Songs That Saved Your Life...

Once in a while, an album comes along and sounds like every track is a hit single...in a word-perfect. This was exactly what happen on a certain day in year 2000 that i strode into a music store and bought off The Smith's "The Queen Is Dead" album, after reading off Q Magazine that it was ranked number 21 in an all-time best albums poll. I have never looked back since...

The Smiths hailed from Manchester, UK and was made up of Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rouke and Mike Joyce. They released a total of 4 studio albums but it was not until 1986 that the band peaked with "The Queen Is Dead." Morrissey's clever, witty and unusual lyrics, combined with Johnny Marr's great guitar playing (Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher said in an interview before that "there is nothing he can't do on a guitar"). The Morrissey/Marr songwriting partnership has been widely regarded as the best since Lennon/McCartney.

The Queen Is Dead is a mixture of pop-rock tunes with a bagful of emotions. From the guitar-driven introduction of the title track to just plain hilarious in "Frankly Mr Shankly", the album shifts
to an emotionally charged "I Know It's Over" with Morrissey's endearing voice which have made me shed tears many times i hear it. Despair took over in "Never Had No One Ever" before the first glimpse of optimism rang in "Cemetery Gates." "Bigmouth Strikes Again" demonstrates Johnny Marr's frantic guitar playing at it's best. "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" exudes with a sense of joy and "Vicar In A Tutu" just have me laughing each time with Morrissey lyrical genius. The album closes with the Smiths anthemic love song "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" with these lyrics that only Morrissey could make sense out of it :

"And if a double-decker bus crashes into us, to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die And if a ten-ton truck kills the both of us, To die by your side well, the pleasure and privilege is mine"

Ending the album is the sombre "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others." Marr's playing on this makes it feel like a dance track the more i hear it. Brilliant. Although this album remains a fan favourite, Morrissey and Marr had disagreed, insisting that their last album "Strangeways Here We Come" is their best work.

Many fans have written about how The Smiths songs relates very much to their own life and have "saved their lives on countless occasions". This is not an over-statement as it had certainly saved mine many times over. Beyond the often gloomy setting of most Smiths songs, they somehow provide a sense of comfort knowing that you are not alone feeling how you feel. i guess this is the magic of music, they just transport you to different stages in your life. Each song is like a bookmark in a person's life.

Check out this smashing cover version of "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" by the 90s rock band Supergrass. I blast this version loudly into my head whenever i feel vexed and it always makes me feel better.

This is a good interview from Johnny Marr about this great album. A full Smiths discography and complete songs lyrics can be found here.

The Queen Is Dead, yes so be it...but The Smiths lives on forever.




Morrissey/Marr