If you like this video and the rest of my content, please consider kicking a buck or two over to me on Patreon. Benefits include specific video-curated Spotify playlists. The Smiths one includes a tonne of top-tier b-sides from top-tier British acts. The playlist for this video is available now for as little as $1 per month! Link below: www.patreon.com/posts/may-2019-26732156
Awesome video, but you can’t say from starters that they were doing something that no other band were doing during that time. If you think I am wrong, listen to The Cure.
As a 50 year old Englishman (Northern!) I applaud your work here and generally agree with your succinct breakdowns, naturally music has such a dynamic force it's difficult to ignore my emotional chains to choice cuts of mine but please keep your offerings flowing and best wishes 🎶🤸♀️ Wow I etched the above as I clicked on ... thank you young man!!! X
Trash Theory I’m not a huge fan of The Smiths. Here in Brazil we got a bunch of their mega hits on the radio but, for example, I only got to know “There is a light that never goes out” through “500 days of summer”, and now I play it constantly on my guitar. TH-cam has been suggesting me this video for a very long time and I’d never clicked on it because I had other “happier and entertainier” (sic) things to watch. I sure regret not doing it sooner, because certainly this was one of the best videos I’ve ever seen in my life, by far - and not only on TH-cam. Thank you and congratulations on your excellent work.
Morrissey isn't commiting plagiarism - he is quoting, paraphrasing, referencing. These are small moments of amazing lines which he is pulling into his essay to support his thesis. He is in clear dialogue with all these works, adding his voice and in many cases subverting the original intent in a full juxtaposition with the meaning. He is writing his own story - and putting it in context with the HUGE cultural dialogue. Marr is doing the same with his guitar work - that amazing wobble is unique even if inspired - so much so that Love Punch Love had to replace it with synths - because they couldn't recreate it anywhere near Marr. An expert is someone who can show you exactly how he does something, and yet you cannot.
hi, i know this is an old comment but i tried looking up what Love Punch Love is and couldn't find anything? is it a band or what is it? i would love to listen to the recreation, thanks!
@@lindberglol Love Spit Love was fronted by Richard Butlet of Psychedelic Furs in '92. They were asked to do a cover of this song for a movie. Their band name comes from a 1991 performance art exhibit in NY.
People like to shit on Morrissey for taking parts of his lyrics from elsewhere, but I doubt he did that more than anyone else. Everyone is influenced from somewhere.
Steal like an artist. No such thing as originality. You just have to wait until you recognise it somewhere sometime. And it always hurts when you find out....
If you must write prose/poems The words you use should be your own Don't plagiarise or take "on loan" 'Cause there's always someone, somewhere With a big nose, who knows And who trips you up and laughs When you fall
Oh yeah, you are so right - I’d just add Joy Division ‘Love will tear us apart’ and you have the perfect 80’s trifecta. Maybe also something by the Cure? In Between Days?
Baby Ran, Cuts Like a Knife, I Love Rock 'n Roll, Electric Avenue, Purple Rain, Flesh for Fantasy, Sunday Bloody Sunday, She Sells Sanctuary, Need You Tonight, The Kiss, ...
I always thought his "plagerism" was more of a "hommage." I loved how The Smiths and Morrissey would include references to literature, it made me feel smarter, more romantic, it made me feel like they knew who I was and what I was going through. He never directly quoted anything, just a little blip of a reference that made me go OOOOH, that's good. I love How Soon Is Now? It's an amazing track in an amazing catalog of music from The Smiths and Morrissey.
Your last point - that The Smiths were an invitation for the introverted to join the dance floor - This rings 100% true for me. And just like the clip you showed, I remember being in my school gym, amazed as they actually played some of The Smiths' music! Thanks for the memory!
The smiths literally saved my life at a very bleak point in time for me . I clung to them for dear life. Life was hell . The smiths gave me a place to lose myself in and discover so much they had to Offer.
You aren't alone in that. As I get older and life's blandness creeps in, it's nice to be reminded of how far we've come from the bleakness. I actually prefer the bleakness and despair of that time in my life over now...taxes, mortgage, car payments. What can be more soul crushing than that?
My favorite memories of "How Soon Is Now?" is being in underage dance clubs in the mid '80's with friends, a Bibi Caffee in one hand [because at 15, I *really* needed MORE caffeine], a Djarum Black in the other hand, mirror dancing [aka emotively swaying and sculpting air while coyly avoiding eye contact with other dancers] with dozens of other like minded kids. Deep diving into teenage angst, writhing our emotions triggered by the song in plain view but darkly lit. Dozens of us. Those of who knew the venue layout and heard the first few chords would rush to stand between the speaker stacks to fully feel the distorted tremolo of Marr's guitar physically course through our bodies. It felt so perfect, having our private agonies together, separately. 35 years later, I can still look across a crowded room of strangers when this song comes on and know *exactly* who gets it. The quiet smile and nod? Oh, yes! Introverts, we know quite well how to be social. We just do it in our own way because wearing "The Face" all day is exhausting and we need to take the mask off to replenish. That confuses the extroverted world and that's ok; we're generally pretty happy just as we are, except when people tell us we're broken because we aren't extroverted. But then again, we had The Smiths, The Cure, and, for me, all kinds of ska to sing in our ears and bump our rumps. :) Thanks for the great channel, research, and commentary!
Idk man, Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Girl Afraid.... ...What She Said, A Rush And A Push, You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby, Headmaster Ritual, Barbarism Begins At Home, The Queen Is Dead, Handsome Devil, Hand In Glove, This Charming Man, Wonderful Woman, Paint A Vulgar Picture, Rubber Ring.... There's too many to pick a #1 😂
How Soon is Now? changed my entire life and keeps changing it every time it plays again. I was so pleased to find this essay by accident. Brilliantly insightful.
He really is. I've played guitar for over 30 years and can play almost anything well. Except for anything by Johnny Marr. Especially William It Really Was Nothing.
He was doing stuff that nobody else was doing at the time, he really knew how to write riffs that suited the songs perfectly. He wasn't for soloing and being flamboyant but he was meticulous in the way he layered riffs and added embellishments. He written so many recognisable riffs like How Soon Is Now, This Charming Man, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable, Bigmouth Strike Again, I could go on.
