‘Death of a Disco Dancer’ is one of the great slow builds, with Morrissey’s vocal sounding simply magnificent. The musical madness at the end is complex and exhilarating. I love the juxtaposition of styles when the next track starts, too - some inspired sequencing. A strong 4/5.
Not sure of the timeline of the album cover art, but seeing as the Harvey Keitel image was not approved and this album was released after Johnny left, I think there is symbolism in the cropped image. Richard Davalos on the cover of Strangeways is looking down at someone - who is missing. James Dean is not in the picture and neither is Johnny Marr.
DEATH OF A DISCO DANCER 5/5 Probably my favourite song on this album. Oh, very nice, very nice, very nice.
That thought had occurred to me, too; if Dean is the Marr proxy in this scenario, it’s suggestive that the video for Suedehead - to get a little ahead of ourselves - depicts a pilgrimage to his grave. Divorced from that (perhaps tenuous) psychodrama, though, it’s still a rather dull image!
Interesting follow-through on Suedehead! Agreed that it is a dull image, but as we all know, the covers were all Morrissey and it seems perhaps he was fixated on it. Death of a Disco Dancer is 3/5 for me.
Today's song is Girlfriend in a Coma: I agree with all of the comments about this being well-placed on the album. After the previous song the album needed a short, light track and that's what it got...in terms of the music at least. The blend of Johnny's jaunty tune and Morrissey's blacker than black lyrics is another example of what very few other groups could have done. I think one writer on the group described the references to murder and strangulation as "unnecessary", but I would say that they are the song and the inappropriateness of their inclusion contributes a lot to the humour. Again, this is an example of the song title being as important as anything. Bono mentioned his amusement at hearing Girlfriend in a Coma being played on the radio and I imagine that it must have tickled Morrissey as well to inflict this on the charts. Not the most substantial song, but perfect in its own way. 5/5
Girlfriend in a Coma - Great melodies. It sounds like a single. (Lyrics aside) Very catchy hooks both musically and vocally. The guitar tone is beautiful as are the vocals. Very polished pop song, perhaps even too much so. 4.5 ranking out of 5.
"Girlfriend in a Coma" is a brief, two-minute blast of lush, melodic pop brilliance. Anchored by Rourke's assertive and super catchy bass line; colored in by Marr's sparkly acoustic guitar melodies; and brilliantly crooned over by Morrissey, this is a sweet, lilting song with an infectious rhythm. This track has an effortless quality to it, as in it's relatively simple, sounding like it all came together quite easily, yet it's still totally brilliant in that only someone with Marr's talent could conjure it up. This is another track where certain details in the arrangement - some subtle, some not - help elevate the song. For example, they made great, dramatic use - yet again - of the fake Emulator strings in the chorus or whatever you'd call that "Do you really think she'll pull through?" part of the song. And I love that subtle, ghostly, ascending pedal steel guitar bit in the verses, which instills the song with a bit of atmosphere. Touches like these add a sense of wistfulness to the song that fits the lyrics. I know everyone says the lyrics and title are macabre, but I like the sense of brutal honesty the narrator provides as he's reflecting on his relationship. With relatively few words, Morrissey paints a picture of a passionate but emotionally rocky and complicated relationship. And of course, you gotta love the juxtaposition of the song's title set against such mellifluous music. I love this song's placement on the album; I think it's perfect coming right after the chaotic finale of "Disco Dancer." Not sure how well this charted in the UK, but it certainly got lots of airplay on alternative and college radio stations in my area. I think it was a good choice for a single. 5/5
GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA Let me whisper my last goodbyes, I know it's SERIOUS. A seriously succinct and brilliant number, well worth the 5/5 thumbs up. Spot on!
"Girlfriend In A Coma" One of the highlights of the album for me, a pretty, bouncy tune, totally at odds with the lyrics of course, but you wouldn't have it any other way. Great production with the string synths in the chorus and the layered guitars. Would have liked it to be longer. A strong 4/5.
"Girlfriend in a Coma" gets a 4/5 from me. If we're going incrementally, a 4.5. I'm afraid this song suffers from being overplayed by my local radio station. Besides that, the instrumentation and arrangement by Johnny Marr are breathtakingly beautiful. Morrissey's melody and lyrics are sublime and funny. It has been thought that the lyrics are about A girlfriend, not HIS girlfriend and to that end, the single credits contain "Love and Thanks to Angie Marr XXX".
This is my review exactly - well, almost. I award it 5/5. I reckon ‘Girlfriend’s #13 peak in the UK singles chart must have been something of a disappointment to the band - it’s arguably the poppiest single in their discography and deserved to be a bigger hit. One of The Smiths’ signature tracks, for sure.
Girlfriend gets a 4 from me, but the heavier beat and stripped down guitars and a great Moz vocal in the unreleased demo is a big 5.
Girlfriend in a Coma: 4/5 Maybe not as strong as some of the other 4s I have given, but it deserves it for how much the music and lyrics communicate in 2 minutes.
Girlfriend In A Coma: 5/5 So this is my favorite Smiths song ever. Period. It fully encapsulates everything they are about in this brief song. Morrissey is aching from head to toe in his delivery. The love and hatred. The indifference and manic worry. Each ping ponging back and forth over the agonizing over this girl. So elemental. And it unfolds over a perfectly beautiful and innocent tune. The song ends abruptly with absolutely no resolution whatsoever. We are left hanging in the lurch like the singer wondering how life will continue. Nothing will be the same again but he's begging for it to be the same. PERFECTION.
A generous 4/5 for Girlfriend in a Coma. It's a bit insubstantial, and not exactly Paint It Black with regards to its subject matter, despite the humorous line about it being "serious" ...
Thanks for posting this demo! Really interesting reggae-influenced guitar, considering Morrissey's views on that style of music! I wonder if Johnny was playing with him on that. Also interesting was considering how they composed separately, the amount of musical embellishment Johnny added after the lyrics and vocal melody were written. In interviews, he has said when he presented a tune to Morrissey, he'd never know when he'd come in with the vocals or what parts he would sing on.
