sexual jealousy song, it was Moz wondering aloud if he needed to end his partnership with Marr ("I won't share you WITH...the drive and ambition and the zeal I feel"). No wonder Moz (or "somebody" as Marr would say) was so eager to get a second opinion on the lyric during the recording. The b-side I Keep Mine Hidden - short and simple as it is, Mike Joyce may be right that it's Moz talking about his self-repression and struggle with communication, blaming it in part on his then-current medication regime. Marr has speculated that had the Smiths stayed together their next musical step would either have been more (understated) synths or more acoustics and orchestration. But he's clear that dance-rock-fusion wasn't on the agenda (Rogan please note!) [* OK, now let's be frivolous re the Orton/Halliwell connection. The posthumous play based on Orton's diaries was called Prick Up Your Ears whose title is a visual double-entendre ("ears" = an anagram?). So, when the song says, strangely, "take a hatchet to your ear", should the last word be plural? Or is this overactive imagination stuff, like the critic who read "innuendo" into the "left behind, behind. behind..."?!)

[@davemahony6300]

Do the stone roses debut! Then anything by Oasis :D

[@TheDarkCow11]

12:54 my reaction to hearing that first chord live at the Johnny Marr concert

[@PM.68]

Final bouquet album

[@gimu.gilmarmonte]

I love that album (I was a teenager and the smiths changed everthing for me... ) but I don't like its production at all. previous albums sound better. and the band's worst song is on it: death at one's elbow. well, it was the band moving on and trying different things and elements and this is always great, innit? cheers!

[@larsonme1]

Ummm nooo. Death at one's Elbow is right in line with other compositions. Think- the intro to These Things Take Time... Shakespeare's Sister.. My God man.

[@rrobmad]

The smiths 👌🏼

[@Tbevie50]

Please do Vauxhall & I by Morrissey next. It’s his best solo album.

[@motelghost477]

Vauxhall & I (Morrissey's best solo album) is better than Strangeways.

[@mrCM98]

Morrissey's second solo album Bona Drag, is a lot better than his first I highly recommend it

[@SiLatics56]

mrCM98 His second album is Kill Uncle, which was a bit pants.

[@larsonme1]

Just halfway through and it's occurring to me this guy is not really a fan of the group. This much is obvious. So why do this???

[@Scarescrow72]

Don’t make any suggestions about Moz you don’t know anything

[@larsonme1]

Can't believe I'm watching all of this drivel. He doesn't even LIKE the band. Period.

[@luth7050]

aww n_n

[@stevemoppett2759]

Basically: Morrissey ruined some pretty great melodies with his self-indulgent shite. The musicianship of the band stands the test of time. Morrissey doesn't.