@@lincolnjezek4370 I disagree, he wasn't technically as proficient as them but he's written many riffs that are easily on par with those two. Maybe not as influential but he was really one of a kind in the 80s, you'd never mistake his playing for anyone else. His riffs and embellishments served each song perfectly. He was a master during his peak years. Jonny Greenwood is similar and I know Radiohead have citied The Smiths as a big influence to them
@Smash A Commie That's kinda true. But it's no reason for quality music like this to die. There are quite a few parts of England which are still English. Do something about it - form a band and point out the neomarxist agenda in the lyrics. A lot of people could relate.
@Smash A Commie ...obviously you'd have to avoid the major labels though. They're degrading society with their toxic sounds. The Smiths never received any mainstream airplay in the '80s. They did it exclusively through word-of-mouth.
I was 7yrs old first time that I listened to How Soon is Now. This was back in Brazil and, of course, I couldn’t understand a word. However, I remember the impact that this song caused immediately in me. I couldn’t stop listening to it. On repeat, over and over. Feeling goosebumps and knowing that, most probably, any of my friends wouldn’t feel the same if I tried to show them. For a while I really felt a lack of belonging. But time fixes almost everything and you always find your peers at the end ;)
This little docu-gem is brilliant in all aspects! Entertainingly informative, they really mined the depths of detail on this song, both lyrically and musically. This is all supported by great background footage and visuals, and excellent editing, writing, and narration. Well done!
The first time I ever heard this song was on MTV in 1985.I was in my twenties.I am now in my fifties and this song is still relevant to me.Anyone with social anxiety will understand this song.
Ahhh the 80's. A time when nothing mattered but what song was next up and crying over lyrics that echoed how I felt everyday. My mix tapes were full of all of it, Smiths, Cure, Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Bauhaus... I remember one shitty summer diving deep into the Cures Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me. It was a crap summer and that album fit it perfectly. I remember the first time I heard How Soon is Now, it was on a dance floor and I was blown away. I still listen to the Smiths quite often, I love to croon along with Morrissey. It makes my wife roll her eyes and laugh. Now my teenage daughter listens to much of the old music from my time and she introduces me to new stuff and we bond over how music makes us feel.
I'll be 45 in a few days. Thie Smiths have been my favorite band for 30 years. I don't force my music all my kids but I asked them to listen to it (because of the pop rap phase that go through). But I told them it will mean something to you when you start to really understand the world, problems, sadness, joys and love that come to you. I believe this music hits you at a certain time in life when you actually need it. This band shaped my life and I will be forever grateful. 🖤
I spent my teenager years in Rio back in the late 80's and early 90's this song and Bigmouth strikes again would play... The parties and dance clubs would go insane. Great Days
Some songs you never forget the first time you hear them. This is one of them. In late 1984 a friend and I were 18 and snuck into a club to go dancing and she requested this song. I hadn't heard it yet. The DJ said, "Oh I love that song, but it's so slow and this crowd won't like it. Stick around and I might play it as the last song of the night." We did, he did, and the crowd went NUTS and completely filled the dance floor. Every time I hear this song I see my friend's foot-high blue Mohawk swaying under the strobe lights. She was dancing and crying and by the end of the song I was too.
A Hatful of Hollow redefined everything for me as a teenager. Along with The Cure, The Smiths spoke to me on my level. Never again have I felt this from an artist.
Amazing that an all time classic song was a 12" B side . A humble start to an iconic song. Dear God by XTC also was a B side originally. Both songs could have been lost were it not for astute DJ's and fans. Lucky us.
Wasn’t much of a Smiths fan & really disliked Morrissey, but when I hear ‘How Soon is Now’ again, it’s like passing a girl in the street who’s wearing a perfume worn by an ex-girlfriend, it stirs up emotions and feelings buried for decades in the darkest corners of your mind. That tremolo guitar sound by Johnny Marr is genius.
Thank you so much for the video. The Smiths have always been with me throughout my falls and triumphs. In times when I could never be down and in times when I was at my lowest. The Smiths truly are the soundtrack to my life.
this video was like a montage of the throes of my teenage years- obsessing with the smiths, living for british indie; watching old top of the pops and films like submarine...... excellent work!
Greatings from Lisbon, Portugal, I don't use to comment on many videos, since my language isn't English and dispite I'm able to understand everything I listen I'm a bit shy about my writing, but I can't avoid to complement you and show my appreciation of your work, I'm a huge music fan, in fact I learn how to speak English translating the lyrics from the album records that I managed to buy, thank you so much for a lot of interesting stories about our beloved musics and musicians.
I always felt "Purple Rain' was the "Stairway To Heaven" of the 80's. I'd say "How Soon Is Now?" is to the 1980's what "Cars" (Gary Numan) was to the 1970's - the sound of the future. Brilliant video essay btw. Extremely well researched. This is a really great channel.
"Stairway to Heaven" is an overrated song that just isn't very good regardless of anything - and Goddard got it right. "How Soon Is Now?" is in its own league.
Astute on the latter comparison. Cars was stolen from Kraftwerk, How Soon is Now was stolen from the Chameleons. Or at least, everything that made them "the sound of the future".
@@tdawson198 Kraftwerk were absolutely incredible. I wouldn't say "stolen", however, in any of these cases. But yes, Autobahn was the "sound of the future"
I've been following the Smiths for years and this video has introduced me to things I had absolutely no idea about. Very well-researched. High quality stuff. Thanks, Trash Theory.
The Smiths were the shit in the 80's. The first song I heard from them was this charming man. I purchased the cassette and have been a fan ever since. 👍
How soon is now is definitely one of the most hypnotic songs I’ve ever listened too! I remember dancing to this song at prom and just being in my own headspace even though I was dancing with my prom date! She loved it too!
I remember being introduced to this song by the movie "The Craft", my favorite tv show at the time "Charmed" and later on by the t.A.T.u cover (don't judge me) but I had no idea about the real meaning of it 'til I watched this video. The last part of the analysis really hit me right in the feels. HSIN is pure gold just like this channel.
