The Smiths are, no surprise, one of my all time favorite bands. Existing for a mere five years (1982-1987) in the center of the eighties, they managed to create a whole new sound with Morrissey's witty, trenchant lyrics and Johnny Marr's breathtaking guitar lines. This unique blend of intelligent words and glittering pop was imitated by many but few came close to their power. These are the ones who did.
According to Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien's online diary, the cascading guitar riffs in this track were directly inspired by the Smiths. The glum pace and Thom Yorke's forlorn lyrics ("Look into my eyes/I'm not coming back") cement this classic single as a not-so distant cousin of the Smiths prototype.
(1) Radiohead - Knives Out - YouTube
4. James "Laid" from the Laid album (1994)
The Smiths actually liked the band James enough to cover one of their tracks ("What's The World?") as a live B-side. James in return created this stunning pastiche of their sound, featuring strummy guitar and lyrics that sounded like Moz could have written ("This bed is on fire/with passionate love/the neighbors complain about the noises above" is a great encapsulation of Morrissey's diseased romanticism). This was their only chart hit in America and actually received a fair amount of airplay on college radio.
(1) James - Laid [3-22-94] - YouTube
3. Suede "Stay Together" single, 1994
Despite borrowing heavily from the camp/fey ouvre of Roxy Music and Bowie for their stunning debut record, this single bleeds the same kind of doomed romantic sensibility the Smiths had in spades. The guitars yawn and stretch in a very Johnny Marr style, while Brett Anderson's vocals approach the histrionic heights as Moz's most out-there yelpings.
(1) Suede - Stay Together (Official Video) - YouTube
2. Gene "Sleep Well Tonight" from Olympian LP (1995)
Gene never made any pretensions to be anything but a Smiths knock-off, but this delightful single was their apex of their output. The track, about young lovers trying to escape a hostile small town, is thematically squarely in Moz's wheelhouse, and if the guitars don't quite ascend to the level of Marr, the anthemic quality places it above other imitators.
(1) Gene - Sleep Well Tonight - YouTube
1. Rick Astley "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" (live track, 2022)
No, you're not being rick-rolled, Astley is a lifelong Smiths fan and covered this track along with some others on a recent tour....and it's really quite lovely. The cover is respectful to the original while being just different enough to be interesting. Who knew?
(1) Rick Astley with Blossoms - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Glastonbury 2023) - YouTube
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