The Smiths album “Meat Is Murder” is one of the most controversial/political albums. The album is political because Morrisey is an animal rights activist. Morrisey has a strong love and passion for animals, and he has, over the years, joined many animal rights campaigns. One of the tracks on the album is called “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore” which detours onto a different route. When the song was released as a single it was the lowest charting song of “The Smiths”. It only reached at #49 in the charts. The song starts with Morrissey singing the line: “Park the car at the side of the road you should know, time’s tide will smother you, and I will too” After the line “Park the car at the side of the road” the drums come in as if to say pay attention, for what I’m about to say is important. He then continues with “time’s tide will smother you, and so will I”, as if something has been building up inside of him, and now he needs to release the burden. From the time the song starts you feel like Morrisey is singing to you only. The listener gets a vibe that Morrisey is about to share a secret or wants to confess something in particular. Morrissey pours his heart into the line “I wish I could laugh”, emphasizing laugh by making it more than one syllable, and hitting a high note, almost letting the words and thoughts ascend to heaven.
This song, from my perspective, is about sending a message to people that what goes around comes around. Morrissey is warning people to not mock those who are sad or are struggling in life because eventually any one of us may be in the same situation. Those who think they are invincible will come to realize that even they will fall at times. The lyrics are haunting. It’s a song trying to convey empathy, to make people understand how it feels to be sinking and to have all the happiness sucked out of them. The song is not uplifting, in fact, it’s quite depressing.
In my opinion it’s Johnny Marr’s guitar playing that helped make this song a classic. At 1:00 minute through 1:38 into the song you hear Marr’s classic solo rift. It’s a unique distinct sound, Marr makes his guitar weep, and it sounds like a lost soul in distress. Johnny Marr’s guitar playing chills like an autumn breeze while a thousand cries are unleashing their emotions. While the solo is moving on Morrisey is heard softly singing: “Kick them when they fall down” “You kick them when they fall down”. In other words Morrisey is saying it’s bad enough that a person is depressed, but instead of empathy or sympathy, there are cruel people who enjoy other people’s misery. To me the soft, mournful way he sings those words, expresses shame that humans lack the capacity to identify with, or care about, those less fortunate.
It was quite an incomparable sound for its time, and still is to this date. The Smiths were not commercially popular because unlike most bands that were out at the time, these guys were singing and writing music about actual experiences that we all encounter in life at least once. The Smiths are conceivably one of the most misunderstood, and talented bands. Stephen Morrisey is a poet, who in my opinion is as good as Bob Dylan or Jim Morrison, both in his writing, and his distinctive voice, style, and execution. He is type of singer that speaks his mind truthfully and is not fearful to convey a message right from his heart, as he does in most of his songs. He may be a shy man when interviewed, but he is a man with a “big stick” when placed in front of a microphone. Towards the end of the song the harmony is so beautiful yet heartbreaking when he sings the lyrics “I’ve seen this happen in other people’s lives and now it’s happening in mine” his voice is practically in tears expressing how his life has turned upside down and is filled with desolation not comprehending why things are turning out the way they are for him. Johnny Marr’s guitar playing also gets louder (crescendo) to be on the same level and match Morrissey’s high note. I chose this song, because I do believe that it has a strong message and it needs to be heard and quite frankly it’s underrated and way overlooked. I believe most people can relate to this song on some emotional level. Those who cannot probably still have not experienced life to the fullest to where they experienced good/bad times with money, love, friendship etc.
They wrote about and touched on what most people would dare not to think twice to say. Instead of singing about parties and money. They sang about the tough times and obstacles that we are all faced with at least once in life. Stephen Morrisey writes genuine lyrics regarding people’s true colors, and the fact life isn’t always as pretty or glorious as it is commercialized to be. Morrisey wants people to understand that they shouldn’t feel alone. He wants people to feel that they are not the only ones suffering with a problem. For example, some of his songs of his songs are about homosexuality, how people are afraid to come out of the closet. During the 80’s feelings of hate were very strong for individuals who were gay. There were huge amounts of anti gay protests and gay bashings taking place. During the 1980’s Aids was surfacing and affecting people all over especially in the gay community. This probably made it even harder for gay men and women to come out of the closet due to being subjected to the public for already being hated because of their sexual orientation, and now considered to be a carrier of a deadly disease.
Essentially the Smiths were singing about what they experienced and saw in the 80’s and initially their past growing up. Morrissey is a passionate, up front musician who has been carrying issues through most of his life. Morrissey is a homosexual man who is saddened, and disillusioned by certain events, whether personal or political, and he sings about these issues with such emotion that the listener cannot help but be touched. Each song that we as listeners listen to, bring us back to a time we tend to reminisce about certain memories whether we want to or not.
The Smiths band members are as follow:
Morrissey: Singer
Johnny Marr: Guitarist, piano.
Andy Rourke: The bass player.
Mike Joyce: The Drums.
The album was recorded at Amazon Studios, Liverpool and Ridge Farm, Surrey.
Mixed at Island Studios, London, Winter 1984.
Released 1985.
http://www.scaruffi.com/vol4/smiths.html
http://www.avert.org/aids-history-86.htm
Park the car at the side of the road
You should know
Time’s tide will smother you
And I will too
When you laugh about people who feel so
Very lonely
Their only desire is to die
Well, I’m afraid
It doesn’t make me smile
I wish I could laugh
But that joke isn’t funny anymore
It’s too close to home
And it’s too near the bone
It’s too close to home
And it’s too near the bone
More than you’ll ever know …
Kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
You kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
It was dark as I drove the point home
And on cold leather seats
Well, it suddenly struck me
I just might die with a smile on my
Face after all
I’ve seen this happen in other people’s
Lives
And now it’s happening in mine
I’ve seen this happen in other people’s
Lives
And now it’s happening in mine
I’ve seen this happen in other people’s
Lives
And now it’s happening in mine
I’ve seen this happen in other people’s
Lives
And now it’s happening in mine
Oh …
I’ve seen this happen in other people’s
Lives
Oh …
And now it’s happening in mine
Happening in mine
Happening in mine
Happening in mine
Happening in mine
I’ve seen this happen in other people’s
Lives
Oh …
And now, now, now it’s happening in mine
(I’ve seen this happen)
Happening in mine
Oh… now, now
I’ve seen this happen in other people’s
Lives
Oh …
And now it’s happening in mine
(Happen)
Happening in mine
Oh …
Happening in mine
Happening in mine
Happening in mine
I’ve seen this happen in other people’s
Lives
Oh …
And now, now, now it’s happening in mine
Happening in mine
Mine, mine
Happening in mine
The Smiths \"That Joke Isn\'t Funny Anymore\"