The Smiths saved my life in high school (‘85-‘88). I listened to a lot of music, but The Smiths were so relateable-I felt like they were the only people who truly understood me. They were always there for me. I made it through and moved on with my life. And now, 35+ years later, I hear them almost daily, and thank them for helping me make it out. And I remember the good times, and the good people. The bad have all faded. And The Smiths sound as great as they always did. Thanks, Guys! I Love You. ❤️🌈
Just came across this channel tonight, love what you do here. At 53 How Soon is Now remains one of my favourite tracks ever, always was. It's true, the opening wobble is just as instantly recognisable as almost anything you could mention, it's just that when you hear it you have to pause for a few seconds to make sure it isn't Hippy Chick by Soho :D, then you can get excited.
I might sounds out of nowhere but I never feel more in love with this band after I listened to Well I Wonder for the first time. still one of the most beautiful song that I ever heard
I filled my dance floor at the gay club I DJed in 1985 with "How Soon as Now" and a year earlier with "This Charming Man". I personally love all the Smiths' and Morrissey's Music and snuck (if you prefer, sneaked) them into my sets as often as I could.
Morrissey, like a lot of musical geniuses is amazing on record and in concert, but in public not so much. Just look at the number of amazing artists that just can’t deal with the general public. Simply a ‘Sheldon’ in the world of music.
Luckily the record companies recognized their error and released it as an A-side in over 40 different versions: www.discogs.com/master/view/4174 I have the U.S. 12"
A rough mix was first aired as part of a John Peel session about three weeks before its release, and everyone who heard it knew then that it was something special.
Twice-married with grown-up kids, I'm still that shy, introverted teenager that the Smiths were writing for all those years ago. How Soon Is Now speaks for me. It makes me feel that I'm not alone or weird. This video moved me. Thank you
Being born in 2000, I can't imagine "How Soon is Now" ever being played in a club, anymore than I can imagine "Stairway to Heaven". It's such a chill, listen-to-at-home song, it's outside anything I can imagine. I wonder if today's club music will somehow be considered chill years from now.
I was about 22, growing up in LA, and when KROQ played that song, time stopped! It was that good and completely unique. Absolutely jaw dropping. Yet it still took awhile before The Smiths clicked with me. My personal favorite has always been the OG single version of “What Difference Does It Make”. Stellar! Seems I knew more than a few people obsessed with The Smiths. I just wasn’t one of them. Nonetheless I appreciated them enough to see them live. But it was the time I went to see The Fall (another Manchester band) around 1984-85 at The Palace in Hollywood that really sticks out in my mind. My friend who adored The Smiths way before anybody else I knew was suddenly overcome with emotion talking to someone in the crowd awaiting for The Fall to come on stage. It was Morrisey! Just hanging out, waiting for his hometown band, The Fall, to perform. He was very gracious to my friend and talked to her for 10 minutes or so. I knew who Morrisey was at the time but had no idea that is who my friend was talking to. She just came back in tears telling me she told him his lyrics were the most moving thing ever and probably a million more complements. Funny, I don’t think most people in the audience knew who Morrisey was. But it didn’t take much longer after that the whole world knew who The Smiths were! Back in the day.
I can actually still remember the first time I heard HSIN. It was late autumn, '84. I was just going through my first big break-up/heartbreak. I was already a Smiths fan; but hearing this was just a gut-punch. It felt like Morrissey had written the thing just for me. Beyond that, though, I instantly recognized that this thing was huge! Arguably the single defining song of the '80's -- and it is pure genius. So new, and yet so familiar at the same time. As the video mentions, what Stairway To Heaven or Hey Jude(?) are to their decades. The best part is, that the girl who was breaking my heart mentioned my "weird" taste in music; and why didn't I like "normal" music like her. I remember telling her that, in twenty or thirty years, the music and bands she thought were so great would be a laughable, forgotten footnote (I'm looking at you Mister Mister and The Outfield), while at the same time, HSIN, and Punk/Alternative in general would be the stuff remembered, analyzed and discussed.
Couldn't agree more on the last point. A band that made songs that knocked on the hearts of the introverted and excluded for decades to come. Grouped together in their lonesomeness. Playing and singing poetically painful content in a beautifully upbeat, yet melancholic manner.
This is my ringtone, an introvert diagnosed with Asperger months before turning 50. In a very Pavlovian way makes me jump for my phone every time I hear it. Also can still relive the moment hearing this for the first time in my club of choice after falling for it whilst watching late night tv
This song has been a personal favorite for years since the first time I heard it and I think it has a timeless quality and appeals to anyone who has felt that isolation.
Going to high school in the mid 80's I was mainly into Heavy Metal and Punk, but, The Smiths always absolutely captivated me. I still love listening to them and when I do I seem to be instantly teleported back to that wonderful time.
I’ll never forget taking two trains home from school at night, clear across LA while listening to this track, sinking into my self-pity and resentment of the world around me. I was one with this song in those moments.
"This is Marr or Morrissey's greatest gift. A defining siren call for the lonely or the criminally shy." Damn dude. That's... That's just fucking beautiful.
Natalie Cameron I knew someone would be triggered. He’s not a racist for opposing mass immigration but so what if he is. Most people prefer to be around their own kind.
One of my most listened to songs during the 80's and 90's, and yet I never knew all of these details. Fascinating! Now I don't know whether to be disappointed in how many references they had for this song - that it wasn't their sheer brilliance of just creating it out of nothing... or whether to admire how masterfully they put all of those inspirations together to create such an amazing song.
REALLY GOOD ANALYSIS of a CLASSIC song... While I got MOST of the lyrical 'lifts' Morrissey used at the time, it's really interesting to discover how Johnny Marr lifted and adapted musical ideas too... But, THE SMITHS did this in a way that produced a Distinctive Smiths Sound... xx SF
I still get goose bumps when I hear that track, just like I did in the early '80s when I first heard it on CBC's Brave New Waves at 2:00 in the morning (I live in Canada). When I saw The Smiths live a few years later, it was akin to bowing before the messiah. I'll never forget it. It remains the band that most influenced me, and I was no teenager when they came out.
That Perks edit at the end was really sweet and made me smile. Also it's great to hear you talk about music in such a loving way - really enjoyed my time with this video.
I was really depressed Then one afternoon, when I was 14, I accidentally discovered The Smiths... My depression was actually kinda "boosted" you can say (no need to explain why) but my life was better and I started having an identity
I love that Morrisey remains an outsider and anathema to the main stream today. He is not going to give you socially acceptable in 1984 or in 2020. He is better than the corporate media that permeates the mainstream music industry. Morrissey is a bonafide genius, and we get to enjoy his work.
