Stop Me
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Stop Me | ||
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| Compilation album by The Smiths | ||
| Released | January 21, 1988 | |
| Recorded | 1983–1987, England | |
| Genre | Alternative rock | |
| Length | ??:?? | |
| Label | RCA Victor | |
| Producer(s) | Various (see main text) | |
| Professional reviews | ||
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| The Smiths chronology | ||
| Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) |
Stop Me (1988) |
Rank (1988) |
Stop Me is a compilation album by English band The Smiths. It compiles the band's then-latest (but not last) three singles and their B-sides in reverse-chronological order. Stop Me was released in January 1988 by their Japanese record company, RCA Victor.
Contents |
[edit] About the album
In 1987, The Smiths' UK record company, Rough Trade, planned to release three singles from the newly-recorded Strangeways, Here We Come album. In August 1987 "Girlfriend in a Coma" was scheduled to be released as planned when news broke that the band had split up. This presented Rough Trade with a problem as no new material would be available to complement the other singles on their B-sides. It was decided to release the singles as planned, using archive material for B-sides. Singer Morrissey remained involved in the singles' sleeve design.
The second single off Strangeways, Here We Come was scheduled to be "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before", an up-tempo pop-rock song. Unfortunately, the song contains the lines
| “ | I crashed down on the crossbar And the pain was enough |
” |
and Rough Trade deemed it unwise to release the song in the wake of the Hungerford massacre, fearing a BBC Radio ban. In the UK, "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" was chosen instead, but other countries (United States, Canada, Australia, The Netherlands) opted to keep "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before", releasing it in 7", 12" and CD single formats.
In Germany, the track was released as a double A-side with "Girlfriend in a Coma"; the 12" and CD versions featured the latter's original B-sides "Work Is a Four-Letter Word" and "I Keep Mine Hidden". The band's Japanese record company went one further and decided to compile their latest three singles, none of which had been released in Japan, and all of their B-sides onto a compilation album that bore an abbreviated version of the latest (international) single's title. By the time of the album's release, another single had been issued in the UK ("Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me", December 1987), but it was not included.
[edit] Cover
The cover sleeve, designed as usual by Morrissey, features Murray Head in a still from the 1966 film The Family Way. The same design was used for the European and Australian 1987 single editions, but not for the contemporary UK single "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish", which had its own sleeve design (yet used the same B-sides as "Stop Me...").
[edit] Track-by-track description
- "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before": a catchy, up-tempo pop-rock song that finds an urgent Morrissey in conflict with life and love. International single instead of "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish".
- "Pretty Girls Make Graves": the deepest dig into the archives, a clippety-clopping, slower take on The Smiths album track, taken from the discarded first attempt with producer Troy Tate, formerly of The Teardrop Explodes (1983). This track features a guest appearance by Audrey Riley on cello.
- "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others": another archive recording, this live version of The Queen Is Dead’s final track, taken from what would prove to be the band's final concert, at the London Brixton Academy on December 12, 1986. Notable for Marr's fine guitar work and the inclusion by Morrissey of an additional verse.
- "Girlfriend In a Coma": the first single to be released off Strangeways, Here We Come, which juxtaposes a bouncy musical backing with Morrissey's morose musings on life and death.
- "Work Is a Four-Letter Word": cover of a Cilla Black song which failed to enthuse Marr. Still, the musical backing sparkles, while Morrissey sings somewhat off-key.
- "I Keep Mine Hidden": the last song Morrissey and Marr wrote together, and the last song The Smiths ever recorded. See its entry for more details.
- "Sheila Take a Bow": the first single of 1987, a glam-rock stomp musing about liberation from obligations. It was a Top 10 hit in the UK. "Sheila Take a Bow" was later included on Louder Than Bombs in the United States and on the present compilation in Japan; it only became available on album in the United Kingdom when Rough Trade decided to release Louder Than Bombs as well.
- "Is It Really So Strange?": a relatively simple rhythm and blues song, originally recorded for BBC Radio 1's John Peel programme.
- "Sweet and Tender Hooligan": scorching, spiteful rock song about a repeat offender being tried and appealing for leniency with the judge, also recorded for the John Peel show.
[edit] Track listing
All songs written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr except as noted. Songs marked "*" are exclusive to this compilation.
- "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"
- "Pretty Girls Make Graves" (early version)*
- "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" (live)*
- "Girlfriend in a Coma"
- "Work Is a Four-Letter Word" (Guy Woolfenden, Don Black)*
- "I Keep Mine Hidden*"
- "Sheila Take a Bow"
- "Is It Really So Strange?" (John Peel session)
- "Sweet and Tender Hooligan" (John Peel session)
[edit] Trivia
The song "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" was covered in 2007 by Mark Ronson. [1]
[edit] Personnel
[edit] The band
- Morrissey – voice
- Johnny Marr – guitar, piano
- Andy Rourke – bass guitar
- Mike Joyce – drums, backing vocals on "Work Is a Four-Letter Word"
[edit] Additional musicians
- Audrey Riley – cello on "Pretty Girls Make Graves"
- Stephen Street – synthesized strings on "Girlfriend in a Coma"
- John Porter – slide guitar on "Sheila Take a Bow"
[edit] Technical staff
- Johnny Marr, Morrissey and Stephen Street – producers (1, 4, 7-9)
- Troy Tate – producer (2)
- Grant Showbiz – producer (3, 5-6)
[edit] External links
- Passions Just Like Mine, site featuring the definitive Smiths and Morrissey discographies
| The Smiths |
| Morrissey - Johnny Marr - Andy Rourke - Mike Joyce |
| Craig Gannon - Dale Hibbert |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums: The Smiths | Meat Is Murder | The Queen Is Dead | Strangeways, Here We Come | Rank (live) |
| Singles: Hand in Glove | This Charming Man | What Difference Does It Make? | Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now | William, It Was Really Nothing | How Soon Is Now? | Shakespeare's Sister | That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore | The Boy with the Thorn in His Side | Bigmouth Strikes Again | Panic | Ask | Shoplifters of the World Unite | Sheila Take a Bow | Girlfriend in a Coma | I Started Something I Couldn't Finish | Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me | There Is a Light That Never Goes Out |
| Band-assembled compilations: Hatful of Hollow | The World Won't Listen | Louder Than Bombs |
| Other compilations: Stop Me | Best...I | ...Best II | Singles | The Very Best of The Smiths |
| Related |
| Rough Trade Records |
Stop me has just been re-done by Mark Ronson.
