The Smiths/Morrissey - song-by-song discussion thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Turk Thrust, Mar 8, 2019.

  1. Binni

    Binni Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iceland
    I´ve always quite liked this cover: 3/5
     
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  2. omikron

    omikron Avid contributor to Paul McCartney's bank account

    Location:
    Lexington, KY
    2/5 is fair. Even trying to rate it out of context, this is still a weak performance by them.

    The only saving grace is the vintage '60s sound, like Pet Shop Boys' "Beautiful People".
     
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  3. ARL

    ARL Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    "Work Is A Four Letter Word"

    I've known about this track for years, but I've never sought it out, and this is the first time I've ever heard it. Vaguely pleasant 60s feel, but I think you can sense that the rest of the band is phoning it in, particularly Johnny. There's no real pep behind the performance. Better than "Golden Lights" but that's not saying much. 2/5 seems about right.
     
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  4. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Not the absolute worst Smiths recording, but close. I'd give "Work Is a Four Letter Word" a 2/5. On a purely musical level, it's just not that interesting of a song, though there are parts of it that have potential.

    As far as Smiths covers go, I think it's miles better than "What's the World," but actually not quite as successful as "Golden Lights." I can see why the rest of the band wasn't very enthusiastic about recording this. Kinda sad that this was one of the very last recorded songs by the band before they split up.
     
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  5. Turk Thrust

    Turk Thrust Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.K.
    For those who haven't heard it, here is the original: :)

     
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  6. TexasBuck

    TexasBuck Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Work is a Four Letter Word - Pleasant 60's vibe. Love the title. I like the guitar tone. I like the verses and the bridge even more. The chorus isn't great but it doesn't ruin the song. Major step up from Golden Lights or What's the World. I had not heard this one before. I would probably give it a 2.5 but with my low expectations going in, I'm given it a 3.0.
     
  7. The MEZ

    The MEZ Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    Work Is A Four Letter........ 3/5. It gets my foot tapping and been known to get my leg shakin' on a few ocassions. It has even given me the urge to try dancing around the room, although I have never once tried to dance, during my life.
     
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  8. Gavaxeman

    Gavaxeman Take me back to dear old Blighty...

    Location:
    West Midlands U.K.
    So I’m a bit behind , Bank holiday weekend jobs to blame.

    Strangeways - easy 5/5 - my favourite smiths album

    Work is a 4 letter word - great title , and not much else, pleasant enough but the session that might have pushed Johnny out the door, so it has to get a machine gunning how soon is now Totp style 1/5
     
  9. CrawdaddySim1

    CrawdaddySim1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Indianapolis, IN
    Way late, but I must put in a 5/5 for "I Won't Share You." And 5/5 for Strangeways. I think the Smiths kept getting better as they went along. The first album and Meat Is Murder have their problematic moments for me, but I discovered this thread late, so I won't go back and rehash that discussion.
     
  10. John54

    John54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Burlington, ON
    3/5 for Work is a Four-Letter Word, and probably being a little stingy here. I've listened to both for the first time ever, and I like it better than the Cilla version! So another counterexample to the '60s-versions-are-best rule.
     
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  11. CrawdaddySim1

    CrawdaddySim1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Indianapolis, IN
    "Work Is A Four Letter..." Hmmm, forgot this existed. Think I'd rather hear Morrissey croon "Moon River." 1/5... we're talking Smiths standards here.
     
  12. pwhytey

    pwhytey Forum Resident

    I find ‘Work...’ almost unlistenable. Dreadful. 1/5
     
  13. candyflip69

    candyflip69 What's good?!

    Location:
    Melb, AUSTRALIA
    Hahah!!

    Excreable.
    ...the sound of genius, dying.
    1/5
     
  14. Hollow Horse

    Hollow Horse To pretend to be happy could only be idiocy

    :laughup:

    It's bleedin' terrible! Reckon Golden Lights is worse though owing to the sickliness. This was a b-side to Shoplifters or one of those singles at the time if I remember right. Dreadful sludge and I'm with you -

    1/1 just to cover the expenses involved in releasing it.
     
  15. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus

    "Work is a Four Letter Word"

    An amusing trifle. 2/5
     
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  16. octophone

    octophone immaterial girl

    Location:
    Scotland
    2/5 for WIAFLW - no alarms and no surprises, just The Smiths burling through a cover in the absence of any new songs. No big deal and is only considered such due to being a product of their last recording session together.
     
