Is it really so strange?

[40 % Papier Mache]

i am loving this song at the moment! i think it's criminally underated.

LASID says the following:

"this song was obviously not considered good enough to bother doing a proper studio version. Morrissey's ridiculous tale of confused horse-murderers and tiny Southern houses is backed by a lack-lustre tune from Marr."

and for the live version on Rank:

"This song is not really much more interesting when done live."

which i personally think is absolutely guff - i think the song is good fun lyrically and musically it's almost identical to 'sheila take a bow' - it's even in the same key.

why the hate?!!?!

discuss...

 

[Jones]

musically it's almost identical to 'sheila take a bow' - it's even in the same key.

There's your answer.
Is that something to recommend it or proof that Johnny Marr was running out of steam? Steam he never seemed to get back.

 

[anotherordinaryboy]

One of my favourite Smiths songs!! Proves that Morrissey is not the dull, depressive man that the media claim he is. Catchy, fun - what more do you want?

 

[40 % Papier Mache]

There's your answer.
Is that something to recommend it or proof that Johnny Marr was running out of steam? Steam he never seemed to get back.

i just find it odd... LASID raves about sheila... i think 'is it really so strange' is even more fun. really odd that they got put next to each other at the start of 'louder than bombs'... i would have thought whoever put that compilation together would have wanted them further apart - so the similarity was less apparent

maybe it's just cos it says so much to me about my life at the moment?

"i travelled south, i found a tiny house, and i caaaan't help the way that i feeel"

 

[40 % Papier Mache]

One of my favourite Smiths songs!! Proves that Morrissey is not the dull, depressive man that the media claim he is. Catchy, fun - what more do you want?

exactly!

 

[Worm]

Yes. Steam he was not able to get back for, oh, a few months until The Smiths recorded their most musically accomplished album, "Strangeways Here We Come".

 

[Jones]

Yes. Steam he was not able to get back for, oh, a few months until The Smiths recorded their most musically accomplished album, "Strangeways Here We Come".

Doesn't follow that they were written afterwards.

There was definitely a bit of repetition sneaking in towards the end of The Smiths career, and I think Johnny not being able to come up with anything for that final b-sides session was ominous.

 

[Worm]

"Is It Really So Strange?" was written at the end of 1986 if I remember correctly. The tracks on "Strangeways" were written in 1987. I don't have "Songs That Saved Your Life" with me but that would certainly settle the matter one way or the other.

I don't hear any repetition on "Strangeways". It's their most diverse album. (The band also claimed, for many years, that it was their strongest work, if that's anything to go by.) If there's any repetition it's on Morrissey's part, since some of the lyrics, while good, are not as inspired as they once were.

Two other tracks that were among the last to be written were "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" and "Half A Person", two classics.

The final B-side session had mixed to poor results, but Johnny admitted to being exhausted and the general consensus is that Morrissey pushed to release those songs. Johnny was desperate for a vacation. "Running out of steam" in the short term, yes, but not in any permanent way. It's completely possible, and I think likely, that if he'd taken a few months off, played only a few dates in support of "Strangeways", and maybe collaborated with a few friends, The Smiths might have gotten back to together at the end of 1987 and been as fresh creatively as they'd ever been.

 

[Dothatagain?]

"Is It Really So Strange?" was written at the end of 1986 if I remember correctly. The tracks on "Strangeways" were written in 1987. I don't have "Songs That Saved Your Life" with me but that would certainly settle the matter one way or the other.

According to Goddard, "Is It Really So Strange?" was one of the first songs Marr wrote after The Queen is Dead - he had a basic demo of it in early 1986, and it was recorded for the BBC in December 1986. The Strangeways tracks were written much later.

I happen to agree with you - I don't think there's any sign of Marr "running out of steam" on Strangeways. "A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours", "Death of a Disco Dancer" and "I Won't Share You" are really unlike anything else the band ever did, not to mention "Paint a Vulgar Picture", "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" and "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me". Musically there's some really inspired stuff on there.

 

[Stephane]

LASID says the following:

"this song was obviously not considered good enough to bother doing a proper studio version.

