B-Sides - Morrissey vs The Smiths

Life_Is_A_Pigsty

Gear Changer
The Smiths were well known for hiding a few gems on b-sides or as the extra track on the 12" single, which is something Morrissey continues to do also, but which would you prefer - solo or Smith?

I have tried to pick only the b-sides that never ended up as album tracks, so no Cemetry Gates or Well I Wonder, I suppose How Soon Is Now is a bit of a tricky one as it did of course become a single.

The Smiths B-Sides
1. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
2. Back To The Old House
3. How Soon Is Now
4. Asleep
5. Stretch Out And Wait
6. Half A Person
7. Rubber Ring
8. Jeane
9. London
10. These Things Take Time


Morrissey B-Sides
1. The Never Played Symphonies
2. Jack The Ripper
3. I’ve Changed My Plea To Guilty
4. Lost
5. My Dearest Love
6. Nobody Loves Us
7. I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
8. Art Hounds
9. Hairdresser On Fire
10. Sister I’m A Poet

Still no Friday Mourning, Disappointed or Drag The River, and if the alternative version of Sweetie Pie had been released then it would surely be top 5 for me.

Apart from the first 3 or 4 Smiths b-sides, I think there are more great solo b-sides, but of course there should be as Morrissey has been solo over 20 years longer than he was a Smith.
 
It's a crime Half a Person and Jack the Ripper haven't been given the attention those songs deserve.
 
The Smiths were well known for hiding a few gems on b-sides or as the extra track on the 12" single, which is something Morrissey continues to do also, but which would you prefer - solo or Smith?

I have tried to pick only the b-sides that never ended up as album tracks, so no Cemetry Gates or Well I Wonder, I suppose How Soon Is Now is a bit of a tricky one as it did of course become a single.

The Smiths B-Sides
1. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
2. Back To The Old House
3. How Soon Is Now
4. Asleep
5. Stretch Out And Wait
6. Half A Person
7. Rubber Ring
8. Jeane
9. London
10. These Things Take Time


Morrissey B-Sides
1. The Never Played Symphonies
2. Jack The Ripper
3. I’ve Changed My Plea To Guilty
4. Lost
5. My Dearest Love
6. Nobody Loves Us
7. I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
8. Art Hounds
9. Hairdresser On Fire
10. Sister I’m A Poet

Still no Friday Mourning, Disappointed or Drag The River, and if the alternative version of Sweetie Pie had been released then it would surely be top 5 for me.

Apart from the first 3 or 4 Smiths b-sides, I think there are more great solo b-sides, but of course there should be as Morrissey has been solo over 20 years longer than he was a Smith.

'Lost' may very be my favorite song Morrissey has ever written. 'I'd Love To' 'Because of my Poor Education' 'You Should Have Been Nice to Me' 'The Edges are no Longer Parallel' 'Pashernate Love' 'Let the Right One Slip In' 'This is Not Your Country' 'Tony the Pony' 'Swallow on my Neck' 'The Loop' 'Lucky Lisp' Michael's Bones' 'You've Had Her' and 'Don't Make Fun of Daddy's Voice' are all b-sides I enjoy immensely.

EDIT: Oh and of course the glorious 'Christian Dior.'
 
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yeah i love christian doir. well there are no bad smiths b-sides imo but morrisseys got some duff ones here and ther but theres also way way more moz b-sides over the years so i do go smiths
 
'Lost' may very be my favorite song Morrissey has ever written. 'I'd Love To' 'Because of my Poor Education' 'You Should Have Been Nice to Me' 'The Edges are no Longer Parallel' 'Pashernate Love' 'Let the Right One Slip In' 'This is Not Your Country' 'Tony the Pony' 'Swallow on my Neck' 'The Loop' 'Lucky Lisp' Michael's Bones' 'You've Had Her' and 'Don't Make Fun of Daddy's Voice' are all b-sides I enjoy immensely.

EDIT: Oh and of course the glorious 'Christian Dior.'

Swallow on My Neck is a great song.
 
Such was the musical and lyrical quality of the smiths "b sides",many singles could and should have been released as "double a sides".
 
Solo!

My Dearest Love
Friday Mourning
The Public Image
You Must Please Remember
Lost
Christian Dior
The Never-Played Symphonies
Nobody Loves Us
Jack The Ripper
Art-hounds
 
Plus:

Shame Is The Name
The Edges Are No Longer Parallel
One Of Our Own
Because Of My Poor Education
Mexico
Tony The Pony
This Is Not Your Country
Drag The River
Sister I'm A Poet
Teenage Dad On His Estate
 
What're you talking about? Jack The Ripper has been a live staple for eons.

He hasn't played Jack the Ripper in a while and it doesn't really ever seem to be spoken about by the press and most fans.


One of Our Own is spectacular. That should have been on the album, not the deluxe.
 
He hasn't played Jack the Ripper in a while and it doesn't really ever seem to be spoken about by the press and most fans.


One of Our Own is spectacular. That should have been on the album, not the deluxe.


I'm still very curious about the French Mix that was to appear on the axed The Bullfigter Dies vinyl single.
 
Smiths b's are better but heres my tops, (in some sort of order)

1) Jeane
2) Well I wonder
3) Handsome Devil
4) Please, Please, Please
5) Back to the old house
6) Girl Afraid
7) London
8) Half a person
9) Cemetry Gates
10) I keep mine hidden



1) Jack the ripper
2) I've changed my plea
3) Such a little thing
4) Disappointed
5) I know very well
6) Sister i'm a poet
7) Nobody loves us
8) Michaels Bones
9) Used to be a sweet boy
10) At amber
 
it tough as there are so many more moz b-sides some of which are just spectacular. in the end id probably go solo. i mean at amber, girl least likely to, my dearest love etc
 
Smiths b's are better but heres my tops, (in some sort of order)

1) Jeane
2) Well I wonder
3) Handsome Devil
4) Please, Please, Please
5) Back to the old house
6) Girl Afraid
7) London
8) Half a person
9) Cemetry Gates
10) I keep mine hidden



1) Jack the ripper
2) I've changed my plea
3) Such a little thing
4) Disappointed
5) I know very well
6) Sister i'm a poet
7) Nobody loves us
8) Michaels Bones
9) Used to be a sweet boy
10) At amber

Aren't Well I Wonder and Cemetry Gates album tracks?
 
Aren't Well I Wonder and Cemetry Gates album tracks?

Agreed, if they made a studio album proper they don't count. 'Used to be a Sweet Boy' for the same reason.

- - - Updated - - -

Smiths b's are better but heres my tops, (in some sort of order)

1) Jeane
2) Well I wonder
3) Handsome Devil
4) Please, Please, Please
5) Back to the old house
6) Girl Afraid
7) London
8) Half a person
9) Cemetry Gates
10) I keep mine hidden



1) Jack the ripper
2) I've changed my plea
3) Such a little thing
4) Disappointed
5) I know very well
6) Sister i'm a poet
7) Nobody loves us
8) Michaels Bones
9) Used to be a sweet boy
10) At amber

Can't believe 'Lost' didn't make your Moz top 10. Each to their own I guess.
 
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