@@ShapezPuller64 Creating brilliant art SOMETIMES means challenging norms, angering sensibilities, and exploring ideas that are messy. Outsider thinking can be "wrong" and "dangerous," but if you reject outsiders out of hand for their "bad" ideas, you'll miss the brain that can lead to something truly beautiful or transformative. Scary ideas and topics are the place where brilliance lies sometimes. Those willing to step outside the banal echo chamber of ideas that permeates most popular music are the ones who might surprise you and create something truly great. I guess I am a "bad" person.
This came up in my recommended and as a lover of the song I thought I might skip through a few minutes of the video out of interest, but I ended up staying with it for every second. Just a very well done video. Good job!
I had all my cd's organised into genre's. All except The Smith's, because they had their own section. Nothing else sounded like them and nothing ever will. Only Morrissey could be pretentious and sincere at the same time. They were an awesome yet bizarre band. Good memories of being at sixth form / uni in the eighties. Cool video. 😀
It’s hard to overstate - having been in high school in the 80s - how big this song was and how much it resonated with many of us. I’m new to this channel and am really enjoying your videos.
One of the first shows I ever attended was The Smiths in 1986. It was the tour to support "The Quern is Dead". The show was the highlight of that summer. Thanks for the reminder of what an amazing talent they were. Well done!
First heard this song on my sixth birthday. I'm 29 now. It’s still one of my favorite songs in the world and every time I hear that opening guitar riff my heart skips a beat❤️ ❤️❤️ Love the smiths🔥
Love Morrissey, he’s a deep man and it shows in his lyrics. I think he’s very misunderstood by the public or perhaps media, and is a very interesting and likeable person
If you like this video and the rest of my content, please consider kicking a buck or two over to me on Patreon. Benefits include specific video-curated Spotify playlists. The Smiths one includes a tonne of top-tier b-sides from top-tier British acts. The playlist for this video is available now for as little as $1 per month! Link below:
www.patreon.com/posts/may-2019-26732156
Awesome video!
Very brilliant production
Awesome video, but you can’t say from starters that they were doing something that no other band were doing during that time. If you think I am wrong, listen to The Cure.
As a 50 year old Englishman (Northern!) I applaud your work here and generally agree with your succinct breakdowns, naturally music has such a dynamic force it's difficult to ignore my emotional chains to choice cuts of mine but please keep your offerings flowing and best wishes 🎶🤸♀️
Wow I etched the above as I clicked on ... thank you young man!!! X
Trash Theory I’m not a huge fan of The Smiths. Here in Brazil we got a bunch of their mega hits on the radio but, for example, I only got to know “There is a light that never goes out” through “500 days of summer”, and now I play it constantly on my guitar.
TH-cam has been suggesting me this video for a very long time and I’d never clicked on it because I had other “happier and entertainier” (sic) things to watch. I sure regret not doing it sooner, because certainly this was one of the best videos I’ve ever seen in my life, by far - and not only on TH-cam. Thank you and congratulations on your excellent work.
Morrissey isn't commiting plagiarism - he is quoting, paraphrasing, referencing. These are small moments of amazing lines which he is pulling into his essay to support his thesis. He is in clear dialogue with all these works, adding his voice and in many cases subverting the original intent in a full juxtaposition with the meaning. He is writing his own story - and putting it in context with the HUGE cultural dialogue.
Marr is doing the same with his guitar work - that amazing wobble is unique even if inspired - so much so that Love Punch Love had to replace it with synths - because they couldn't recreate it anywhere near Marr. An expert is someone who can show you exactly how he does something, and yet you cannot.
How did you take scrambled up thoughts out of my head and craft them so eloquently into a concise mini essay?
Precisely
hi, i know this is an old comment but i tried looking up what Love Punch Love is and couldn't find anything? is it a band or what is it? i would love to listen to the recreation, thanks!
@@lindberglol Thats because band is called Love Spit Love. And their cover was also used as intro song for tv show Charmed. You're welcome.
@@lindberglol Love Spit Love was fronted by Richard Butlet of Psychedelic Furs in '92.
They were asked to do a cover of this song for a movie.
Their band name comes from a 1991 performance art exhibit in NY.
People like to shit on Morrissey for taking parts of his lyrics from elsewhere, but I doubt he did that more than anyone else. Everyone is influenced from somewhere.
And he only really did it in parts of Smiths songs. His solo work doesn't contain nearly as many, I think.
Art inspiring other art is the ultimate compliment.
Steal like an artist. No such thing as originality. You just have to wait until you recognise it somewhere sometime. And it always hurts when you find out....
If you must write prose/poems
The words you use should be your own
Don't plagiarise or take "on loan"
'Cause there's always someone, somewhere
With a big nose, who knows
And who trips you up and laughs
When you fall
Making an occasional reference to prior works is not a big deal.
"How Soon Is Now?" and "Blue Monday" are the epitome of '80s anthems.
Don't forget westend girls
Oh yeah, you are so right - I’d just add Joy Division ‘Love will tear us apart’ and you have the perfect 80’s trifecta. Maybe also something by the Cure? In Between Days?
@@frankmachin5438 The Walk
So true
Baby Ran, Cuts Like a Knife, I Love Rock 'n Roll, Electric Avenue, Purple Rain, Flesh for Fantasy, Sunday Bloody Sunday, She Sells Sanctuary, Need You Tonight, The Kiss, ...
Morrissey: i didnt leave my room for 3 months
Most people now: *laughs in quarantine*
Yeah lol
Hikkikimoris in Japan: Laugh even harder
to think that was even a little shocking when he said it...
#perspective
@@atom_gray not really most loner kids spend all their time in rooms
Now it's just video games.
I always thought his "plagerism" was more of a "hommage." I loved how The Smiths and Morrissey would include references to literature, it made me feel smarter, more romantic, it made me feel like they knew who I was and what I was going through. He never directly quoted anything, just a little blip of a reference that made me go OOOOH, that's good. I love How Soon Is Now? It's an amazing track in an amazing catalog of music from The Smiths and Morrissey.
