Girlfriend In A Coma (Strangeways Here We Come - The Smiths)

Member Name: Jake Speed

Product:	Strangeways Here We Come - The Smiths
Date:	19/02/08 (205 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A bold and ambitious album

Disadvantages: Might be a bit gloomy for some

'Strangeways, Here we Come' is the last album recorded by The Smiths and was first released (posthumously) in 1987. Johnny Marr left the group during this period and although replacing him and carrying on was considered, common sense prevailed and, realising that Johnny Marr was not someone you could just replace, The Smiths were no more. Marr wanted to expand his musical horizons and formed Electronic with New Order's Bernard Sumner. On 'Strangeways, Here we Come' Marr's attempt to broaden his music is very apparent and for this reason the album is uncommonly strong for a swansong, with the tension between Morrissey and Marr lending an extra spark and depth to the album.

Morrissey and Marr have both said that 'Strangeways, Here we Come' is the best record they ever made together.


The Songs


A RUSH AND A PUSH AND THE LAND IS OURS

Starts with a piano introduction and features a xylophone sound, the opening song is a bit strange but wonderfully unique. Marr's decision to incorporate new sounds rather than just rely on his trusty guitar already signals that the album might not be quite what you expect. Morrissey growls (!) a lot on this song to good effect and as usual is haunted by love and the thought that everyone is having a nicer time than he is.


I STARTED SOMETHING I COULDN'T FINISH

Not my favourite Smiths song ever. It's ok with a glammy and aggressive guitar sound by Johnny Marr but it doesn't have a chorus that pulls you in or the payoff you expect from The Smiths. Very much in the 'ok but not amazing for The Smiths' section. The end of the song features a brief snippet of Morrissey talking to producer Stephen street.


DEATH OF A DISCO DANCER

A very arresting and beautiful composition that sometimes deliberately veers off-key to affect a slightly strange and psychedelic sound. Morrissey is in his element with music like this and spins out a mournful but dreamy vocal that seems to be about the violence creeping into Manchester's night life at the time. Love, peace and harmony will have to wait for the next world. Andy Rourke's bass is very evident on this.


GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA

One of The Smiths greatest ever songs. Johnny Marr's perfect music is heightened by an orchestra and Morrissey infuses his wonderful vocal with all the rich melodrama of a sixties kitchen sink British black and white film. The song is very affecting, especially when Morrissey sings "Let me whisper my last goodbyes" near the end. Perfection.



STOP ME IF YOU THINK THAT YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE

Recently covered by someone (no idea who!) and back on the radio, the original version by The Smiths is a precise and brilliant pop song. Johnny Marr's guitars give the song a distinctive and immediately catchy riff and Morrissey's vocal contortions add an extra layer of inspired obtuseness. The famous video for this featured Morrissey cycling around the backstreets of Manchester with some mini lookalikes.


LAST NIGHT I DREAMT THAT SOMEBODY LOVED ME

Very much in the spirit of 'How Soon Is Now?', the song begins with samples of baying hordes and then turns into a poignant piano led tune with strings that Morrissey uses to contemplate his ever present themes of loneliness, alienation and time passing with no change in one's circumstances;

"Last night I felt
Real arms around me
No hope, no harm
Just another false alarm"

The song isn't, as a piece of music, as impressive as 'How Soon Is Now?' but it is bold and very moving.


UNHAPPY BIRTHDAY

Marr goes jingly-jangly in this simple but charming singalong style ditty, subverted as usual by Morrissey's sometimes dark and often funny lyrics;

"May the lines sag, may the lines sag heavy and deep tonight"

The intro to the song is excellent - right away you know you are in The Smiths world.



PAINT A VULGAR PICTURE

Another amazing song. Morrissey has a good old swipe at the record industry ("At the record company party/on their hands a dead star/the sycothantic slags all say/I knew him first and I knew him well") and we get perhaps Johnny Marr's greatest ever guitar solo later in the song. In the sad but lovely vocal Morrissey goes on to reveal that as a child in those 'ugly new houses', he worshipped the star in question but death means that he/she cannot be hurt again.


DEATH AT ONE'S ELBOW

Very much the 'How did this get on the album?' song on 'Strangeways, Here we Come'. It's a fast rockabilly number and completely forgettable. Fast forward button at the ready!


I WON'T SHARE YOU

A wistful end to the album, 'I Won't Share You' has the dream like quality and beauty of earlier Smiths songs like 'Well I Wonder'. This features acoustic guitars and just gently fades away. "Life tends to come and go," says Morrissey wearily and we sort of know what he means.


'Strangeways, Here we Come', understandably, offers a taster of The Smiths moving towards a new direction and experimenting with their sound, though more through the drift of Marr away from Morrissey than any grand design. It's a possible glimpse of how they might have fitted into a landscape soon to be dominated by the dance sound of The Stone Roses/Happy Mondays etc, had they continued for a few more years.

The album overall is dark, surreal and mournful - but is very elegant with lyrical and musical flourishes that very few others would be capable of. It is also unmistakably a Smiths record.

'Strangeways, Here we Come' has never quite recieved the acclaim of some earlier Smiths albums, most notably 'The Queen Is Dead', but, if you anaylse it on a song by song basis, it is a tremendously strong and interesting album. Any album that includes songs like 'Girlfriend In A Coma', 'Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me', 'Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before', 'Unhappy Birthday' and 'I Won't Share You' ranks very highly for me.

Summary: A great record