IF IT'S NOT LOVE THEN IT'S THE POLL THAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER - ILM Artist Poll #72 - THE SMITHS - RESULTS THREAD

I was expecting "Meat Is Murder" (the song), which at this point it's obvious it won't be there. Does ILX hate it?

guess no one's mourning "i started something" as much as me. hair brushed and parted

"William" is such a perfect single, the shimmering way the guitars come in

typical me, typical me, typical me

xp

love 'ask' but loving the moaning here nearly as much, too perfect

The only problem with 'William, It Was Really Nothing' is that it's TOO FUCKING SHORT! Undoubtedly one of my all-time favourites, and if I'm honest I probably prefer it to the next 3 tracks that are gonna place. Such sublime guitar work.

I am mourning "i started something" as well, BradNelson. Well maybe not 'mourning' but I would have liked to see it place.

I was hoping I Started Something would place so we could all talk about the crazy way Morrissey sings, "That's what tradition means" and that last "Fair enough". Two of my all time favourite Smiths moments.

As I mentioned, I Won't Share You was my number one. Gutted it has missed out.

I Started Something my #2.

xxp

Their shortest single to date, with ‘William, It Was Really Nothing’ Marr would later boast that he purposely set out to mould a pop single under three minutes long: ‘I thought it was amazing to say what you have to say in two-and-a-half minutes. “William, It Was Really Nothing” was the first thing I wrote with a real emphasis on keeping it under that.’

I'm not really that arsed about 'I Started Something...' not placing, but surprised to see that it hasn't.

http://i.imgur.com/LHhVG1b.jpg

3. HOW SOON IS NOW? (B-side of 'William, It Was Really Nothing' 12")
1306 points | 52 votes | 3 first place votes

I Started Something was my number three. I think that and I Won't Share You are the only songs on my list that missed out.

I think I prefer their shorter songs in general

So glad this wasn't number one!

yesss! (@ HSIN not being 1st place)

many x-posts:

Ha! Morrissey's growly delivery of that line is the worst thing about that song for me!

Nice, not #1. I get that for many people this is the Smiths song, and it is very good, but it sure does drag on.

JRN OTM RE HSIN.

XP: Phew!

Pic perfectly encapsulates most ilxors just now.

This was my #2. I get the overplayed criticism but it's such a fantastic riff/song it seems churlish to not place it highly

of the remaining two that will inevitably place, How Soon Is Now would be a preferable winner

I'd rather this had been #1 than either 'There Is A Light...' or 'This Charming Man', fwiw.

As epic anthems go, this one I find irrisistable

'hsin' made my ballot, partly thx to tatu, but often find myself preferring 'mona' and always find myself preferring 'hippychick'

Please please please let it not be There is a Light that wins...

I'm pulling for a "Wonderful Woman", "Jeane" surprise double-whammey

xp seconded!

Would be lovely if "Shakespeare's Sister" sneaks in at #2.

I voted for Wonderful Woman - would like to know how many others did.

Sorry..

The remaining two tracks are popular for good reason. I can't stick around to see the order but I will quickly point out that either way "Shakespeare's Sister" was robbed.

XXP: Haha!

http://i.imgur.com/XtcvRew.jpg

2. THIS CHARMING MAN (Single A-side)
1431 points | 56 votes | 3 first place votes

------------------------------

http://i.imgur.com/5gvVNGI.jpg

1. THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT (Album track from The Queen Is Dead)
1777 points | 67 votes | 5 first place votes

FUCK!

"i-i-i-i-i-i-ice water for blood... "

So William had the most #1 votes, I guess?

All but 13 ballots then for the #1. Can't really argue with that

I have never, for the nearly 30 years I've been listening to The Smiths, understood how people find anything about This Charming Man, er, charming. Dud.

I understand the appeal of "There's A Light" in theory but not in practice.

The jump in points between #2 and #1, though!

Hippychick >>>> How Soon is Now

And we're done.

Thanks to everyone who voted and huge thanks to Johnny Fever for supply such great graphics at very short notice.

Full list below.

