Top 10 Songs by The Smiths

The Smiths with their beautiful lyrics and haunting melodies to this day have a strong cult following and have influenced many. The English rock bank formed in 1982 in Manchester and included brilliant songwriters Morrissey (vocals) and Johnny Marr (guitar), and bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce.

Their music has touched me at different points in my life, and even though I have seen the amazing Morrissey live, I would have loved to have had the opportunity to see The Smiths together.

It was extremely difficult to choose only 10 songs, since they are all great, but here are my present top 10.

10. "Bigmouth Strikes Again" (The Queen is Dead, 1986) - If nothing else, have to like the lyrics. "Now I know how Joan of Arc felt, As the flames rose to her Roman nose, and her Walkman started to melt."

9. "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" (The Queen is Dead, 1986) - This song has a wonderful melody and states that underneath all the insecurity there is a strong need for love. "The boy with the thorn on his side, behind the hatred there lies a murderous desire for love."

8. "Ask" (Louder Than Bombs, 1987) - This song is perfect for all those wallflowers and bashful teens out there. "Shyness is nice and shyness can stop you, from doing all the things in life you'd like to, So, if there's something you'd like to try ... Ask me, I won't say "No", how could I?"

7. "I Know It's Over" (The Queen is Dead, 1986) - A beautifully sad break up song. Morrissey's voice is amazing. "Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head, and as I climb into an empty bed, oh well, enough said, I know it's over, still I cling, I don't know where else I can go."

6. "Well I Wonder" (Meat is Murder, 1985) - Wonderful lyrics that plead not be forgotten. "Well I wonder, do you hear me, When you sleep, I hoarsely cry, Well I wonder, do you see me, When we pass, I half die, Please keep me in mind."

5. "This Charming Man" (The Smiths, 1984) - Just love this song, the music, the guitar and the lyrics. "I would go out tonight, But I haven't got a stitch to wear, This man said "it's gruesome, That someone so handsome should care"."

4. "How Soon Is Now" (Meat is Murder, 1985) -This is one of their best known songs and the opening music is truly memorable. It was featured in the movies The Wedding Singer, Closer and Cruel Intentions and was used as the theme song for the TV show Charmed. Has a wonderful vibe. "I am the son and the heir, Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar ... You shut your mouth, how can you say, I go about things the wrong way, I am human and I need to be loved, Just like everybody else does."

3. "Cemetry Gates" (The Queen is Dead, 1986) - I absolutely love this song and its lyrics. This one was my favorite throughout college. "A dreaded sunny day, So I meet you at the cemetery gates, Keats and Yeats are on your side, While Wilde is on mine, So we go inside and we gravely read the stones, All those people, all those lives, Where are they now?"

2. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (Hatful of Hollow, 1984) - Who hasn't felt like this before? The perfect Smiths song. "I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour, But heaven knows I'm miserable now, I was looking for a job and then I found a job, And heaven knows, I'm miserable now, In my life, why do I give valuable time, To people who don't care if I live or die?"

1. "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" (The Queen is Dead, 1986) - Beautifully poetic depressing love song you have to love. This is my all time favorite. "And if a double-decker bus crashes into us, To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die, And if a ten-ton truck kills the both of us, To die by your side, well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine."

Honorable Mentions:

"London" (Louder Than Bombs, 1987)

"The Queen Is Dead" (The Queen is Dead, 1986)

"What Difference Does It make" (The Smiths, 1984)

"Still ill" (The Smiths, 1984)

"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" (Strangeways, Here I Come, 1987)

"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" (Strangeways, Here I Come, 1987)

"Girlfriend In A Coma" (Strangeways, Here I Come, 1987)

"Panic" (Louder Than Bombs, 1987)

And I'm sure I'm missing some other great ones!

You can check out all the lyrics to all The Smiths songs here.