The song was at some point considered as a potential single a-side, and the band did record a studio version. They were just not happy with it and later decided to release their BBC version of it instead.

Stephane

 

[Worm]

I don't think there's any sign of Marr "running out of steam" on Strangeways. "A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours", "Death of a Disco Dancer" and "I Won't Share You" are really unlike anything else the band ever did, not to mention "Paint a Vulgar Picture", "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" and "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me". Musically there's some really inspired stuff on there.

My thoughts too. "Strangeways" sounds like a fresh departure, albeit still mostly in the tradition of The Smiths. Morrissey, Marr, and Street did fantastic work in the studio.

I think critical opinion of "Strangeways" has been lowered because it's the posthumous album. A cloud hangs over it because many people assume they had hit the wall creatively and that other tensions in the band were causing rifts that showed up in the music. But most of the talk from the band about that album and recording sessions (until Streatham) was really positive.

Thanks for looking up that information in Goddard.

 

[Kuiper]

My thoughts on everything discussed so far:

Is It Really So Strange? is a great song. It is fun and funny, and has this pronounced charm to it. As Stephane said it was considered as a possible single, but I didn't know they did record it in the studio but scrapped that version. But does that mean the band didn't care for This Night Has Opened My Eyes also? And what about Sweet and Tender Hooligan (another fantastic original tune that shows Marr was NOT running out of steam, and another great Mozzer lyric)?

Strangeways is indeed the band's best and most diverse album. My two favorite songs, I Won't Share You and Shoplifters of the World Unite, are both from this steam-less era. As for the "ominous" sign of Marr not being able to come up with anything for the b-sides, well, you try coming up with two new songs after having poured everything you've got into a masterpiece after being overworked for five years. But he did manage to write I Keep Mine Hidden, and both songwriters created pleasing little pieces that aren't groundbreaking in any way but still good nonetheless. And I really like Work is a Four Letter Word, I think they nailed it even though I've never heard the original.

And Sheila, Take a Bow is a great song. I love the lyrics and think the music is subtly brilliant.

 

[Dave]

i am loving this song at the moment! i think it's criminally underated.

LASID says the following:

"this song was obviously not considered good enough to bother doing a proper studio version. Morrissey's ridiculous tale of confused horse-murderers and tiny Southern houses is backed by a lack-lustre tune from Marr."

and for the live version on Rank:

"This song is not really much more interesting when done live."

which i personally think is absolutely guff - i think the song is good fun lyrically and musically it's almost identical to 'sheila take a bow' - it's even in the same key.

why the hate?!!?!

discuss...

I love that one, I never knew it was underrated, thanks for helping us rate it. It's one of his best "rejected/homo" tunes. sorry, if that offends anyone but I'm still laughing at that post from yesterday.

 

[imogen11]

i am loving this song at the moment! i think it's criminally underated.

LASID says the following:

"this song was obviously not considered good enough to bother doing a proper studio version. Morrissey's ridiculous tale of confused horse-murderers and tiny Southern houses is backed by a lack-lustre tune from Marr."

and for the live version on Rank:

"This song is not really much more interesting when done live."

which i personally think is absolutely guff - i think the song is good fun lyrically and musically it's almost identical to 'sheila take a bow' - it's even in the same key.

why the hate?!!?!

discuss...

I read that on LASID and was confused too- I think the Rank version is fantastic!

I also rate Strangeways highly and am equally perplexed by criticism of it, though, your theory, Worm, as to why this is so makes good sense.

 

[vAndreav]

i like it better than sheila take a bow

 

[C.J.M]

I have always liked is it so strange? What's not to like, its got funny lyrics and is one of those songs that always makes me laugh when people say moz is miserable! "i got confused i killed a nun, i cant help the way i feel"

 

[40 % Papier Mache]

so glad you lot all agree!

i think if they had recorded a proper studio version of this it would been a great choice for a single. in many ways it's got a lot more in common with the earlier jangly classics than the more "musically innovative" strangeways tunes... maybe that's why they didn't want to use it as a single...