Your last point - that The Smiths were an invitation for the introverted to join the dance floor - This rings 100% true for me. And just like the clip you showed, I remember being in my school gym, amazed as they actually played some of The Smiths' music! Thanks for the memory!
Relatable, have a nice day.
Except in that clip from the movie They actually played come on Eileen......
That's why Charlie from The Perks of Being A Wallflower (Movie) loves The Smiths.
Tattooed boy from Birkenhead (What She Said) Meat is Murder 1985
The smiths literally saved my life at a very bleak point in time for me . I clung to them for dear life. Life was hell . The smiths gave me a place to lose myself in and discover so much they had to Offer.
You aren't alone in that. As I get older and life's blandness creeps in, it's nice to be reminded of how far we've come from the bleakness. I actually prefer the bleakness and despair of that time in my life over now...taxes, mortgage, car payments. What can be more soul crushing than that?
The songs that saved your life. M.
The eyes of Satan. So true brother
For many of us as well
I was the 69th thumbs up! Also live because of the smiths.
I can feel “how soon Is now” more than any other song by anyone.
keeps you up at night in a good way
check out Quicksand's cover...
_very_ worthy.
but more than Stairway?! Let's not get carried away...
I could never put into words how Morrissey's lyrics have shaped me
You beautful 💘
@@bambamdias1948 it's Oda Nana Stan keyakizaka46
@@bambamdias1948 you're desperate😂
YES!
Yeah he is a great lyricist
I used to play How soon is now loud on my stereo in Highschool and it still speaks to me even now because i have awful social anxiety.
Cindi Gonzalez There's therapy for that.
@@ClepsidraSideral yea i should probably get some. Don't even know if i can afford it though.
Eat high fat diet, stop eating sugar/carbs..cured
@@17th_Street_Preacher I don't think that's the only thing, mate, anxiety can't be "cured" only worked around 🤷♂️
I think the line about going to the club to find a partner is the best part for me!
Didnt know it was a b-side. I just assumed it was their best selling single from their best selling album.
A thow-away b-side. In Morrissey's autobiography he explains how they never ever got played on Radio 1 even in their heyday.
Neither did I!
@@marcelacristina129 I once had my name read out on radio 1 in 2004 I was as embarrassed as fuck...
Likewise, "Dear God" by XTC was originally a B-side. Once it blew up Virgin Records forced them to stick it on Skylarking.
@@jamiecloughgaming25387 I'm not surprised. CloughGaming is a weird surname.
My favorite memories of "How Soon Is Now?" is being in underage dance clubs in the mid '80's with friends, a Bibi Caffee in one hand [because at 15, I *really* needed MORE caffeine], a Djarum Black in the other hand, mirror dancing [aka emotively swaying and sculpting air while coyly avoiding eye contact with other dancers] with dozens of other like minded kids. Deep diving into teenage angst, writhing our emotions triggered by the song in plain view but darkly lit. Dozens of us. Those of who knew the venue layout and heard the first few chords would rush to stand between the speaker stacks to fully feel the distorted tremolo of Marr's guitar physically course through our bodies. It felt so perfect, having our private agonies together, separately.
35 years later, I can still look across a crowded room of strangers when this song comes on and know *exactly* who gets it. The quiet smile and nod? Oh, yes! Introverts, we know quite well how to be social. We just do it in our own way because wearing "The Face" all day is exhausting and we need to take the mask off to replenish. That confuses the extroverted world and that's ok; we're generally pretty happy just as we are, except when people tell us we're broken because we aren't extroverted. But then again, we had The Smiths, The Cure, and, for me, all kinds of ska to sing in our ears and bump our rumps. :)
Thanks for the great channel, research, and commentary!
Well spoken. And i can totally relate to it all. Isn't it wonderful?
Djarum blacks 😂 are you indonesian
djarum black ?
Beautiful
Dang, dude.
Wonderful critique
I survived high school (1985-89) because of The Smiths. RIP best band ever.
Joel Tunnah MORRISSEY ruined them
@@Catglittercrafts Go on then, how did Morrissey ruin The Smiths?
@@revenone1077 probably that he wanted to go solo and broke them up or something like that
The Eyes of Satan he didn’t it was marr
High school was dreadful. M.
How Soon Is Now is literally the greatest track by The Smiths, f**king love everything about it.
I just came here to post that, but a past me, beat me to it.
Literally!
Idk man, Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Girl Afraid....
...What She Said, A Rush And A Push, You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby, Headmaster Ritual, Barbarism Begins At Home, The Queen Is Dead, Handsome Devil, Hand In Glove, This Charming Man, Wonderful Woman, Paint A Vulgar Picture, Rubber Ring....
There's too many to pick a #1 😂
@@NoName-cz3wn exactly
It's not mine but there are so many to choose from and it's never the wrong choice. That's exceedingly rare in a band.
How Soon is Now? changed my entire life and keeps changing it every time it plays again. I was so pleased to find this essay by accident. Brilliantly insightful.
👏 Bravo. You really did your homework on this one. Marr is one of the all-time greats of rock guitar; a living encyclopedia of the craft.
He really is. I've played guitar for over 30 years and can play almost anything well. Except for anything by Johnny Marr. Especially William It Really Was Nothing.
I mean yeah he's good, but not jimi hendrix or Eddie van Halen good
He was doing stuff that nobody else was doing at the time, he really knew how to write riffs that suited the songs perfectly. He wasn't for soloing and being flamboyant but he was
meticulous in the way he layered riffs and added embellishments. He written so many recognisable riffs like How Soon Is Now, This Charming Man, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable, Bigmouth Strike Again, I could go on.
@@lincolnjezek4370 I disagree, he wasn't technically as proficient as them but he's written many riffs that are easily on par with those two. Maybe not as influential but he was really one of a kind in the 80s, you'd never mistake his playing for anyone else. His riffs and embellishments served each song perfectly. He was a master during his peak years. Jonny Greenwood is similar and I know Radiohead have citied The Smiths as a big influence to them
This was very well done. The Smiths was my therapy of my youth. And now that am older…...I will cherish those moments forever.
Wow, so well said, "therapy". They probably kept me from killing myself many times. But now I miss those days so much.
Though I'm an American, when I listen to the Smiths my heart is in Britain.