71. DEATH AT ONE'S ELBOW (Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 12 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
70. MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING (B-side of 'Bigmouth Strikes Again') 19 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
69. THE DRAIZE TRAIN (B-side of 'Panic' 12") 26 points | 1 votes | 0 first place votes
68. WONDERFUL WOMAN (B-side of 'This Charming Man' 12") 37 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
67. I KEEP MINE HIDDEN (B-side of 'Girlfriend in a Coma' 12") 41 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
66. GOLDEN LIGHTS (B-side of 'Ask' 12") 45 points | 2 votes | 0 first place votes
65. UNHAPPY BIRTHDAY (Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 63 points | 4 votes | 0 first place votes
64. MISERABLE LIE (Album track from The Smiths) 70 points | 4 votes | 0 first place votes
63. THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (Album track from The Smiths) 71 points | 3 votes | 0 first place votes
62. NEVER HAD NO ONE EVER (Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 93 points | 5 votes | 0 first place votes
61. VICAR IN A TUTU (Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 97 points | 6 votes | 0 first place votes
60. I DON'T OWE YOU ANYTHING (Album track from The Smiths) 102 points | 6 votes | 0 first place votes
59. MEAT IS MURDER (Album track from Meat Is Murder) 104 points | 5 votes | 0 first place votes
58. OSCILLATE WILDLY (B-side of 'How Soon Is Now?' 12") 161 points | 8 votes | 1 first place votes
57. PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES (Album track from The Smiths) 180 points | 11 votes | 0 first place votes
56. UNLOVEABLE (B-side of 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' 12") 210 points | 12 votes | 0 first place votes
55. I WON'T SHARE YOU (Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 228 points | 10 votes | 1 first place votes
54. ACCEPT YOURSELF (B-side of 'This Charming Man' 12") 230 points | 9 votes | 0 first place votes
53. SHAKESPEARE'S SISTER (Single A-side) 230 points | 11 votes | 1 first place votes
52. JEANE (B-side of 'This Charming Man') 249 points | 13 votes | 0 first place votes
51. I STARTED SOMETHING I COULDN'T FINISH (Single A-side | Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 257 points | 13 votes | 0 first place votes
50. SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN (B-side of 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' | Album track from The Smiths) 258 points | 13 votes | 0 first place votes
49. I WANT THE ONE I CAN'T HAVE (Album track from Meat Is Murder) 262 points | 12 votes | 0 first place votes
48. THESE THINGS TAKE TIME (B-side of 'What Difference Does It Make?' 12") 285 points | 12 votes | 2 first place votes
47. YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING NOW (Album track from The Smiths) 292 points | 14 votes | 0 first place votes
46. FRANKLY, MR. SHANKLY (Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 293 points | 14 votes | 0 first place votes
45. WHAT SHE SAID (B-side of 'Shakespeare's Sister' | Album track from Meat Is Murder) 301 points | 13 votes | 1 first place votes
44. NOWHERE FAST (Album track from Meat Is Murder) 305 points | 14 votes | 1 first place votes
43. BARBARISM BEGINS AT HOME (Album track from Meat Is Murder) 310 points | 17 votes | 0 first place votes
42. DEATH OF A DISCO DANCER (Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 350 points | 18 votes | 1 first place votes
41. STRETCH OUT AND WAIT (B-side of 'Shakespeare's Sister' 12" | Album track from The World Won't Listen) 361 points | 17 votes | 1 first place votes
40. IS IT REALLY SO STRANGE? (B-side of 'Sheila Take a Bow') 365 points | 19 votes | 1 first place votes
39. BACK TO THE OLD HOUSE (B-side of 'What Difference Does It Make?') 391 points | 18 votes | 0 first place votes
38. RUSHOLME RUFFIANS (Album track from Meat Is Murder) 393 points | 18 votes | 0 first place votes
37 (TIE). A RUSH AND A PUSH AND THE LAND IS OURS (Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 395 points | 20 votes | 1 first place votes
37 (TIE). LAST NIGHT I DREAMT THAT SOMEBODY LOVED ME (Single A-side | Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 395 points | 19 votes | 1 first place votes
37 (TIE). PAINT A VULGAR PICTURE (Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 395 points | 15 votes | 2 first place votes
34. WELL I WONDER (B-side of 'How Soon Is Now?' | Album track from Meat Is Murder) 402 points | 18 votes | 1 first place votes
33. SWEET AND TENDER HOOLIGAN (B-side of 'Sheila Take a Bow' 12") 415 points | 20 votes | 0 first place votes
32. HANDSOME DEVIL (B-side of 'Hand In Glove') 434 points | 21 votes | 1 first place votes
31. LONDON (B-side of 'Shoplifters Of The World Unite' 12") 450 points | 22 votes | 0 first place votes
