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The Boy with the Thorn in His Side

"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released as a single in September 1985, reaching No. 23 in the UK Singles Chart. A remixed version appeared on their third album The Queen Is Dead in June 1986.

"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"
Single by The Smiths
from the album The Queen Is Dead
B-side"Rubber Ring"
"Asleep"
Released16 September 1985
RecordedAugust 1985
StudioDrone Studios, Manchester
Genre
Length3:17 (single version)
3:15 (album version)
3:18 (alternate mix)
LabelRough Trade
Songwriter(s)Johnny Marr, Morrissey
Producer(s)The Smiths (single); Morrissey and Johnny Marr (album version)
The Smiths singles chronology
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"
(1985)
"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"
(1985)
"Bigmouth Strikes Again"
(1986)

This was the first single by The Smiths to be accompanied by a promotional music video, something the band had previously resisted. They also performed the song on an episode of Top of the Pops. The main difference between the single version and the album version is in the use of synthesised strings. They are largely absent from the single version, only appearing in the song's coda. In 2003, Morrissey named it his favourite Smiths song.[2]

Background edit

Margi Clarke asked Morrissey if this song was inspired by Oscar Wilde, and Morrissey replied: "No, that's not true. The thorn is the music industry and all those people who never believed anything I said, tried to get rid of me and wouldn't play the records. So I think we've reached a stage where we feel: if they don't believe me now, will they ever believe me? What more can a poor boy do?"[3]

Track listing edit

7" RT191
No.TitleLength
1."The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"3:17
2."Asleep"4:09
12" RTT191
No.TitleLength
1."The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"3:17
2."Rubber Ring/Asleep"7:56
CD Single RTT191
No.TitleLength
1."The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"3:17
2."Rubber Ring"3:48
3."Asleep"4:10

The original 12" and CD singles have "Rubber Ring" and "Asleep" segued into a continuous piece with the voice sample at the end of the former looped and faded into the wind noise preceding the latter. Described by Simon Goddard (in Songs That Saved Your Life, 2nd edition, p. 154) as a "spectacular combination" — a suggestion with which Johnny Marr concurs — this carefully executed sequence could only be found on the original 12" single, before the 2017 release of the remaster/re-issue of The Queen Is Dead, which includes the same songs with the same segue as tracks 10 and 11 (respectively) of its "Additional Recordings" bonus disc. The two tracks are separated on all other compilations.

Artwork and matrix message edit

The jumping man on the sleeve cover of the single release is a young Truman Capote.

The British 7" and 12" versions contain the etchings: ARTY BLOODY FARTY/IS THAT CLEVER...JM. "Is that clever" is an allusion to the words in "Rubber Ring", a title which itself is a line from The Importance of Being Earnest, a play that was referenced in the etchings of "William, It Was Really Nothing" and Hatful of Hollow. "JM" is a reference to Johnny Marr, and was also an etching on the Sandie Shaw version of "Hand in Glove".

Charts edit

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA) 15
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) 23

Reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [4]

Jack Rabid of Allmusic called this single "great ... just another feather in a jeweled cap".[4]

Cover versions edit

The song was covered by Scottish band Bis on the tribute album The Smiths Is Dead. Reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine harshly criticised the cover, writing: "Bis utterly disembowel 'The Boy with the Thorn in His Side' with a single-minded stupidity that is just bewildering."[5]

A cover version recorded by Jeff Buckley in 1993 was distributed by Columbia Records as a 7" in 2016.[6]

American indie rock bands Jejune and Lazycain released a split EP together in 1999 where they each covered Smiths songs; Jejune covered "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side", Lazycain covered "Handsome Devil".[7]

The song was additionally covered by Belle & Sebastian, Scott Matthews, Emilie Autumn, Xiu Xiu, Dinosaur Jr's J Mascis and The Cat Empire[8] in live performances.[citation needed]

In popular culture edit

References edit

  1. ^ Molanphy, Chris (31 October 2019). "The Lost and Lonely Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  2. ^ Reardon, Ben (July 2003). "Morrissey i-Q". i-D Magazine. London.
  3. ^ The Tube (UK, Channel 4), Season 4, Episode 3: 25 October 1985
  4. ^ a b Rabid, Jack. "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  5. ^ The Smiths Is Dead album review, allmusic, The Boy with the Thorn in His Side at AllMusic
  6. ^ Jeff Buckley - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side b/w If You Knew (Live At Café Sin-é), 2016, retrieved 28 November 2023
  7. ^ Jejune / Lazycain - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side / Handsome Devil, 1999, retrieved 28 November 2023
  8. ^ "Konzert im Kölner Palladium - Musik für die gute Laune". General-Anzeiger Bonn (in German). 12 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Blackpool – an original six-part drama serial for BBC ONE". BBC Press Office. 21 October 2004.
  10. ^ "The Perks of Being a Wallflower: A look at which of the book's cultural references show up in the movie". The Washington Post. 28 September 2012.
  11. ^ "Production notes" (PDF). suckerpunchmovie.warnerbros.com. p. 15.

