My biggest problem: which song? With the RARE exception of a few duds (ahem, the overdramatic vegan anthem “Meat is a Murder”), pretty much every Smiths song is perfect, amazing and beautiful. In a rare move, I went with this on the shear basis of numbers. Even though “How Soon Is Now?” was the band’s biggest single, this is clearly everybody’s favorite…and there’s a reason.
The song is about being so in love with someone and just not knowing how to tell them. It’s also about feeling utterly isolated from your home, your family, society in general. It’s about trying to find bright spots in a world that suddenly looks awfully dark. What I’m trying to say is that this song is about being a teenager—and that’s something everyone can remember and identify with.
Actually, a number of critics speculate that the song might be based on James Dean’s character in Rebel Without a Cause. Morrissey was known to lift dialog and plot from his favorite films. Lines from Rebel are directly copied in “Stretch Out and Wait” and the plot of a 60s British play/movie called A Taste of Honey is almost certainly referenced in “This Night Has Opened My Eyes.” Of course, there's also an element of teen angst in that one. Are you sensing a theme?
Finally, I really think you should watch this.
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.mp3
To die by your side,
The pleasure, the privilege is mine.
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