Rank the Smiths' A-sides

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No pun intended. And yes, you did want another Smiths thread, especially one with lists. Best to stick to the 1983-87 UK singles:

Hand In Glove
This Charming Man
What Difference Does It Make?
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
William, It Was Really Nothing
How Soon Is Now?
Shakespeare's Sister
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Panic
Ask
Shoplifters of The World Unite
Sheila Take A Bow
Girlfriend In A Coma
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

Special smilie stamp for those with ~~fondest~~ memories of "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish."

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Sunday, 25 September 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

So have they put all this on a CD and sold it yet?

― Bimble The Nimble, Jumped Over A Thimble! (Bimble...), Sunday, 25 September 2005 23:03 (twenty years ago)

Yes, of course.

Having now revisited "Started Something", I'll offer:

1. William, It Was Really Nothing
2. Hand In Glove
3. This Charming Man
4. Shakespeare's Sister
5. Bigmouth Strikes Again
6. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
7. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
8. Ask
9. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
10. How Soon Is Now?
11. Panic
12. What Difference Does It Make?
13. Shoplifters of The World Unite
14. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
15. Sheila Take A Bow
16. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
17. Girlfriend In A Coma

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Sunday, 25 September 2005 23:21 (twenty years ago)

1. William, It Was Really Nothing
2. How Soon Is Now?
3. Ask
4. This Charming Man
5. Panic
6. What Difference Does It Make?
7. Hand In Glove
8. Bigmouth Strikes Again
9. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
10. Girlfriend In A Coma
11. Sheila Take A Bow
12. Shoplifters of The World Unite
13. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
14. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
15. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
16. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
17. Shakespeare's Sister

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:16 (twenty years ago)

1. What Difference Does It Make?
2. Bigmouth Strikes Again
3. William, It Was Really Nothing
4. Girlfriend In A Coma
5. How Soon Is Now?
6. Hand In Glove
7. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
8. Shakespeare's Sister
9. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
10. Sheila Take A Bow
11. This Charming Man
12. Ask
13. Panic
14. Shoplifters of The World Unite
15. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
16. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
17. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:22 (twenty years ago)

on balance, doing this is better than doing work. you can't really blame the record company for bolting 'There Is A Light...' onto the Singles comp. doing this does remind you how mental it is that that wasn't a single at the time.

1. How Soon Is Now?
2. Sheila Take A Bow
3. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
4. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
5. Hand In Glove
6. What Difference Does It Make?
7. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
8. Shoplifters of The World Unite
9. Shakespeare's Sister
10. This Charming Man
11. Panic
12. William, It Was Really Nothing
13. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
14. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
15. Girlfriend In A Coma
16. Bigmouth Strikes Again
17. Ask

― Lee F# (fsharp), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:28 (twenty years ago)

This Charming Man
William, It Was Really Nothing
Ask
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Panic
Shoplifters of The World Unite
Hand In Glove
Girlfriend In A Coma
What Difference Does It Make?
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
Sheila Take A Bow
Shakespeare's Sister
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
How Soon Is Now?

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:35 (twenty years ago)

Heh, when making the list I thought *I* ranked "William..." highly! Good to see the luv for it.

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:37 (twenty years ago)

1 What Difference Does It Make?
2 How Soon Is Now?
3 Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
4 Sheila Take A Bow
5 This Charming Man
6 William, It Was Really Nothing
7 Bigmouth Strikes Again
8 Hand In Glove
9 Panic
10 Girlfriend In A Coma
11 I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
12 Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
13 That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
14 The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
15 Shakespeare's Sister
16 Ask
17 Shoplifters of The World Unite

― Bence Inkei (zeus), Monday, 26 September 2005 09:25 (twenty years ago)

The problem with the "Singles" compilation CD is that they decided to use the album versions of both "Hand in glove" and "The boy with the thorn in his side", making it not really a singles compilation. Seeing as the proper single versions would have appeared already on "Hatful of hollow" and "The world won't listen", this was pure lazily on the part of Warners. I don't so much mind the album version of "Hand in glove", at least it kicks off with a punch rather than fades in, but the album version of "Thorn" is HORRIBLE.

Or am I just being petty?

― Rob M (Rob M), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:57 (twenty years ago)

What Difference Does It Make? is my favorite, I'm not going to bother ranking the others.

― simian (dymaxia), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

we're not counting "There is a Light"? Wasn't it a '92 single or something?

Well whatever.

17. The Boy with the Thorn In His Side
16. Shoplifters of the World Unite
15. What Difference Does it Make?
14. Hand in Glove
13. Shakespear's Sister
12. Girlfriend in a Coma
11. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
10. Panic
9. Bigmouth Strikes Again
8. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
7. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
6. Sheila Take a Bow
5. This Charming Man
4. William, it Was Really Nothing
3. Ask
2. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

CONSIDERABLE FUCKING DISTANCE

1. How Soon is Now?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

haha i was going to put that song last by a considerable difference but i felt that was belabouring the point

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

my list is very similar to Lee F sharp's. im surprised to see all the love for "william..." which i think is pretty awful.

