Registered Historical Facts: Smiths and Morrissey in Pop Culture
"Why do you come here? And why do you hang around?" – Morrissey
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Jan 2019:
In Deadly Class episode 2, gangster Willie comes over to main protagonist, Marcus, after seeing him with headphones. After asking about the “wack†music, Marcus said the song is by The Smiths. |
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Oct 2018:
In the Bumblebee film (December 21, 2018), a spinoff of the popular Transformers films, actress Hailee Steinfeld (as Charlie Watson) is seen wearing a The Smiths T-Shirt in the film trailer. |
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July 2018:
In the film Ant Man and the Wasp, you can hear a cell phone with Morrissey’s ‘Everyday is Like Sunday’ as its ringtone and a Moz-only jukebox. |
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July 2019:
Funko, the pop culture manufacturer responsible for a billion vinyl figures and bobbleheads, have recently unveiled a Morrissey Funko Pop Figure, as part of their line of Pop! Rocks figures, at the London Toy Fair. The figure will be available in stores around July 2019. |
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Manchester 1987:
The Smiths in front of Albert Finney Shop by Lawrence Watson. Morrissey's hero, actor Albert Finney died on February 7, 2019, at the age of 82. |
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Jan 2018:
While watching a clip of the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that aired last night on YouTube (19 Jan 2018), Colbert joked that “The Minister of Loneliness also is the title of my favorite Morrissey albumâ€. |
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July 2017:
The upcoming film England is Mine, directed by Mark Gill, is about Steven Patrick Morrissey in his early life in Manchester, meeting a young Johnny Marr and before becoming the lead singer of The Smiths. |
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Sep 22, 2018:
Justin Timberlake was seen wearing a Morrissey’s Your Arsenal T-Shirt on the Red Carpet and backstage at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival. |
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Dec 2017:
In the latest series of Black Mirror, which aired December 29, 2017, there is an episode called “Hang the DJâ€. If you are a The Smiths fan, you’ll know that this is a reference to their song “Panicâ€. As predicted, the song does play at the very end of the episode. |
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2015: Morrissey is back on a USA tour!
Tour dates: 06/11 New Orleans, LA |
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2015: Since Select Magazine went away in 2000, Uncut Magazine took over as my favorite music magazine. In their latest issue, which came out in the stores in the UK this week (January 27th), they featured the 30th Anniversary of Meat is Murder with a The Smiths cover. |
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2015: The Smiths/Morrissey 2015 Convention will take place at the Avalon in Hollywood on Sunday, April 26, 2015. If you're going this year, let me know how it turned out. |
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2015: Dallas' Sudie recently released her new single "Van Morrissey" (from her debut self-titled EP). The song is said to be about Sudie's two biggest influences: Van Morrison and Morrissey… |
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2015: Legendary Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr cover of Depeche Mode's "I Feel You" will be available on limited edition 7" on Record Store Day. B-Side features live version of the Smiths "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want". |
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Feb 2015: On the first week of Feb 2015's Harry Hill's Stars in Their Eyes, Jim Thompson, from Woodley, Stockport, appeared as Morrissey to perform some of The Smiths' biggest hits. |
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Nov 2014: The Guardian and the Royal Court theatre have put together something called Off the Page, which is a collection of six filmed "microplays". The second film features The Smiths' Salford Lads' Club photo (from The Queen is Dead) in the background… and if you look really hard, you can also see "How Soon is Now?" and "What Difference Does It Make?" |
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2013:
From Splice director Vincenzo Natali, Haunter is film about a family stuck in a haunted house. Abigail Breslin stars as Lisa Johnson, a girl who is re-living the same day over and over again. As you can see in this screen print, the Johnson character is quite the depressing anglophile: she's wearing a Siouxsie and the Banshees shirt, with posts of various UK bands like The Smiths (Meat is Murder), The Cure (Boys Don't Cry), Joy Division (Love Will Tear Us Apart), and David Bowie (Low).
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2014: The latest Stuart Murdoch film God Help the Girl features Emily Browning wearing The Smiths' Meat is Murder T-Shirt.
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2005: The super-hero comedy film Sky High featured The Smiths' "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" by the New York band Elefant. |
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2015: Look for Morrissey to return to the stage in March 2015:
03/09 Groningen – De Oosterpoort |
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2014: Am I Still Ill? Take a look at every date that Morrissey has ever canceled… including a ton of David Bowie dates. |
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2014: Morrissey is riding high on his Autobiography book and has announced a new U.S. tour with songwriter/keyboardist Kristeen Young, and Tom Jones to join Moz in Los Angeles and Sir Cliff Richard in New York. Full tour listing here. |
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2014: Introducing Morrissey was originally released in 1995 on VHS, but thanks to Rhino Entertainment, they have gone back and digitally remastered the film for the modern age. As I recall, Introducing Morrissey was the second live film, but it was much superior to Live in Dallas, which only had two cameras! |
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2014: Among the 300+ releases for Cassette Store Day, there is this Smiths cover cassette called Allen & Dennis Callaci Sing/Aaron Alcala Plays The Smiths Songbook (Shrimper Records). The Callaci are two-third of a band called Refrigerator and Alcala previously recorded with Refrigerator… why not just re-titled it Refrigerator on The Smiths? |
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2014: Morrissey's tenth studio album World Peace Is None of Your Business is out now via Harvest Records. For the uninitiated, Morrissey started his career in music as the singer/lyricist of The Smiths. After the band broke up in 1987, Morrissey went on to a successful solo career with his debut Viva Hate, scoring hits like "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and "Suedehead." |
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2014: Check out this promotional picture of Little Cinema, featuring singer/songwriter Tyler Womack in a yellow Smiths T-Shirt. It's also a nod to films and movies, given his band name.
