1. They didn't follow the whole synth-pop formula, nor did they follow the fashion of following mullets...
2. Their sound was refreshingly old world. As one commentator said they did not use the traditional blues inflection, hence their sound was distinctly 'English.'
3. Morrissey's incisive lyrics, and his 'anti-fashion' image.
3. They didn't show off with their album covers...

I know it's probably cliched but my favourite song is 'This Charming Man.'

For me, "Half A Person" is my favorite Smiths song.

My absolute favourite Smiths song is "There is a Light that Never Goes Out". I wonder if your personality could be determined by your favourite Smiths song?

There's definitely a possibility to that...

My three all time favorites:

"Hand in Glove"
"Half a Person"
"How Soon Is Now?"

To me the two bands that communicate the 'feeling' in Britain during the Thatcher era are The Smiths and the Sex Pistols, although The Smiths were more musically and lyrically intelligent than Johnny Rotten's boys.

My absolute favourite Smiths song is "There is a Light that Never Goes Out". I wonder if your personality could be determined by your favourite Smiths song?


Almost all the Smiths' songs were pretty glum sounding to me.

I know it's probably cliched but my favourite song is 'This Charming Man.'


That song is wonderful, indeed!

I also agree with you regarding the band.

To me the two bands that communicate the 'feeling' in Britain during the Thatcher era are The Smiths and the Sex Pistols, although The Smiths were more musically and lyrically intelligent than Johnny Rotten's boys.


That's actually what I love most about The Smiths. I guess I'm sort of becoming interested in the pre-Thatcher (late '70s) and Thatcherite periods in England just because they're so interesting socially and pop culturally. Consequently, my favourite song by The Smiths is almost certainly "The Queen Is Dead (Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty)." I f*cking love that song.

I also adore the Smiths...so expect a bit of an essay now!

It's odd when you think about the genres of music in the 80s beacuse it appears The Smiths were in a complete league of their own. It also gets to me when people say they were depressing and morbid, but they just don't get Morrissey's humour in Smith's songs (Frankly Mr Shankly, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others etc...)

I can't honestly tell you my favourite song beacuse there are probably only two that I dislike! My favourites change all the time but for now I'd say:

I Know It's Over
Hand that Rocks the Cradle
Half A Person (16 clumsy and shy...that's the story of my life...LOVE that lyric!)
Girl Afraid
This Night Has Opened My Eyes
Pretty Girls Make Graves...ok I'll stop at that for now!

I was fortunate to see Moz in concert about 4 years ago and he finished with 'There Is A Light' and It was just amazing. I think I especially love the Smiths beacuse their lyrics were so refreshing, and Marr's guitar work is just beautiful in some songs ( Back To The Old House, for example, is musically stunning).

Morrissey once said, 'Songs rule people's lives. People are just waiting for a voice, someone to say something' (The Face, 1984) and I just think that's so true, it's exactly how I feel beacuse I'm so passionate about music, especially meaningful lyrics.

If you just change the word 'books' for 'music' in 'Handsome devil' then that would be my motto, i.e. 'There's more to life than music y'know, but not much more, not much more...' ;)

It's funny that so many people love "Half a Person", myself included, and it's not even one of their best known songs. It upsets me that so many emo groups fancy themselves like the Smiths, but end up whiny and not without the tinge of wise melancholy that the Smiths have.

It's funny that so many people love "Half a Person", myself included, and it's not even one of their best known songs. It upsets me that so many emo groups fancy themselves like the Smiths, but end up whiny and not without the tinge of wise melancholy that the Smiths have.


I guess every band has got to have some influence...and I'd rather it was The Smiths and bands like that, even if it is the emo kids that are citing them out.