I only truly enjoy one song by The Smiths. And it's not what you think...

[Gravitycollapse]

I really don't understand most of their appeal. Someone tell me I'm wrong and I just need to spend more time listening.

[d_r]

1. to me

the fun thing about the smiths is that the songs are just sing-songy, if that makes sense. they are fun to sing along to because of the melodies and the word play and the wineyness. I guess I have a strange sense of humor because smiths lyrics crack me up.

[Chan790]

2. This is my favorite.

I can't tell you that. Only you can tell you that...I can say that they're improbably the best band of the 1980s. I can tell you that Morrissey and Marr were one of the best songwriting duos of the 20^th century, a fact that is not mitigated that they're both tremendous assholes and implacable narcissists.

Should you listen more? Yes. It's integral to have well-rounded-out musical awareness, even of genres and bands you think suck. Otherwise, you're not really speaking from a place of informed opining when you offer criticism.

For example...it'd be meaningless for me to say "I really fucking hate GWAR" if I'd never really spent any time listening to GWAR. There could be one GWAR song that I go "Hm. This is merely awful." There isn't and I know this because I've listened to a critically-substantial amount of GWAR.

Edit: Bands that I non-apologetically hate every song they've ever recorded and you'd have to torture me into admitting their music isn't torturous (I'd be lying): Phish, The Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews Band, everything Michael Franti has ever recorded (both with Spearhead and without), Dispatch, Guster, GWAR, most black metal, Megadeth. (This list is not all-inclusive.)

[Tom Ripley]

3. I only truly enjoy one song by The Smiths. And it is what you think...

yes, the tremolo song.
Otherwise, I truly hate their sound. However, I love all Morrissey interviews.

[pipi_k]

4. Honestly...

I don't understand the appeal either.

Not impressed.

[Avalux]

5. How old are you?

If you didn't live through The Smiths and understand where they fit in the culture of that time, could explain it. The band was real - not dressed up and manufactured like the stuff coming out of GB at the time. They were phenomenal live; loud guitar in contrast to the soft sing-song of Morrissey's unusual vocal style. He had a way of connecting with his audience - a dynamic performer.

And lyrically - brilliant. There was a delightful sarcasm to the lyrics that said hey - be yourself no matter how flawed you are. Morrissey was outspoken about his celibacy and didn't really care if that went against the conventional boy/girl romance of rock music. At the time, that was quite revolutionary. Oh and then there's the politics; Thatcher rules GB with her iron girdle and Morrissey was outspoken in his opposition - even to the point of calling for her assassination. Didn't much like the Queen either.

They did their thing for 5 years and split up before fading into mediocrity. For such a short period of time, incredibly influential.

Interesting BBC documentary - if you've got 30 minutes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jGPP4rcvdtQ


And one of my favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hTmkOSCt3A8

Apologies,, having trouble embedding the videos

[Gravitycollapse]

6. Just turned 24.