The Smiths – Ask

Let’s stay in Manchester a while, shall we? A few weeks ago I listened to a tape from my senior year of college that was titled “Anguish, Fear, Lamenting.” That one was a thinly veiled account of my frustrations with my lack of progress with a certain guy. Long time readers might have thought to themselves, wow, no Smiths on that tape? That’s a surprise.

Well, that’s because only a month earlier I had made the tape I listened to today. The title should tell you all you need to know. “Does the Body Rule the Mind or Does the Mind Rule the Body, I Dunno!” Subtitled “Morrissey’s Most Moaning Melodies.” I didn’t need any Smiths songs on that other tape because this one had 90 minutes worth, all trying to answer that question.

Body Rules the Mind (Side A)
This Charming Man
‪Handsome Devil‬
‪Hand in Glove‬
‪Ask‬
‪The Boy With the Thorn in His Side‬
‪Stretch Out and Wait‬
‪There Is a Light That Never Goes Out‬
‪Reel Around the Fountain‬
‪Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want‬
‪Oscillate Wildly‬
‪Well I Wonder‬
‪Half a Person‬
‪Suedehead ‬

Mind Rules the Body (Side B)
‪I Want the One I Can’t Have‬
‪Girl Afraid‬
These Things Take Time
‪You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby‬
Miserable Lie‬
‪Still Ill
‪Back to the Old House‬
‪Accept Yourself‬
‪Unloveable‬
‪How Soon Is Now?‬
‪I Know It’s Over‬
‪What Difference Does It Make?‬

I contemplated writing this entire post just stringing together lyrics from these songs to tell the story but I don’t have that kind of time and the songs tell it all themselves anyway. So I made a YouTube playlist this time since these songs are all readily available, unlike some of the other old tapes.

Tomorrow should be #WhereILivedWednesday so I’m borrowing another song from this tape to help out. Stay tuned!