Five Of The Best: The Smiths

Image: The Smiths

Being tasked with the role of selecting the five best Smiths songs is like asking which of the Kardashians would one most like to engage in a conversation with; both impossible tasks, thankfully the former is a pleasant predicament to find yourself in.

Since first bursting onto the scene in 1984 with their electric debut studio album The Smiths, Morrissey and co. have managed to stamp their own unique blend of rock and roll with indie music. Each and every song has its own standalone purpose and symbolism. The Smiths weren't just a boy band formed on the back of a management’s lust for gold, they had emphasis as well as a deeper understanding to their lyrics.

Between their four studio albums, The Smiths produced some of the best quality of music this country has ever seen. Needless to say that Johnny Marr’s riff work on the electric guitar is second to none, and Morrissey’s trademark swagger and authenticity helped shape the personality of this powerhouse of British music legend. We take a look back at five of their greatest hits:

'This Charming Man' (1984)  

There was no way on God’s green earth that this timeless classic wasn’t getting in the selection. Perhaps their most famous track, ‘This Charming Man’ boasts eloquence but also evokes a true surge of spirit and an irrevocable need to flail your arms about in the air.

Marr’s brilliance on the guitar cannot be emphasised enough; the introductory chords for this song are quite possibly the most ingenious creation to have come from the instrument.

It’s also worth noting the lyricism of this song: ‘punctured bicycle, on a hillside desolate’ evokes strong visual imagery, as well as the relatable quote ‘I would go out tonight, but I haven’t got a stitch to wear’ amongst a plethora of other delightful quotes.

The video for this song (watch it above) also gave birth to the gladioli-swinging image of Morrissey we all know and love. So for that, we should be forever grateful.

'Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now' (1984) 

Morrissey has claimed that this is his all-time favourite The Smiths song, need I say any more? We all know how he has something of a tendency to over-dramatize his emotions.

Despite the somewhat soppy title, it’s a necessary puzzle piece in the grand picture of the band’s complexity. The repetition of the title within the song helps us to understand that, regardless of whatever hedonistic acquirements he makes, they will never satisfy him.

This single, which was re-released on the compilation album ‘Hatful of Hollow’, reached number 10 in UK singles chart in 1984, and was listed on rock and roll hall of fame’s 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. 

'Oscillate Wildly' (1985)

Perhaps not the most obvious of choices, but 'Oscillate Wildly' is a track which completely epitomises the band’s raison d’être: to be different. The title is a literary pun on the name of the author Oscar Wilde, a theme which runs throughout many of their songs as Morrissey flaunts his knowledge almost whimsically.

Not many bands, especially in today’s music microcosm, would ever dare releasing an exclusively instrumental track on an album; this only pays further testament to the sheer musical quality The Smiths possessed.

Not only this, but it is one of the rare occasions that Morrissey didn't feature on the song at all. The man himself stated that the music was "better off and strong enough on its own". Quite the compliment from an egomaniac like him. 

'How Soon Is Now?' (1985) 

This song is widely recognised as The Smiths’ most ‘un-Smiths-like’ track they produced, which in itself makes it notable; they were outperforming themselves with ‘How Soon Is Now?’

That unmistakable twang of Marr’s electric guitar periodically throughout the song is iconic, exposing their rock and roll side to a full degree. The build-up to the fierce crescendo at the end of the song is perhaps the best of theirs, and is an easy choice in this selection.

'Shoplifters Of The World Unite' (1985)

Despite its criminally-inciting title, this song was written to challenge the commercialisation taking place within the country. This is arguably the most poignant social voice of The Smiths’ songs.

"Hand it over" could be seen as the shoplifters giving back whatever it is they may have stolen, or it could be a double entendre for shoppers selling their souls to the corporate chains. Either way, this track more than deserves its place in the ranks.

Listen to our Essential The Smiths playlist on Spotify

Like this? Try Five Of The Best: The Strokes