1. How Soon Is Now?

CONSIDERABLE FUCKING DISTANCE

2. Sheila Take A Bow
3. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
4. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
5. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
6. What Difference Does It Make?
7. Panic
8. This Charming Man
9. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
10. Bigmouth Strikes Again
11. Ask
12. Shoplifters of The World Unite
13. Shakespeare's Sister
14. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
15. William, It Was Really Nothing
16. Hand In Glove
17. Girlfriend In A Coma

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 26 September 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

What happened to "Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before"?

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Monday, 26 September 2005 12:30 (twenty years ago)

1. Sheila Take A Bow
2. William, It Was Really Nothing
3. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
4. Panic
5. Ask

...then the rest

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 26 September 2005 13:05 (twenty years ago)

xpost

"Stop Me..." was slated for release in the UK as the lead single for Strangeways, but was withdrawn because of the Hungerford Massacre and the Shy Bald Buddhist lyric. it was replaced by the much inferior 'I Started Something...'. i may well be wrong, but i'm not even sure that it was ever released as a single in the UK.

'Barabarism Begins At Home' was released as a single in '88, and 'There is a Light...' was one of two singles released in support of the WB Best Ofs in '92, along with a re-release of 'How Soon Is Now?'. i wouldn't be surprised if other songs were released as singles here, but i missed them if they did. i notice that there's a copy of the 'Barbarism...' CD single going for $120 on e-bay. now, if that was in proper money, i might be forced to part with mine.

― Lee F# (fsharp), Monday, 26 September 2005 13:07 (twenty years ago)

So "Half a Person" wasn't an A-side? Because that's possibly my favorite Smiths song ever.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 26 September 2005 13:13 (twenty years ago)

I think "Stop Me..." was a single in the US; at the very least there was a video that got a decent amount of play on alternative video shows. Although now that I think about it, there was also a video for "The Queen Is Dead" that I saw multiple times so maybe that means nothing.

Regardless, "Girlfriend..." is way way way at the bottom of the pile.

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Monday, 26 September 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

was the video for 'Stop Me...' the one with Moz and the gang of lookalikes cycling around Salford? i think the video was made post-split to promote 'I Started Something...' and then has had any number of Smiths songs slapped against it. Derek Jarman did a short film based on Smiths songs called The Queen Is Dead - the part of that featuring the song itself is possibly what you've seen.

'Half A Person' was on the flip of the 'Shoplifters...' 7" and 12".

― Lee F# (fsharp), Monday, 26 September 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

was the video for 'Stop Me...' the one with Moz and the gang of lookalikes cycling around Salford?

THAT WAS IT. Okay, that makes a lot more sense now.

Did the Jarman film feature a lot of shaking camera work running in and out of doors?

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Monday, 26 September 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

sounds about right. i think there's a kid who spray paints the song name on a wall, too, or something like that. it's been a while.

― Lee F# (fsharp), Monday, 26 September 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

ftr, "There is a Light" would cut the considerably fucking difference between "How Soon is Now" and "Last Night" by about half.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 26 September 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

This Charming Man
What Difference Does It Make?
How Soon Is Now?
Hand In Glove
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
William, It Was Really Nothing
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Ask
Sheila Take A Bow
Girlfriend In A Coma
Panic
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
Shoplifters of The World Unite
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
Shakespeare's Sister

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 26 September 2005 17:24 (twenty years ago)

What Difference Does It Make?
How Soon Is Now?
Shoplifters of The World Unite
Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Shakespeare's Sister
Sheila Take A Bow
Ask
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
William, It Was Really Nothing
Panic
Hand In Glove
This Charming Man
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

(several light-years worth of quality and goodness)

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

(several more light-years worth of quality and goodness)

Girlfriend In A Coma

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Monday, 26 September 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

Only the final two are dud-ish. I'm surprised at all the hate for "GF in a Coma". There's a really good thread about its lyrics too.

1. Hand In Glove
2. How Soon Is Now?
3. What Difference Does It Make?
4. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
5. Bigmouth Strikes Again
6. Panic
7. This Charming Man
8. Girlfriend In A Coma
9. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
10. Ask
11. Shoplifters of The World Unite
12. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
13. Shakespeare's Sister
14. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
15. William, It Was Really Nothing
16. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
17. Sheila Take A Bow

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Monday, 26 September 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

reporting my sister's (14 years of age) top 9 here.. (after a lot of thinking)
9. Panic
8.William, It Was Really Nothing
7.Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
6.How Soon Is Now?
5.Girlfriend In A Coma
4.Bigmouth Strikes Again
3.This Charming Man
2.The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
1.Ask

― Ludo (Ludo), Monday, 26 September 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

Not counting B-sides toward each single's total. Sign me up among the "Shakespeare's Sister"-haters...

