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

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!

The last party I went to devolved into a faction in the living room dancing to "This Charming Man" and collectively yelping along with Morrissey's "a-uuuh"; I can't begrudge its placement either.

Yes, thank you Nate and JF!

Thanks to nate woolls and Johnny Fever for their work on this!

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?

― daavid, Sunday, March 6, 2016 3:50 PM (39 seconds ago)

I wouldn't, but mainly because one of my least favorite elements of mid-80s UK guitar pop is when it borrows from US r&b/soul of the 60s. Like, if I want to hear a song based on The Supremes, I'll just listen to The Supremes.

"what's the world" and "work is a four letter word"!!

A pretty lacklustre top 10. But, while they're not my top three, those last few placings are pretty unfuckwithable Smiths songs

51. I STARTED SOMETHING I COULDN'T FINISH

lol

I can't fathom "I Started Something" not ending up in the top forty.

This Charming Man was my #5 fwiw although I voted for Kervokian's New York Vocal mix (which both Marr & Morrissey hated at the time).

This was my ballot, btw:

ALBUMS
1. hatful of hollow
2. the queen is dead
3. the smiths
4. louder than bombs
5. meat is murder

TRACKS
1. reel around the fountain
2. there is a light that never goes out
3. the headmaster ritual
4. accept yourself
5. hand in glove
6. william, it was really nothing
7. this charming man
8. i know it's over
9. jeane
10. how soon is now?
11. you've got everything now
12. ask
13. asleep
14. sheila take a bow
15. that joke isn't funny anymore
16. rubber ring
17. bigmouth strikes again
18. cemetry gates
19. death of a disco dancer
20. the boy with the thorn in his side

This Charming Man - I didn't vote for it because I knew others would and I wanted to cram in some other stuff. But, honestly, it's miraculous and would've been a worthy winner. Maybe Marr's best guitar part of all, and then the way the lyrics go from this florid scenario to "I would go out tonight..." is so weird and thrilling. It's amazing that a band could put out something so madly original as a second single (and then not even include it on the album). Also, rerecording the single to a click track, tightening up the rhythm and really making those guitars ring, was the best decision they ever made.

There is a Light - Good song, but I could happily never hear it again. I like the verses but the chorus is a bit plodding, and the emulated strings are naff. Those very quotable chorus lyrics are the essence of Smithsiness but too much nowadays for me.

Mine...but as I've said in this thread, I'd have moved That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore all the way up to my #1 if I'd realized in time how much in love I am with it.

TRACKS

Stretch Out and Wait
Ask
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
What Difference Does It Make?
How Soon Is Now
You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
Back to the Old House
Panic
Sheila Take a Bow
I Know It's Over
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
The Boy With the Thorn In His Side
These Things Take Time
Frankly, Mr. Shankly
Sweet and Tender Hooligan
Shoplifters of the World Unite
Hand In Glove
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

ALBUMS

Louder Than Bombs
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
Hatful of Hollow
Strangways, Here We Come

This Charming Man has a fantastic velocity

Thanks a lot to Nate and Johnny for putting this all together.

Excellent poll and rollout, gents! Much obliged.

Here's my ballots. . .

1. This Charming Man
2. There is a Light That Never Goes Out
3. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
4. The Headmaster Ritual
5. Rubber Ring
6. Stop Me if You Think You've This One Before
7. Ask
8. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
9. Panic
10. William, it Was Really Nothing
11. Bigmouth Strikes Again
12. Wonderful Woman
13. Girl Afraid
14. Unhappy Birthday
15. Half A Person
16. Sweet and Tender Hooligan
17. This Night Has Opened My Eyes
18. Well I Wonder
19. Reel Around the Fountain
20. London

Albums:
1. The Smiths
2. Louder Than Bombs
3. Meat is Murder
4. Strangeways, Here We Come
5.The Queen is Dead

1 Death Of A Disco Dancer
2 How Soon Is Now
3 That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
4 The Headmaster Ritual
5 This Charming Man (Francois Kervokian Remix)
6 What Difference Does It Make?
7 Bigmouth Strikes Again
8 William, It Was Really Nothing
9 There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
10 Barbarism Begins At Home
11 Ask
12 Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
13 Panic
14 Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
15 Sweet & Tender Hooligan
16 Rubber Ring
17 Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want
18 Cemetry Gates
19 Sheila Take A Bow
20 I Know It's Over

1 Meat Is Murder
2 The Queen Is Dead
3 Hatful Of Hollow
4 Strangeways, Here We Come
5 Louder Than Bombs

My non-placing songs were "I Won't Share You" (#7), "Accept Yourself" (#5), and "Jeane" (#2). I tried!

