The Debatable Land: A Matter of Grave Importance

I was only 13 when The Smiths broke up, so was technically too young to have much appreciated them when they were actually making records. Nonetheless in five years at an exclusive educational penitentiary in Perthshire I must have spent more time listening to The Smiths than to any other band.

So it's kinda sobering to be reminded that the band broke up 20 years ago. It makes one feel rather - make that, very - old. Sean O'Hagan had a nice piece remembering Manchester's finest in The Observer on Sunday, making the point (if it needed to be restated) that Morrissey's proud provincialism was music's counterpart to Philip Larkin or Alan Bennett, while he shared Graham Greene's fascination with spivs and the seedy appeal of the low-life. Very English then, and all the better for it.

It's a bit of a boy thing mind you. I don't know so many girls who were in some form of teenage love with Morrissey and Marr.

Anyway, that all brings us to O'Hagan's list of his Top 10 Smiths songs. Not a bad batting order. And I quite like the selection made by Dave T at Harry's Place too. But, having spent too much time this afternoon/evening thinking about this vital question, here is the official The Debatable Land Top Ten Songs By The Smiths:

10. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
9. Last Night I Dreamed That Somebody Loved Me
8. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
7. A Rush And A Push And The Land We Love Is Ours
6. This Charming Man
5. What Difference Does It Make?
4. Cemetery Gates
3. Girlfriend in a Coma
2. Reel Around The Fountain
1. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out*

Fully half this list is drawn, I see, from their final album Strangeways, Here We Come. That's quite unintentional, though I do think it their masterpiece. As least they went out on a high.

What, you mean you disagree with this selection? Thought so. Slug it out in the comments.

* A cliched choice? Yes, perhaps, but, come on, it's bloody brilliant. And it made me cry once upon a time.