🇺🇲❤️🇬🇧
@Smash A Commie That's kinda true. But it's no reason for quality music like this to die. There are quite a few parts of England which are still English. Do something about it - form a band and point out the neomarxist agenda in the lyrics. A lot of people could relate.
@Smash A Commie ...obviously you'd have to avoid the major labels though. They're degrading society with their toxic sounds. The Smiths never received any mainstream airplay in the '80s. They did it exclusively through word-of-mouth.
England produces some damn good music.
@unitedkingdom offiveeyes You're obviously not looking in the right places if you think that.
We make good music cause there's nothing better do, just a week in this shit tip will make you suicidal
Been listening to The Smith's for 35yrs ...... and I say here's to the next 35.
I was 7yrs old first time that I listened to How Soon is Now. This was back in Brazil and, of course, I couldn’t understand a word.
However, I remember the impact that this song caused immediately in me. I couldn’t stop listening to it. On repeat, over and over. Feeling goosebumps and knowing that, most probably, any of my friends wouldn’t feel the same if I tried to show them.
For a while I really felt a lack of belonging. But time fixes almost everything and you always find your peers at the end ;)
Now quoted by Susanna hoffs.
I love that this channel feels like it was made just for me. It's like having a really well-made documentary made about my iPod. I am thankful.
about your ipod? about you :)
Get over yourself already
No
And I thought it was about MY iPod! 😜🎸🎶
What a beautiful summation of what makes the smiths so god damn special
This little docu-gem is brilliant in all aspects! Entertainingly informative, they really mined the depths of detail on this song, both lyrically and musically. This is all supported by great background footage and visuals, and excellent editing, writing, and narration. Well done!
The first time I ever heard this song was on MTV in 1985.I was in my twenties.I am now in my fifties and this song is still relevant to me.Anyone with social anxiety will understand this song.
Ahhh the 80's. A time when nothing mattered but what song was next up and crying over lyrics that echoed how I felt everyday. My mix tapes were full of all of it, Smiths, Cure, Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Bauhaus... I remember one shitty summer diving deep into the Cures Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me. It was a crap summer and that album fit it perfectly. I remember the first time I heard How Soon is Now, it was on a dance floor and I was blown away. I still listen to the Smiths quite often, I love to croon along with Morrissey. It makes my wife roll her eyes and laugh. Now my teenage daughter listens to much of the old music from my time and she introduces me to new stuff and we bond over how music makes us feel.
I'll be 45 in a few days. Thie Smiths have been my favorite band for 30 years. I don't force my music all my kids but I asked them to listen to it (because of the pop rap phase that go through). But I told them it will mean something to you when you start to really understand the world, problems, sadness, joys and love that come to you. I believe this music hits you at a certain time in life when you actually need it. This band shaped my life and I will be forever grateful. 🖤
"I wear black on the outside because black is how I feel on the inside."
Moz: "I feel black on the inside"
Also Moz: "white people are under attack"
Which is it, maestro Thatcherite neurofasc?
black is enough colour.
Most part of the universe is black
One of his few cringe-worthy cliche lyrics.
I feel that was the point of it though, to be cliché but just my opinion
i've been listening to Asleep the last few days all the time, such a beautiful, soothing but also dark song.
U ok? 🖤
I spent my teenager years in Rio back in the late 80's and early 90's this song and Bigmouth strikes again would play... The parties and dance clubs would go insane. Great Days
Some songs you never forget the first time you hear them. This is one of them. In late 1984 a friend and I were 18 and snuck into a club to go dancing and she requested this song. I hadn't heard it yet. The DJ said, "Oh I love that song, but it's so slow and this crowd won't like it. Stick around and I might play it as the last song of the night." We did, he did, and the crowd went NUTS and completely filled the dance floor. Every time I hear this song I see my friend's foot-high blue Mohawk swaying under the strobe lights. She was dancing and crying and by the end of the song I was too.
I’m 62 and have all of these and more on cassette. The sheer memory makes me cry. I’ve been alone all my life.
A Hatful of Hollow redefined everything for me as a teenager. Along with The Cure, The Smiths spoke to me on my level. Never again have I felt this from an artist.
Amazing that an all time classic song was a 12" B side . A humble start to an iconic song. Dear God by XTC also was a B side originally. Both songs could have been lost were it not for astute DJ's and fans. Lucky us.
Dear God also had Todd Rundgren championing it
@@tdawson198 Todd did a great job producing skylarking. Still sounds fresh in 2019.
XTC ultimate outsider pop
@@davidellis5141 Especially if you get a copy of the (fairly) recently remixed version with corrected polarity.
Wasn’t much of a Smiths fan & really disliked Morrissey, but when I hear ‘How Soon is Now’ again, it’s like passing a girl in the street who’s wearing a perfume worn by an ex-girlfriend, it stirs up emotions and feelings buried for decades in the darkest corners of your mind. That tremolo guitar sound by Johnny Marr is genius.
Thank you so much for the video. The Smiths have always been with me throughout my falls and triumphs. In times when I could never be down and in times when I was at my lowest. The Smiths truly are the soundtrack to my life.
this video was like a montage of the throes of my teenage years- obsessing with the smiths, living for british indie; watching old top of the pops and films like submarine...... excellent work!
And I only knew so much about this song. It was a fascinating dive into how driving influences can be
Greatings from Lisbon, Portugal, I don't use to comment on many videos, since my language isn't English and dispite I'm able to understand everything I listen I'm a bit shy about my writing, but I can't avoid to complement you and show my appreciation of your work, I'm a huge music fan, in fact I learn how to speak English translating the lyrics from the album records that I managed to buy, thank you so much for a lot of interesting stories about our beloved musics and musicians.
I always felt "Purple Rain' was the "Stairway To Heaven" of the 80's. I'd say "How Soon Is Now?" is to the 1980's what "Cars" (Gary Numan) was to the 1970's - the sound of the future.
Brilliant video essay btw. Extremely well researched. This is a really great channel.
"Stairway to Heaven" is an overrated song that just isn't very good regardless of anything - and Goddard got it right. "How Soon Is Now?" is in its own league.
Astute on the latter comparison. Cars was stolen from Kraftwerk, How Soon is Now was stolen from the Chameleons. Or at least, everything that made them "the sound of the future".
