It’s time to get back to my favorite decade. For the month of March, I’ll be looking back at some of my favorite jams from the 80s. These songs often came to me via MTV or the radio. NYC-area stations WDRE, WPLJ, WNEW, K-ROCK and Z100 introduced me to everything from irresistible pop confections to under-the-radar post-punk anthems. I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for the 80s. It was the decade when I discovered music can be a truly powerful thing. #31DaysOf80sSongs
One of my favorite rock bands of the 80’s, The Smiths were a short-lived phenomenon akin to a romantic fling. It was amazing while it lasted. It went by so fast, but the days were packed. In about a five-year period, the band produced four studio albums, a live album and a couple of compilations. Louder Than Bombs, in particular, was a favorite of mine, one that I remember often playing late into the night. It pulled together a series of disparate Smiths singles and their b-sides that didn’t appear on any of their studio albums. On a record where every track was a standout, some of those b-sides were a-side worthy. But today, I’m playing the Smiths anthem “Sheila Take A Bow” on the Mental Jukebox.
I picked this Smiths track because on top of being a great track it carries the added significance of being the last song that the band performed live. It’s the swan song and, although unintentional, it also has a sense of urgency to it. Marr’s guitar hooks soar high and hover low. Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce play one their more ambitious songs together. And Morrissey penned a lyrical masterpiece. “Boot the grime of this world in the crotch, dear. And don't go home tonight. Come out and find the one that you love and who loves you.” It’s as if the band knew all along this would be their last performance and that they would have to make every second of it count. As Sheila took her bow, Morrissey, Marr, Joyce and Rourke would take one final one as well.
“Boot the grime of this world in the crotch, dear.”