The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Ask
What Difference Does It Make?
This Charming Man
How Soon Is Now?
William, It Was Really Nothing
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
Hand In Glove
Panic
Girlfriend In A Coma
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
Shoplifters of The World Unite
Sheila Take A Bow
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Shakespeare's Sister

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 26 September 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

Ha!

01 How Soon Is Now?
02 This Charming Man
03 William, It Was Really Nothing
04 Shakespeare's Sister
05 What Difference Does It Make?
06 Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
07 The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
08 Shoplifters of The World Unite
09 Hand In Glove
10 That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
11 Panic
12 Sheila Take A Bow
13 Bigmouth Strikes Again
14 Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
15 I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
16 Ask
17 Girlfriend In A Coma

― Kent Burt (lingereffect), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't "Reel Around the Fountain" a single? "Half a Person"? I haven't listened to the band in ages so going by which hooks stand out most in my head now:

How Soon Is Now?
William, It Was Really Nothing
This Charming Man
Shoplifters of The World Unite
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Ask
Hand In Glove
Sheila Take A Bow
Panic
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
What Difference Does It Make? (docked points for the falsetto)
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
Shakespeare's Sister
Girlfriend In A Coma
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 01:11 (twenty years ago)

Actually put "Bigmouth" below "The Boy With the Thorn In His Side". The lyrics kind of creep me out.

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 01:12 (twenty years ago)

The creepy lyrics are what make "Bigmouth" so awesome!

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 01:27 (twenty years ago)

Scores so far:

1. How Soon Is Now? 199
2. This Charming Man 175
3. What Difference Does It Make? 170
4. William, It Was Really Nothing 166
5. Hand In Glove 146
6. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side 136
7. Bigmouth Strikes Again 135
8. Ask 128
9= Panic 122
9= Sheila Take A Bow 122
11. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now 120
12. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me 104
13. Shoplifters of The World Unite 100
14. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore 98
15. Shakespeare's Sister 87
16. Girlfriend In A Coma 78
17. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish 56

(Based on 14 rankings, with 17 points for #1 etc. Partial rankings excluded.)

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

Panic
Ask
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
How Soon Is Now?
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Shoplifters of The World Unite
This Charming Man
What Difference Does It Make?
Hand In Glove
Girlfriend In A Coma
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
Shakespeare's Sister
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
William, It Was Really Nothing
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
Sheila Take A Bow
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 13:06 (twenty years ago)

I don't understand how people could dislike "Shakespeare's Sister"! (Then again, my list of top 5 Smiths songs includes "Sweet and Tender Hooligan" and "The Queen Is Dead" so I've got a bias towards it.)

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

Haha, yeah, the broad message appears to be 'Earlier singles were best, except for "That Joke..." and that dastardly "Shakespeare's Sister"' . B-b-but it's such a fleeting rollick, and quite hilarious. Any haters able to articulate SS's shortcomings?

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

I remember it was kinda seen at the time as the single ruining an impeccable run.

I like it well enough.

― OleM (OleM), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

What makes "Hand In Glove" better?

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 12:17 (twenty years ago)

I remember hearing "Shakespeare's Sister" aged about 9 or 10, thinking it was the most terrible thing I'd ever heard and going back to my Smash Hits Sticker Collection (if I'd only got Madonna's ear it would have been a complete set..)

The first one I remember hearing and quite liking was "Shoplifters Of The World".

Now I'd say its the other way round... Shakespeare's Sister wasn't really written for 10 year olds, perhaps.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 12:29 (twenty years ago)

They're both brilliant, though!

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

Okay, so I like the P!O!P! singles

1.The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
2.Panic
3.How Soon Is Now?
4.Ask
5.Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
6.This Charming Man
7.What Difference Does It Make?
8.Heaven Knows I'm Miserable
9.Shakespeare's Sister
10.Sheila Take A Bow
11.Bigmouth Strikes Again
12.Girlfriend In A Coma
13.I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
14.William, It Was Really Nothing
15.That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
16.Hand In Glove
17.Shoplifters of The World Unite

That may be very unfair on "That joke.." as its the only single I'm not really all that familiar with. This reaffirms my belief that my favourite records are not their singles. I'd put "There is a Light..", "Reel Around the Fountain", "Half A Person" and "I won't share you" really high on this list, if I could.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 12:41 (twenty years ago)

Ask
Panic
This Charming Man
Girlfriend In A Coma
Shakespeare's Sister
Shoplifters of The World Unite
Hand In Glove
William, It Was Really Nothing
Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
What Difference Does It Make?
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
How Soon Is Now
Sheila Take A Bow
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

― jive session (elwisty), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

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