"Ask" b/w "Golden Lights" - undoubtedly The Smiths' single worst release, for me. But anyway.

This was good fun. Cheers, all.

my ballot; I regret leaving out I Started Something I Couldn't Finish, I Don't Owe You Anything, Work Is A Four-Letter Word and about a dozen others

TRACKS

1 William, It Was Really Nothing
2 Sheila Take a Bow
3 Rusholme Ruffians
4 Girl Afraid
5 There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
6 Rubber Ring
7 Accept Yourself
8 The Headmaster Ritual
9 Stretch Out And Wait
10 Back To The Old House
11 This Night Has Opened My Eyes
12 Suffer Little Children
13 You've Got Everything Now
14 Unhappy Birthday
15 Well I Wonder
16 Pretty Girls Make Graves
17 A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours
18 These Things Take Time
19 Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
20 Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

Cool poll! Thanks Nate, and thanks JF.

my ballot:

1. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
2. Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
3. How Soon Is Now?
4. Panic
5. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
6. Girlfriend in a Coma
7. This Charming Man
8. That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
9. Hand in Glove
10. Shoplifters of the World Unite
11. The Boy With the Thorn in His Side
12. What Difference Does It Make?
13. Bigmouth Strikes Again
14. Ask
15. Shakespeare’s Sister
16. I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish
17. Sheila Take a Bow
18. Meat Is Murder
19. Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before
20. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

.....aaaaand I just realized I accidentally left "William, It Was Really Nothing" off. Fuck!

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Still Ill
Girl Afraid
This Night Has Opened My Eyes
Reel Around the Fountain
This Charming Man
You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby
Paint a Vulgar Picture
Ask
Sweet and Tender Hooligan
William It Was Really Nothing
How Soon Is Now?
Half a Person
The Queen Is Dead
Cemetry Gates
I Know It’s Over
Handsome Devil
Jeane
What She Said
Suffer Little Children

1. You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby
2. Reel Around the Fountain
3. Paint A Vulgar Picture
4. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
5. Still Ill
6. Girl Afraid
7. This Night Has Opened My Eyes
8. I Want The One I Can't Have
9. Handsome Devil
10. London
11. Pretty Girls Make Graves
12. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
13. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
14. Shoplifters Of The World Unite
15. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
16. You've Got Everything Now
17. Death Of A Disco Dancer
18. Well I Wonder
19. Rubber Ring
20. Suffer Little Children

I wouldn't, but mainly because one of my least favorite elements of mid-80s UK guitar pop is when it borrows from US r&b/soul of the 60s. Like, if I want to hear a song based on The Supremes, I'll just listen to The Supremes.

He's asking about the intro, though, which (accidentally) owes more to African guitar than soul before it bounces into Motown.

tracks
1. bigmouth strikes again
2. sheila take a bow
3. rubber ring
4. ask
5. the queen is dead
6. william, it was really nothing
7. please, please, please let me get what i wan
8. this charming man
9. cemetery gates
10. oscillate wildly
11. is it really so strange?
12. the headmaster ritual
13. sweet and tender hooligan
14. panic
15. london
16. stop me if you think you've heard this one before
17. vicar in a tutu
18. there is a light that never goes out
19. girl afraid
20. how soon is now?

albums
1. the queen is dead
2. louder than bombs
3. hatful of hollow
4. the smiths
5. meat is murder

I Won't Share You
William, It Was Really Nothing
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
Reel Around The Fountain
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
You've Got Everything Now
These Things Take Time
Cemetery Gates
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours
This Night Has Opened My Eyes
Still Ill
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Paint A Vulgar Picture
The Boy with the Thorn in His Side
This Charming Man
Back to the Old House
The Queen Is Dead
Rubber Ring

Hatful of Hollow
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Queen is Dead
Louder Than Bombs
The Smiths

I didn't even consider the possibility of Oscillate Wildly not placing until I asked. Only 8 votes? It's their best instrumental.

can't believe unloveable didn't make it

Yeah I was surprised by that, I really love that one.

