ONE SONG BY THE SMITHS....A SATURDAY SERIES (Part 12)

Last time round, the longest song by the band was featured - one that demonstrated how important the bass player and drummer were to the sound of The Smiths. This week, its the complete opposite.....the shortest song they recorded and one which is down to the sublime genius of the songwriting duo.

110 seconds is all it takes to get from the beginning to the end of Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want. But it is 110 seconds of perfection.

Was it the band's success that led Morrissey to pen the words 'Good Times For A Change' ?? Certainly in press interviews around the time it was recorded in 1984, the great man was openly talking of the chart hits being good times and there can be little doubt it is a hugely autobiographical lyric.

mp3 : The Smiths - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

The gently strummed acoustic guitar glides effortlessly into a mandolin solo for the final thirty-odd seconds, both beautifully by Johnny Marr. Or so you would think.....but as has since been revealed, the mandolin was actually played by producer John Porter......not that this in any way detracts from anything.

Relegated to the b-side of William, It Was Really Nothing (where it would be joined on the 12" version by How Soon Is Now?), Please Please Please has long been among a favourite among most Smiths fans, particularly in the USA where it featured on the big-selling soundtrack to the movie Pretty In Pink. It's also been one that Morrissey has played a few times on tour...and even Johnny has been know to belt it out:-



It has been covered by many, including this savaging by one of the most popular bands the world over these past few years:-

mp3 : Muse - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

Happy Listening.