@@tdawson198 Kraftwerk were absolutely incredible. I wouldn't say "stolen", however, in any of these cases. But yes, Autobahn was the "sound of the future"
there is no such thing as an overrated song,on a personal level, it's art,if it moves you that's all. Very interesting thread :)
I think there is. But let's agree to disagree.
I've been following the Smiths for years and this video has introduced me to things I had absolutely no idea about. Very well-researched. High quality stuff. Thanks, Trash Theory.
Hallo
@@heikeriedersberger7249 Hallo to you too
Man I miss those days of going to The Warehouse and buying the newest singles.
Where ? At the Wherehouse !
@@davidellis5141 Milpitas, CA. Warehouse Music.
@@Large23collectibles I used to live by the one on Wilshire in Santa Monica , CA.
The Warehouse was the name of a venue in Toronto in the 90s that had all sorts of good bands play.
I miss going to the record store period. I grew up going to Tower and independent record stores. Those days sadly, are gone forever.
The Smiths were the shit in the 80's. The first song I heard from them was this charming man. I purchased the cassette and have been a fan ever since. 👍
How soon is now is definitely one of the most hypnotic songs I’ve ever listened too! I remember dancing to this song at prom and just being in my own headspace even though I was dancing with my prom date! She loved it too!
I remember being introduced to this song by the movie "The Craft", my favorite tv show at the time "Charmed" and later on by the t.A.T.u cover (don't judge me) but I had no idea about the real meaning of it 'til I watched this video. The last part of the analysis really hit me right in the feels. HSIN is pure gold just like this channel.
One thing is for sure, The Smiths saved so many lonely souls.
If intentionally quoting other works is somehow plagiarism, then T.S. Eliot was a plagiarizer.
Edgar Allen Poe too.
I don't get how some people actually think this is plagiarism. Have they never heard of the word "inspired"?
@@jeremylim2421 people just jumble it together. of course every well educated person knows that quoting doesn't equal plagiarism.
You can't avoid your personal experiences as an artist, all artists do this either intentionally or unintentionally...
*plagiarist
The Smiths saved my life in high school (‘85-‘88). I listened to a lot of music, but The Smiths were so relateable-I felt like they were the only people who truly understood me. They were always there for me. I made it through and moved on with my life. And now, 35+ years later, I hear them almost daily, and thank them for helping me make it out. And I remember the good times, and the good people. The bad have all faded. And The Smiths sound as great as they always did. Thanks, Guys! I Love You. ❤️🌈
Just came across this channel tonight, love what you do here. At 53 How Soon is Now remains one of my favourite tracks ever, always was. It's true, the opening wobble is just as instantly recognisable as almost anything you could mention, it's just that when you hear it you have to pause for a few seconds to make sure it isn't Hippy Chick by Soho :D, then you can get excited.
Wow you dove SO deep into one of my all time favorite songs. I'm seriously impressed!
I might sounds out of nowhere but I never feel more in love with this band after I listened to Well I Wonder for the first time. still one of the most beautiful song that I ever heard
I filled my dance floor at the gay club I DJed in 1985 with "How Soon as Now" and a year earlier with "This Charming Man". I personally love all the Smiths' and Morrissey's Music and snuck (if you prefer, sneaked) them into my sets as often as I could.
I was going to goth/ Industrial clubs in the late 90’s early 2000s and they’d drop How Soon Is Now to much crowd appreciation.
Morrissey, like a lot of musical geniuses is amazing on record and in concert, but in public not so much. Just look at the number of amazing artists that just can’t deal with the general public. Simply a ‘Sheldon’ in the world of music.
I didn't even know it was a B-side so I guess I can say I learned something today.
Luckily the record companies recognized their error and released it as an A-side in over 40 different versions: www.discogs.com/master/view/4174
I have the U.S. 12"
A rough mix was first aired as part of a John Peel session about three weeks before its release, and everyone who heard it knew then that it was something special.
Twice-married with grown-up kids, I'm still that shy, introverted teenager that the Smiths were writing for all those years ago. How Soon Is Now speaks for me. It makes me feel that I'm not alone or weird. This video moved me. Thank you
This is easily one of the most well made videos about music in the internet. I loved it completely and its no wonder I love "How soon is now" so much!
How soon is now....Genius, simply stunning one of the greatest tracks ever recorded.
Being born in 2000, I can't imagine "How Soon is Now" ever being played in a club, anymore than I can imagine "Stairway to Heaven". It's such a chill, listen-to-at-home song, it's outside anything I can imagine. I wonder if today's club music will somehow be considered chill years from now.
I was about 22, growing up in LA, and when KROQ played that song, time stopped! It was that good and completely unique. Absolutely jaw dropping. Yet it still took awhile before The Smiths clicked with me. My personal favorite has always been the OG single version of “What Difference Does It Make”. Stellar!
Seems I knew more than a few people obsessed with The Smiths. I just wasn’t one of them. Nonetheless I appreciated them enough to see them live. But it was the time I went to see The Fall (another Manchester band) around 1984-85 at The Palace in Hollywood that really sticks out in my mind. My friend who adored The Smiths way before anybody else I knew was suddenly overcome with emotion talking to someone in the crowd awaiting for The Fall to come on stage. It was Morrisey! Just hanging out, waiting for his hometown band, The Fall, to perform. He was very gracious to my friend and talked to her for 10 minutes or so. I knew who Morrisey was at the time but had no idea that is who my friend was talking to. She just came back in tears telling me she told him his lyrics were the most moving thing ever and probably a million more complements. Funny, I don’t think most people in the audience knew who Morrisey was. But it didn’t take much longer after that the whole world knew who The Smiths were! Back in the day.
I can actually still remember the first time I heard HSIN. It was late autumn, '84. I was just going through my first big break-up/heartbreak. I was already a Smiths fan; but hearing this was just a gut-punch. It felt like Morrissey had written the thing just for me. Beyond that, though, I instantly recognized that this thing was huge! Arguably the single defining song of the '80's -- and it is pure genius. So new, and yet so familiar at the same time. As the video mentions, what Stairway To Heaven or Hey Jude(?) are to their decades. The best part is, that the girl who was breaking my heart mentioned my "weird" taste in music; and why didn't I like "normal" music like her. I remember telling her that, in twenty or thirty years, the music and bands she thought were so great would be a laughable, forgotten footnote (I'm looking at you Mister Mister and The Outfield), while at the same time, HSIN, and Punk/Alternative in general would be the stuff remembered, analyzed and discussed.