I can't get enough of the Smiths or of polling things so I started a poll for their record sleeve artwork

The Smiths cover artwork poll

(but the formatting is all screwed up because I didn't realise that there is a ten image per post limit)

1. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
2. Still Ill
3. Panic
4. This Night Has Opened Up My Eyes
5. This Charming Man
6. The Headmaster's Ritual
7. Back to the Old House
8. A Rush and Push and the Land is Ours
9. The Queen is Dead
10. Bigmouth Strikes Again
11. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
12. Girl Afraid
13. Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before
14. Death of a Disco Over
15. The Boy With The Thorn In is Side
16. Handsome Devil
17. Cemetry Gates.
18. I Know It's Over
19. Ask
20. London

Nothing more satisfying than a finite and manageable but still almost infinitely rich catalog.

Thanks to Nate and JF, this has been fun.

My ballot:

Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
Still Ill
The Boy with the Thorn in His Side
Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
Well I Wonder
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
William, It Was Really Nothing
Nowhere Fast
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Girl Afraid
I Don't Owe You Anything
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
This Charming Man
The Headmaster Ritual
These Things Take Time
You've Got Everything Now
I Know It's Over
Half A Person
Oscillate Wildly
Unloveable

Albums:
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
The World Won't Listen
Meat Is Murder
...Best II

One positive thing about this poll is that it's got me listening to The Smiths again, so thanks Nate for re-awakening my interest in this band after so long.

yeah thanks Nate, great poll!

Thanks to Nate for a fun poll.

Posting my ballot at this moment just to ensure there are three in a row with Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others top. We wuz robbed.

Songs

1. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
2. Nowhere Fast
3. The Queen Is Dead
4. The Headmaster Ritual
5. Rubber Ring
6. I Know It's Over
7. A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours
8. This Night Has Opened My Eyes
9. Half A Person
10. What She Said
11. Still Ill
12. Handsome Devil
13. Sweet and Tender Hooligan
14. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
15. Wonderful Woman
16. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
17. Never Had No One Ever
18. I Want The One I Can't Have
19. Back to the Old House
20. Girl Afraid

Albums

1. Meat Is Murder
2. The Queen is Dead
3. Hatful of Hollow
4. Strangeways Here We Come
5. The Smiths

Was sort of hoping that top 3 would be avoided just for the sake of a more interesting result but oh well, don't have anything against any of those. I'm very surrpised Stop Me made it into the top 10, that's never done anything for me. There's a few nice guitar bits but when most of their songs are full of fantastic guitar bits and much better vocal melodies?

Glad to see Ask do so well though, it was almost my #1. A fantastic pop song with that brief atmospheric break in the middle.

I Know It's Over
This Charming Man
Ask
Still Ill
William, It Was Really Nothing
Asleep
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
You've Got Everything Now
Cemetry Gates
How Soon Is Now?
There is a Light That Never Goes Out
This Night Has Opened My Eyes
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Girlfriend in a Coma
Panic
What Difference Does it Make
Shoplifters of the World Unite
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
The Headmaster Ritual

The Queen is Dead
Louder Than Bombs
Hatful of Hollow
The Smiths
Strangeways, Here We Come

What I've learned from this poll is that ILX really really like the Smiths, which I was not aware of before.

Girl Afraid
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Still Ill
William, It Was Really Nothing
Hand in Glove
Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
The Boy With A Thorn In His Side
Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
This Charming Man
The Headmaster Ritual
Asleep
I Know It’s Over
How Soon Is Now?
Cemetary Gates
Big Mouth Strikes Again
Ask
That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
The Queen is Dead
What Difference Does It Make?

1. The Queen Is Dead
2. You Just Have Earned It Yet, Baby
3. What Difference Does It Make? (Peel Session)
4. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
5. Half A Person
6. The Headmaster Ritual
7. Hand In Glove
8. Bigmouth Strikes Again
9. Ask
10. Cemetry Gates
11. How Soon Is Now?
12. Handsome Devil
13. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
14. Is It Really So Strange
15. Vicar In A Tutu
16. Sheila Take A Bow
17. Girl Afraid
18. Sweet And Tender Hooligan
19. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
20. I Know It's Over

thanks guys

1. The Boy with the Thorn in His Side
2. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
3. How Soon Is Now?
4. The Queen Is Dead
5. What Difference Does It Make?
6. Rubber Ring
7. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
8. The Headmaster Ritual
9. I Know It's Over
10. What She Said
11. Nowhere Fast
12. Well I Wonder
13. London
14. Shakespeare's Sister
15. Stretch Out and Wait
16. Hand in Glove
17. Rusholme Ruffians
18. Shoplifters of the World Unite
19. Barbarism Begins at Home
20. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before

1. Meat is Murder
2. The Queen is Dead
3. The Smiths
4. Strangeways Here We Come