30. ASLEEP (B-side of 'The Boy with the Thorn in His Side') 488 points | 23 votes | 0 first place votes
29. GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA (Single A-side | Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 496 points | 25 votes | 0 first place votes
28. RUBBER RING (B-side of 'The Boy with the Thorn in His Side' 12") 549 points | 26 votes | 1 first place votes
27. YOU JUST HAVEN'T EARNED IT YET, BABY (Album track from The World Won't Listen) 567 points | 23 votes | 3 first place votes
26. GIRL AFRAID (B-side of 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' 12") 581 points | 25 votes | 3 first place votes
25. SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD UNITE (Single A-side) 588 points | 27 votes | 1 first place votes
24. SHEILA TAKE A BOW (Single A-side) 640 points | 31 votes | 1 first place votes
23. SOME GIRLS ARE BIGGER THAN OTHERS (Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 648 points | 28 votes | 4 first place votes
22. HALF A PERSON (B-side of 'Shoplifters Of The World Unite') 706 points | 32 votes | 1 first place votes
21. REEL AROUND THE FOUNTAIN (Album track from The Smiths) 708 points | 30 votes | 3 first place votes
20. THAT JOKE ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE (Single A-side | Album track from Meat Is Murder) 733 points | 33 votes | 0 first place votes
19. I KNOW IT'S OVER (Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 779 points | 36 votes | 3 first place votes
18. THIS NIGHT HAS OPENED MY EYES (Album track from Hatful of Hollow) 797 points | 32 votes | 2 first place votes
17. STILL ILL (Album track from The Smiths) 799 points | 31 votes | 2 first place votes
16. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME GET WHAT I WANT (B-side of 'William, It Was Really Nothing') 818 points | 39 votes | 1 first place votes
15 (TIE). HAND IN GLOVE (Single A-side | Album track from The Smiths) 836 points | 35 votes | 1 first place votes
15 (TIE). CEMETRY GATES (Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 836 points | 40 votes | 4 first place votes
13. WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? (Single A-side | Album track from The Smiths) 875 points | 38 votes | 1 first place votes
12. HEAVEN KNOWS I'M MISERABLE NOW (Single A-side) 945 points | 42 votes | 2 first place votes
11. PANIC (Single A-side) 949 points | 42 votes | 0 first place votes
10. STOP ME IF YOU THINK YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE (Album track from Strangeways, Here We Come) 962 points | 42 votes | 1 first place votes
9. THE BOY WITH THE THORN IN HIS SIDE (Single A-side) 980 points | 43 votes | 2 first place votes
8. BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN (Single A-side | Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 1008 points | 44 votes | 1 first place votes
7. THE HEADMASTER RITUAL (Album track from Meat Is Murder) 1018 points | 42 votes | 2 first place votes
6. ASK (Single A-side) 1138 points | 48 votes | 2 first place votes
5. THE QUEEN IS DEAD (Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 1205 points | 46 votes | 5 first place votes
4. WILLIAM, IT WAS REALLY NOTHING (Single A-side) 1276 points | 50 votes | 7 first place votes
3. HOW SOON IS NOW? (B-side of 'William, It Was Really Nothing' 12") 1306 points | 52 votes | 3 first place votes
2. THIS CHARMING MAN (Single A-side) 1431 points | 56 votes | 3 first place votes
1. THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT (Album track from The Queen Is Dead) 1777 points | 67 votes | 5 first place votes

Spreadsheet here if anyone wants to see all the ballots in one place, crunch some numbers, whatever:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rzuG2WAzg_H6-XsH-vH3ruXF7ysVaJhv2B--XbWQyIU/edit?usp=sharing

wow, that was a landslide! thanks so much for doing this, nate! (and Johnny Fever for the wonderful images!)

I'm all right with "There is a Light" at #1; familiar as it is, it's still so evocative.

"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" is a predictable #1 that I'm very happy with.

I will say one blasphemous thing, though: I prefer the Dum Dum Girls version to the original.

From Simon Goddard's book:

In a straw poll among Smiths fans today, ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ would more than likely still come in at number one;

My whole ballot placed, woop

poor Death At One's Elbow, I nearly voted for you

The intro to This Charming Man (up to the point the verse starts) is one of the most epic and exhilarating things ever created. Wouldn't you at least agree with that, JF?

This is my seven year old daughter's favourite Smiths song btw

This poll was a ton of fun from beginning to end. Thank you for running it nate woolls! And thanks to Johnny Fever for the fantastic images!