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  17. georgespigott

    georgespigott You fill me with inertia.

    Location:
    United States
    I think it's catchy and they do a credible version that improves on the original. I've read that Johnny, who wanted a break, took umbrage that Morrissey was calling his work ethic into question with this song choice. Despite that, he turns in a good performance, especially the rockin' outro with the interplay of the guitar and keyboards.

    Work Is a Four-Letter Word gets a 3.5/5 from me.
     
  18. Paul Rymer

    Paul Rymer Forum Resident

    Work Is A Four Letter Word only gets 2/5; one of the least essential Smiths tracks.
     
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  19. Blame The Machines

    Blame The Machines Forum Resident

    Location:
    Swindon
    Work is a Four-Letter Word - With covers I look to see whether they add anything, or try anything different to the original (So you can already begin to guess my critiques once we get to the album California Son :shake:). This sounds like a half-hearted run through of the title track of the 1968 British satirical film starring David Warner and Cilla Black. Whilst the original song has a certain Sandie Shaw like charm to it; this cover version adds nothing at all to it.

    Johnny Marr has stated in interviews that one of the main impetuses for his leaving The Smiths was Morrisey's insistence on covering the titular theme song to this movie. There is a famous quote published in a 1992 issue of Record Collector where Marr disdainfully said "'Work Is A Four Letter Word' I hated. That was the last straw, really. I didn't form a group to perform Cilla Black songs. That was it, really. I made a decision that I was going to get away on holiday. The only place I could think of was L.A. L.A. was the only place I knew where there'd be sunshine, so off I went. I never saw Morrissey again."

    1.0/5
     
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  20. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    Well the biggest issue causing Johnny to leave permanently was the lack of a manager and Johnny doing the manager work load with all the stress that adds. A real manager would’ve let Johnny focus on just the music, and A real manager would’ve reached out to Johnny and said ‘enjoy your vacation we’re here when you’re ready to get back at it’. Instead the rest of the band being unconfrontational mid 20s just made assumptions Johnny quit and made their moves accordingly
     
  21. RobRoyF

    RobRoyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southland
    Strangeways
    is a great album overall, but Queen has always been my own favorite.

    Work is a Four Letter Word
    I either missed this one from long ago or it did not interest me, I just don't exactly recall now. So now a few listings along with the original. This one is fun cover and pop-lite.

    3/5



    @Turk Thrust - thanks for starting this thread, it's been a fun ride. With that being said, unfortunately I never really enjoyed Morrissey's solo work all that much other than a few songs here and there. I will probably revisit this thread less often.
     
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  22. Peace N. Love

    Peace N. Love Forum Resident

    Catching up here...
    Unhappy Birthday - a little underrated. Yes, it does in a way feel like Morrissey is phoning it in; but I find the verse melody is very touching.
    I Won't Share You - one of the best last album/last song tracks by anyone ever. Beautiful career-ending tune. Almost like Morrissey is saying goodbye to the band, although of course it was Johnny who left.
    Context is important here, too. Correct me if I'm mis-remembering here, but I recall that when Girlfriend in a Coma came out, we knew Johnny had quit and the others were trying out replacements; but by the time the Strangeways album appeared, we knew they had broken up.
    If that's correct, I remember the whole album being coloured by the knowledge that they were finished. So, to this day, that's the filter I'm hearing it through. And, at the time, it was a massive deal...
     
    Last edited: May 27, 2019
  23. Eleventh Earl of Mar

    Eleventh Earl of Mar Somehow got them all this far.

    Location:
    New York
    Work is a Four Letter Word

    The song isn't very good to start with, but Johnny makes it a bit curious 2/5
     
  24. Turk Thrust

    Turk Thrust Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.K.
    The ratings for Work is a Four-Letter Word:

    1-7
    2-8
    3-7
    4-0
    5-0
     
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  25. Turk Thrust

    Turk Thrust Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.K.
    Today's song is I Keep Mine Hidden:



    This song was put together in very short order and it sounds like it as well. There is little musically to catch the ear and it is no surprise that Johnny isn't at all fond of it.

    At one point this was Morrissey's favourite Smiths song though and the lyrics are of more interest. Whether they are interpreted as a message to Johnny or not, they are probably more autobiographical than several other late Smiths songs.

    Hardly a classic, but semi-likeable and a low 3/5.
     
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