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Not to be confused with the film The Boy with a Thorn in His Side The Boy with the Thorn in His Side is a song by the English rock band the Smiths It was released as a single in September 1985 reaching No 23 in the UK Singles Chart A remixed version appeared on their third album The Queen Is Dead in June 1986 The Boy with the Thorn in His Side Single by The Smithsfrom the album The Queen Is DeadB side Rubber Ring Asleep Released16 September 1985RecordedAugust 1985StudioDrone Studios ManchesterGenreAlternative rock 1 indie popLength3 17 single version 3 15 album version 3 18 alternate mix LabelRough TradeSongwriter s Johnny Marr MorrisseyProducer s The Smiths single Morrissey and Johnny Marr album version The Smiths singles chronology That Joke Isn t Funny Anymore 1985 The Boy with the Thorn in His Side 1985 Bigmouth Strikes Again 1986 This was the first single by The Smiths to be accompanied by a promotional music video something the band had previously resisted They also performed the song on an episode of Top of the Pops The main difference between the single version and the album version is in the use of synthesised strings They are largely absent from the single version only appearing in the song s coda In 2003 Morrissey named it his favourite Smiths song 2 Contents 1 Background 2 Track listing 3 Artwork and matrix message 4 Charts 5 Reception 6 Cover versions 7 In popular culture 8 ReferencesBackground editMargi Clarke asked Morrissey if this song was inspired by Oscar Wilde and Morrissey replied No that s not true The thorn is the music industry and all those people who never believed anything I said tried to get rid of me and wouldn t play the records So I think we ve reached a stage where we feel if they don t believe me now will they ever believe me What more can a poor boy do 3 Track listing edit7 RT191No TitleLength1 The Boy with the Thorn in His Side 3 172 Asleep 4 09 12 RTT191No TitleLength1 The Boy with the Thorn in His Side 3 172 Rubber Ring Asleep 7 56 CD Single RTT191No TitleLength1 The Boy with the Thorn in His Side 3 172 Rubber Ring 3 483 Asleep 4 10 The original 12 and CD singles have Rubber Ring and Asleep segued into a continuous piece with the voice sample at the end of the former looped and faded into the wind noise preceding the latter Described by Simon Goddard in Songs That Saved Your Life 2nd edition p 154 as a spectacular combination a suggestion with which Johnny Marr concurs this carefully executed sequence could only be found on the original 12 single before the 2017 release of the remaster re issue of The Queen Is Dead which includes the same songs with the same segue as tracks 10 and 11 respectively of its Additional Recordings bonus disc The two tracks are separated on all other compilations Artwork and matrix message editThe jumping man on the sleeve cover of the single release is a young Truman Capote The British 7 and 12 versions contain the etchings ARTY BLOODY FARTY IS THAT CLEVER JM Is that clever is an allusion to the words in Rubber Ring a title which itself is a line from The Importance of Being Earnest a play that was referenced in the etchings of William It Was Really Nothing and Hatful of Hollow JM is a reference to Johnny Marr and was also an etching on the Sandie Shaw version of Hand in Glove Charts editChart 1985 PeakpositionIreland IRMA 15UK Singles The Official Charts Company 23Reception editProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllmusic nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 4 Jack Rabid of Allmusic called this single great just another feather in a jeweled cap 4 Cover versions editThe song was covered by Scottish band Bis on the tribute album The Smiths Is Dead Reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine harshly criticised the cover writing Bis utterly disembowel The Boy with the Thorn in His Side with a single minded stupidity that is just bewildering 5 A cover version recorded by Jeff Buckley in 1993 was distributed by Columbia Records as a 7 in 2016 6 American indie rock bands Jejune and Lazycain released a split EP together in 1999 where they each covered Smiths songs Jejune covered The Boy with the Thorn in His Side Lazycain covered Handsome Devil 7 The song was additionally covered by Belle amp Sebastian Scott Matthews Emilie Autumn Xiu Xiu Dinosaur Jr s J Mascis and The Cat Empire 8 in live performances citation needed In popular culture editThe third episode of the 2004 BBC musical miniseries Blackpool features The Boy with the Thorn in His Side sung by David Tennant 9 The accompanying B side Asleep which did not appear on The Queen Is Dead is referenced several times by the main character in Stephen Chbosky s 1999 novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower and was also featured in the book s film adaptation 10 Asleep appears as one of the tracks on the final mix CD in the 2005 novel As Simple As Snow by Gregory Galloway In the 2011 film Sucker Punch Emily Browning s character sings Asleep 11 References edit Molanphy Chris 31 October 2019 The Lost and Lonely Edition Hit Parade Music History and Music Trivia Podcast Slate Retrieved 5 November 2023 Reardon Ben July 2003 Morrissey i Q i D Magazine London The Tube UK Channel 4 Season 4 Episode 3 25 October 1985 a b Rabid Jack The Boy with the Thorn in His Side Review Allmusic Retrieved 29 October 2012 The Smiths Is Dead album review allmusic The Boy with the Thorn in His Side at AllMusic Jeff Buckley The Boy With The Thorn In His Side b w If You Knew Live At Cafe Sin e 2016 retrieved 28 November 2023 Jejune Lazycain The Boy With The Thorn In His Side Handsome Devil 1999 retrieved 28 November 2023 Konzert im Kolner Palladium Musik fur die gute Laune General Anzeiger Bonn in German 12 November 2018 Retrieved 20 November 2018 Blackpool an original six part drama serial for BBC ONE BBC Press Office 21 October 2004 The Perks of Being a Wallflower A look at which of the book s cultural references show up in the movie The Washington Post 28 September 2012 Production notes PDF suckerpunchmovie warnerbros com p 15 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Boy with the Thorn in His Side amp oldid 1217295652, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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