Why has it taken me so long to get to bands called The Smiths? Maybe because the inevitable hornet's nest that gets shaken up any time anyone on the blogosphere dares to mention the M-word. Here we go though, with some bands named after the most common surname in the English language...
THE SMITHS #1
A folky/doo wop curio which I initially thought was going to be a tragic love story about a matador being gored to death on the eve of his wedding (or some such death-disc wonderfulness), but on closer inspection it appears to be about a matador serenading his bull. Were such things allowed in 1959?
THE SMITHS #2
A melancholic and self-pitying offering from this US garage band in 1968... setting the requisite tone for bands named The Smiths, at least. Later they'd recruit singer Gayle McCormick and rebrand themselves as Smith, scoring a US Top Ten hit with a cover of Burt Bacharach's Baby, It's You, as featured in the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof.
Well now. It will come as no surprise to you as I opt for Smiths # 3, echoing everything you wrote about them. And I enjoyed your closing "Do your worst, world!" after an embed from The World Won't Listen.
ReplyDeleteA lucky coincidence.
DeleteI am disappointed that you appear to defend the inhumane 'sport' of bull-fighting. In addition, her reputation for sharp commercial practices in her post-music career in retail and IT in St. Ann, Missouri means I cannot in good conscience support Gayle McCormick. Therefore my vote goes to #3 by default.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure my words amount to a defence of bullfighting, but as is so often the case on the interweb, it's so easy to miscontrue. That said, I did grow up on a farm and had to tussle with the occasional bull (minus the red flags and silly hats) in my youth.
DeleteYou had to dig deep to find a reason to diss Ms. McCormick. It would be worth pointing out that she was also the lead singer of a band called the Klassmen. Capital K? In the Southern United States?
I chose deliberately to misinterpret your reference to the M word that stirs up a hornet's nest to mean 'matador', in order to make a deeper point about how easily controversy can be stirred unintentionally.
DeleteWell I didn't really. It was just a failed attempt at humour. If the above excuse doesn't work then my next step will be to claim that my original words were taken out of context.
I didn't know that about Ms McCormick. The more I learn about her the less I care for her.
A career in politics - or as a social media influencer - beckons...
DeleteAfter playing #2 it segued into Tales of Brave Ulysses, which was of course better than three tracks you posted. It would be perverse not to opt for #3.
ReplyDeleteI just hope you appreciate a light week, with only three tunes to inspect.
DeleteThat's never stopped you before!
Deleteyou're not wrong, but to opt for #2 would simply be ridiculous, even for me
DeleteThat was meant for George!
ReplyDeleteOnce again, a spirited and entertaining string of comments, especially George. - Brian
ReplyDelete