Couldn't agree more on the last point. A band that made songs that knocked on the hearts of the introverted and excluded for decades to come. Grouped together in their lonesomeness. Playing and singing poetically painful content in a beautifully upbeat, yet melancholic manner.
Takes me back. Those lonely years were the best of years in a strange way.
This is my ringtone, an introvert diagnosed with Asperger months before turning 50.
In a very Pavlovian way makes me jump for my phone every time I hear it.
Also can still relive the moment hearing this for the first time in my club of choice after falling for it whilst watching late night tv
This song has been a personal favorite for years since the first time I heard it and I think it has a timeless quality and appeals to anyone who has felt that isolation.
Going to high school in the mid 80's I was mainly into Heavy Metal and Punk, but, The Smiths always absolutely captivated me. I still love listening to them and when I do I seem to be instantly teleported back to that wonderful time.
This is just a perfectly done video. TH-cam has its hidden treasures and this channel is definitely one. IMO. Thanks.
I’ll never forget taking two trains home from school at night, clear across LA while listening to this track, sinking into my self-pity and resentment of the world around me. I was one with this song in those moments.
Best song of all time without a shadow of a doubt that song will never age period
Thank you Smitgs for being thier when i needed you. 40 years later still a fan . MOZ AND MARR
"This is Marr or Morrissey's greatest gift. A defining siren call for the lonely or the criminally shy."
Damn dude. That's... That's just fucking beautiful.
As a child of the 70/s/80's I found this really very interesting, big Smiths fan back then, and now. cool video.
Morrissey is an Icon,
there's not many like him
Thank God. He's a bitch.
@@thedude4672
Lol!! Why?!
@@thedude4672 Lol! Why?!
@@Dreamskater100 he's a massive racist
Natalie Cameron I knew someone would be triggered. He’s not a racist for opposing mass immigration but so what if he is. Most people prefer to be around their own kind.
Excellent- Lovebug Starski .... think I remember hearing Positive Life about 20 years ago but had no idea Johnny Marr was a fan back then.....
Heaven knows I'm miserable now got me curious about this weird band and How soon is now totally got me into it for ever
Holy crap, man. You deserve more subs. WAY more.
I was never a huge fan of Morrissey, but one of my favorite songs is "How Soon Is Now?"
One of my most listened to songs during the 80's and 90's, and yet I never knew all of these details. Fascinating! Now I don't know whether to be disappointed in how many references they had for this song - that it wasn't their sheer brilliance of just creating it out of nothing... or whether to admire how masterfully they put all of those inspirations together to create such an amazing song.
REALLY GOOD ANALYSIS of a CLASSIC song... While I got MOST of the lyrical 'lifts' Morrissey used at the time, it's really interesting to discover how Johnny Marr lifted and adapted musical ideas too... But, THE SMITHS did this in a way that produced a Distinctive Smiths Sound... xx SF
I still get goose bumps when I hear that track, just like I did in the early '80s when I first heard it on CBC's Brave New Waves at 2:00 in the morning (I live in Canada). When I saw The Smiths live a few years later, it was akin to bowing before the messiah. I'll never forget it. It remains the band that most influenced me, and I was no teenager when they came out.
That Perks edit at the end was really sweet and made me smile. Also it's great to hear you talk about music in such a loving way - really enjoyed my time with this video.
Brilliant channel, just brilliant
Timeless song. You outdid yourself with your writing on this video.
I was really depressed
Then one afternoon, when I was 14, I accidentally discovered The Smiths...
My depression was actually kinda "boosted" you can say (no need to explain why) but my life was better and I started having an identity
The breakdown of material reference for this song is tremendous! Subscribed!
I love that Morrisey remains an outsider and anathema to the main stream today. He is not going to give you socially acceptable in 1984 or in 2020. He is better than the corporate media that permeates the mainstream music industry. Morrissey is a bonafide genius, and we get to enjoy his work.
I assume you've forgotten the Nazi stuff then.
@@ShapezPuller64 Creating brilliant art SOMETIMES means challenging norms, angering sensibilities, and exploring ideas that are messy. Outsider thinking can be "wrong" and "dangerous," but if you reject outsiders out of hand for their "bad" ideas, you'll miss the brain that can lead to something truly beautiful or transformative. Scary ideas and topics are the place where brilliance lies sometimes. Those willing to step outside the banal echo chamber of ideas that permeates most popular music are the ones who might surprise you and create something truly great. I guess I am a "bad" person.
This came up in my recommended and as a lover of the song I thought I might skip through a few minutes of the video out of interest, but I ended up staying with it for every second. Just a very well done video. Good job!
I'm 16 and The Smiths have shaped me and helped me through such tough times.
I had all my cd's organised into genre's. All except The Smith's, because they had their own section. Nothing else sounded like them and nothing ever will. Only Morrissey could be pretentious and sincere at the same time. They were an awesome yet bizarre band. Good memories of being at sixth form / uni in the eighties. Cool video. 😀
Great rockumentary..You should be getting more subs.
It’s hard to overstate - having been in high school in the 80s - how big this song was and how much it resonated with many of us. I’m new to this channel and am really enjoying your videos.
I've loved this song for sometime but never really how it affected so many others Kudos for this enlightenment.
One of the first shows I ever attended was The Smiths in 1986. It was the tour to support "The Quern is Dead". The show was the highlight of that summer. Thanks for the reminder of what an amazing talent they were. Well done!
The music videos of the smiths were also so great and the album covers!
You're one of the few people that can get me excited about random artists and making me want to listen to them. Thank you so much, dude! 👍
I'm so happy I got into this band even though I wasn't around for them.
First heard this song on my sixth birthday. I'm 29 now. It’s still one of my favorite songs in the world and every time I hear that opening guitar riff my heart skips a beat❤️ ❤️❤️
Love the smiths🔥
Love Morrissey, he’s a deep man and it shows in his lyrics. I think he’s very misunderstood by the public or perhaps media, and is a very interesting and likeable person
Every Friday night around 10pm at The Firm nightclub in Perth, Western Australia in 1992. This song.