The Great Smiths Covers CompetitionIt seemed like a pretty straightforward idea at the time. I had just found a free sampler CD in a Record Store (remember those?) with Brit sop-smith
Scott Matthews doing a cover of "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side". I thought I would post it, and realizing that I could come up with a few other decent Smiths covers, I elected to make a mixtape. Then I found out the truth.
There are hundreds of covers of Smiths and Morrissey songs out there.
Hundreds. Every time I thought I'd discovered them all, another one came along, like a number two bus in a
Doctor Who episode. What to do?
Here's the plan. I'm going to post a few at a time, along with a small poll where my beloved readers* can choose a favorite. If all goes well, I should end up with the definitive Smiths/Morrissey tribute CD, which I have already entitled "Nobody Loves Us" which seemed appropriate, ironic and, by the way, a nod to one of the Moz's better B-Sides.
As I'm not one of those Smiths obsessives (who, for example, might hang out all day at the hyperactive Smiths forums) I'm not planning to debate all the pros and cons of various versions. There's plenty of that elsewhere on the net. You could write a thesis if you want. But for me, either like/no-like is good enough. Oh, and if you heard a better one than I mention, feel free to let me know. Or not.
Track 1 - The Boy With The Thorn In His SideScott Matthews
Bis
JeJune
Dinosaur Jr.
* This means you, Davy, Mikey and the gorgeous Miss Parker