The Smith's "Shoplifters of the World Unite"

[willbo]

I'm not a big Smiths expert (heard most the hits and some of the albums over the years), but I woke up this morning with that song in my head and got thinking about it.

It always grabbed me because it sounds like an 80s daytime TV documentary/schools programme theme, like a Look Around You type show.

I also thought it sounded quite sad as it was one of their final/later singles, it had that kind of mournful sound of the Smiths (and the 80s era itself) coming to an end. Like an "end credits music" for the 80s or 80s indie.

Trying to think of other music that has that "tv theme" synth now

[imitationleather]

When I first heard it as a child without knowing the title I thought he was singing "Shirtlifters of the world unite and take over." Okay, thanks.

[The Mollusk]

Edit: tasteless joke, I'm better than that. Sorry.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I like the bit with the waily guitar and the ride symbols, cheers.

[imitationleather]

Edit: tasteless joke, I'm better than that. Sorry.

Gutted I missed this.

[Astronaut Omens]

It's closer to mainstream rock than any other single they made, with Johnny on record as claiming the guitar solo was influenced by E-Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren: this perhaps does give it a more "TV session musician" feel than most of their other tracks. Morrissey mentions a TV channel in the lyrics of course, which also be influencing your hearing it as TV music. (Or maybe he mentions Channel 4 because he thought the instrumental sounded like TV music).
As for it being the end of the Smiths, you could also hear it as the start of solo Morrissey: lyrically this marks the start of his subsequent fascination with rough, tough boys, and this was one of the few Smiths tracks that he used to perform during his early solo career- I'm guessing the guitar part, much simpler than anything off the early Smiths albums, was a bit more easily playable for his subsequent guitarists.

[willbo]

I guess it also reminds me a little of REM's finest worksong, and general U2 type epic 80s rock (is U2 "big music?)

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Oddly muddy and plodding arrangement in my opinion. Seems like the sort of song that would have been better with a higher tempo and clearer cleaner production a la Ask/William It Was Really Nothing.

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

Hearing Children of the Revolution after that one was a real F**k My Hat moment. But I do like it. Possibly the only Smiths song with a glam metal harmonizing guitar solo?

[Dusty Substance]

Anyone on here read Willy Russell's novel The Wrong Boy? There's a scene where the main character, a budding musician and Smiths fanatic, hitches a ride on a coach load of retail business owners on their way to a conference. One of the passengers on the coach clocks that he has a guitar and they all egg him on to play a song, so he plays "Shoplifters...", to a bunch of a shop owners, followed by an uncomfortable silence and awkward rest of the journey. Since reading that book I'll forever associate SOTWU with that scene.

[Head Gardener]

mispress copy plays You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby

[the science eel]

It's closer to mainstream rock than any other single they made, with Johnny on record as claiming the guitar solo was influenced by E-Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren: this perhaps does give it a more "TV session musician" feel than most of their other tracks.

I seem to remember Thin Lizzy being mentioned, although that might have been the NME.

I like it quite a bit, the performance on the Tube was pretty special. And then they followed it up with Sheila, which is just fabulous, one of my very favourite Smiths' tunes, playful and joyous, altho' the 'rock' 'accusations' continued (mostly because it starts with a big overdriven guitar riff).

[the science eel]

Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haVLf0ILkaw

dig that kid swinging on his mate's shoulders around 30 seconds in, having the time of his life. Absolutely marvellous.

[Neomod]

This always reminds me of that Shaun Duggan interview on the tube, as doing his best Morrissey impression, he breathlessly asks, "Goodness, have you ever shopliffffffted?"[nb]Obviously we were just jealous it wasn't us meeting Moz[/nb]

https://youtu.be/DfS3a_b5Pv4?t=238

[sevendaughters]

Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haVLf0ILkaw

dig that kid swinging on his mate's shoulders around 30 seconds in, having the time of his life. Absolutely marvellous.

fun video but the song becomes even more of a dirge there

[the science eel]

oh STOP IT

[famethrowa]

The twin hair metal guitar break seemed like a bit of a betrayal to me, too much cock rock. But that aside, good tune, and it points the way to Radiohead, just like That Joke Isn't Funny.

[Video Game Fan 2000]

I love that live footage. I think I like that version better. It's a good song, unlike Ask and a few others it sounds like Morrissey and Marr were on the same page and not writing songs on the opposite sides of the planet.

The twin hair metal guitar break seemed like a bit of a betrayal to me, too much cock rock.

I like it. Its a moment so drenched with irony it makes Sonic Youth seem like Pete Seeger.

[jamiefairlie]

The twin hair metal guitar break seemed like a bit of a betrayal to me, too much cock rock. But that aside, good tune, and it points the way to Radiohead, just like That Joke Isn't Funny.

Ya me too. Marked a seriously steep decline in my opinion.

[sevendaughters]

there's not enough notes for it to compare to hair metal, it's just glossily produced and layered, I think it works for the song and lifts the section to coda up out of the mire.

[Johnboy]

It was exciting at the time as it was their first time on Top of the Pops in a year and a half.

It also had decent B sides (that hadn't been lifted off an album).

I still enjoy it, though prefer Sheila.

[El Unicornio, mang]

One of my favourites of theirs, although agreed that it does sound like 80s TV music. "Sheila Take a Bow" has that too.

[willbo]

the guitar solo to me just sounds sad. To me it sounds like the "end credits music" to their career. Never thought of it sounding metal though I guess if it was turned up harder it could be a 70s Thin Lizzy or Judas Priest lead intro.

[Neomod]

the guitar solo to me just sounds sad. To me it sounds like the "end credits music" to their career. Never thought of it sounding metal though I guess if it was turned up harder it could be a 70s Thin Lizzy or Judas Priest lead intro.

Not heard Death of a Disco Dancer then?

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

I like it cause it sounds so unlike the Smiths. I fact I think most of my favourite moments in Smiths songs sound not very like the Smiths. Maybe I just don't like the Smiths.

[non capisco]

I like it cause it sounds so unlike the Smiths. I fact I think most of my favourite moments in Smiths songs sound not very like the Smiths. Maybe I just don't like the Smiths.

'Bempt Luego' is my favourite Smiths song.

[willbo]

Not heard Death of a Disco Dancer then?

playing it now, sounds very sad. Reminds me a little of the Beatles or even a downbeat Blur song.

[Tokyo van Ramming]

Gutted I missed this.

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