The Smiths make us think of the excesses of love and loss. There is something hidden behind Morrissey’s voice and Johnny Marr’s guitar that reminds us of our intense teenage years. When we listen to The Smiths, we cannot help but think we are the protagonists of a romantic film, and we are opening ourselves up to new opportunities. We can doze off listening to them and hopefully their sound can travel to our dreamscape and wrap us around an illusion of love.
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‘Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me’
“Last night I felt
Real arms around me
No hope – no harm
Just another false alarm.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0BOK0EDFE
A soothing sound we can enjoy in those drowsy minutes before falling asleep. This song speaks of hazy moments where you feel the love of someone only to wake up and realize it was a false alarm. It is up to us to decide whether we wish to live in a lie. Johnny Marr once said that the last time he met Morrissey, ‘Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me’ continued to be his favorite Smiths song. The backdrop of the song speaks of the turmoil Britain underwent during the miner’s strike and the disappearance of the British coal industry. When the song was edited, it lost two minutes of a piano introduction that was accompanied by the noise of the 1984-1985 miners’ strike, which was provided by the BBC.
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‘Hand in Glove’
“Hand in glove
we can go wherever we please
and everything depends upon
how near you stand to me.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh2bonnjv70
Joy is synonymous of this album, and it reminds us of the uniqueness and freedom of life. It doesn’t matter what others think, love is yours for the taking, and no one can rip it away from you. This type of song reminds us the idealism we sometimes hold onto when we think about love.
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‘I Won’t Share You’
“I won’t share you, no
I won’t share you
With the drive
And the dreams inside
This is my time.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyfXnhcL4I0
Morrissey confidently confesses to a special someone that the time they share with each other is exclusive. Nor the past or the future matter; all that is important is the moments you share in the present.
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‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’
“And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-cD4oLk_D0
Tragic lyrics remind us of the fate of Romeo and Juliet. They express the infinite possibilities that go through our heads when we are overwhelmed with love. Morrissey speaks of a safety that can only be found in the arms of another. Love and tragedy are intermingled.
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‘Reel around the Fountain’
“Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, I wouldn’t say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
Oh, but I do.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxLFav1Z9EY
A love confession that speaks of a love that brings maturity to people, making it worthwhile. “Oh, people see no worth in you/ I do.” In this particular line we see how love can open your eyes to the true, hidden nature of people. This is a classic from The Smiths.
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‘Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want’
“So for once in my life
Let me get what I want
Lord knows, it would be the first time”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiqOsKngc-c
“We don’t always get what we want, but we get what we need.” You’ve heard this saying countless times, but sometimes you just want to get what you desire the most. Morrissey is basically begging for the chance to fulfill his dreams, because when life puts too many roadblocks, a good man can easily turn bad.
There are very few moments in the cinema world that remain etched in the viewer’s mind. Generally, these iconic scenes become part of the collective consciousness because of the repetitions and mentions in popular culture. Such is the case with the bone that transitions into a space ship in 2001: A Space Odyssey or the dance sequence “Singing in the Rain” in Stanley Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange.
There are other scenes that resonate with the audience because of their incredible dialogue or the accurate representation of contemporary feelings. A clear example is the short sequence in (500) Days of Summer, where both protagonists meet on the elevator and Tom is listening to ‘There is a Light That Never Goes Out’ of The Smiths. The start of a relationship began with a simple “I love The Smiths” and singing a small part of the song. This led to a new wave of fans of the English band and marked an iconic scene in contemporary cinema.
Why did The Smiths have such a big impact on this film? For some reason when we listen to this group once led by Morrissey, we cannot help but think of a romantic, calm, and relaxing scenario. The Smiths were unique in their time and precursors of the Brit-pop. Their melancholic style brings us one step closer to that pivotal moment that will change our lives forever.
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‘Asleep’
“Sing me to sleep
I don’t want to wake up
On my own anymore.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CGIii_eTOk
This is a complicated song to untangle, but it will accompany you in your dreams, and hopefully, the next day when you wake up you won’t be on your own. “Don’t try to wake me in the morning/ ‘Cause I will be gone/Don’t feel bad for me.” In the grey dawn, love and illusions can fade away and there is no other option than to go and leave it all behind.
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‘Ask’
“Coyness is nice, and
Coyness can stop you
From saying all the things in
Life you’d like to.”
Asking for things can be difficult but this song is open to listening, “if there’s something you’d like to try/ ask me, I won’t say no, how could I?” Shyness and coyness can be good, but they can also stop you from fulfilling your dreams and desires. Confessing your love or hidden desires can be difficult, and we cannot help but recall those painful, awkward teenage years when you confessed to your crush.
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‘Handsome Devil’
“Oh, you handsome devil
Oh, let me get my hands
On your mammary glands
And let me get your head
On the conjugal bed.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLEYvF99YWc
A sensual and erotic song where Morrissey is flirting with the figure of love. While it may be bold and direct, it is a love letter that moves away from innocent, puppy love. It is more than sex; it is about desire and waking up next to that special someone.
Without a doubt, The Smiths is one of the most romantic bands on the planet, not only for their lyrics and melodies, but because of the emotions that evoked through Morrissey’s voice and Marr’s nostalgic guitar. For over 30 years they have brought smiles to our faces, and they remind us that even if the world ended tomorrow, today you could love a little bit more.
So if you’re lying in bed at night and you feel lonely, just listen to this playlist by The Smiths and let the lyrics and music infiltrate your mind. So, when you wake up the next day, you will smile and have a bright mood. There’s nothing wrong shouting to the world that thanks to The Smiths you are open to loving again, so scream at the top of your lungs, “Everything is possible!”