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2014: Morrissey has compiled the track-listing for the forthcoming Best of the Ramones CD/LP for Sire-Rhino… even though he famously wrote that the Ramones were a "bumptious band of degenerate no-talents" when he was 17. |
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2014: The King of Mope, Morrissey is back with World Peace Is None Of Your Business, coming out this late June/early July, worldwide release by Harvest Records through Capitol. In addition to the new album, Parlophone (UK) is planning to reissue Morrissey's Vauxhall and I on June 2nd, marking a 20th Anniversary of the album. |
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2014:
The David Bowie is featured Periodic Table of David Bowie by Paul Robertson … which listed Morrissey as being influenced by Bowie. The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is bringing their "David Bowie is" exhibition to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago (MCA) on September 23, 2014. |
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2013: Salvo Records release of Long Live Love: Best of Sandie Shaw features her two Smiths cover songs "Jeane" and "Hand in Glove". |
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2005: In the Uncut Magazine's Uncut: John Peel's Festive 15, it has a recording of John Peel saying how "We like the Smiths very much." Ironically, the compilation does not feature any Smiths songs. |
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2005: Hardcore band A Wilhelm Scream's second album Ruiner feature a song called "Me vs. Morrissey in the Pretentious Contest (The Ladder Match)". Nothing to do with Morrissey. |
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2007: Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before – A Tribute to The Smiths is a compilation of Smiths cover songs compiled by Cleopatra Records. |
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2004: Nancy Sinatra's self-titled album features a cover of Morrissey's "Let Me Kiss You". |
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1991: A live version of "Back to the Old House" is released as a b-side of Everything But The Girls' single Old Friends. |
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2007: Tiffany's album I Think We're Alone Now: '80s Hits and More feature a cover of The Smiths' "Panic". |
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2000: Braid's album Movie Music, Vol. 2 features two Smiths covers: "This Charming Man" and "There is a Light That Never Goes Out". |
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2012: Super Morrissey Brothers' 8-bit style of "This Charming Man" is a digital-only release. |
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2011: The Postelles' cover EP Summer Undercovers features The Smiths' "Ask." |
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2006: Q Magazine compiled a CD called Q Covered: The Eighties, featuring Clayhill's cover of "Please Please Let Me Get What I Want". |
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2000: Snake River Conspiracy debut album Sonic Jihad feature a cover of "How Soon is Now?" |
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1990: "How Soon Is Now?" is a bonus hidden track off of Quicksand's debut album Slip. |
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2003: Vitamin String Quartet's all instrumental version of Smiths classic songs can be heard on The String Quartet Tribute to The Smiths. |
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2011: Please, Please, Please: A Tribute To The Smiths is a covers compilation by American Laundromat Records. Artists includes Katy Goodman (La Sera)'s cover of "What She Said" and Girl in a Coma's "Rubber Ring". |
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2004: Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware is a great Smiths covers compilation, featuring "Bigmouth Strikes Again" by Snowdrops and "Ask" by the Pines (UK band). |
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2001: On Stars' debut album Nightsongs, they covered The Smiths' "This Charming Man". |
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2008: Robin Danar's Altered States album feature Minibar's doo-wop version of Morrissey's "First of the Gang to Die". |
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2010: The Chapin Sisters (related to Harry Chapin) covers The Smiths' "I Know It's Over" on their live show. |
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2011: Duncan Shiek covered The Smiths' "William It Was Really Nothing" in his cover album Covers 80s. |
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2011: Stranded Horse covered The Smiths' "What Difference Does it Make?" on their album Humbling Tides. |
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2002: Russian duo t.A.T.u. covered The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?" for their debut album 200 KM/H in the Wrong Lane. |
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1996: The Spent Poets' self-titled album featured a song called "The Rocks In Virginia's Dress", which had these lyrics: "I'm so tired, sick sick sick and tired, let's go listen to Morrissey." |
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1989: Transvision Vamp's song "Born to be Sold", from the album Velveteen, mentioned Morrissey: "From Sister Sue to Judy Teen, Marty Wilde to Morrissey, from Johnny Rotten to Charlie Chaplin." |
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1993: In the Dead Milkmen's song "Instant Club Hit (You'll Dance To Anything)", they mentioned the Smiths: "You'll dance to anything by Book of Love. You'll dance to anything by The Smiths. You'll dance to anything by Depeche Commode." |
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2003: Loquat covered the Smiths' "There Is a Light that Never Goes Out" on their third EP Before the Momentum. Singer Kylee Swenson confessed that she was hungover when they sang that song, "If you only knew how hungover I was when I sang that Smiths cover. Oh man, it hurt so bad." |
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2011: The Smiths' "I Won't Share You" are among one of the Morning Benders cover in their The Bedroom Covers album. |
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2005: Singer of the Decemberists, Colin Meloy, released Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey, which was an all-Morrissey cover EP that was sold exclusively on his 2005 tour. |
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2012: La Sera's two guitarists were dressed as Morrissey and Johnny Marr at their Halloween show in Minneapolis. "Morrissey" was in a Shoplifters (Elvis) T-Shirt and did terrible Morrissey impressions.
They covered Elvis' "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" because the band's been obsessed with the Smiths' Rank live album (they've been listening to it in their van when they drive from city to city.) |
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2013: Rolling Stone #1196 (21 November 2013), published this clip of Morrissey's Enemies List, taken from his book Autobiography. You can read more on rollingstone.com (03 Dec 2013).
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2013: Built to Spill covers The Smiths' "How Soon is Now?" on their encore for their 2013 live concerts. |
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1992: The Sextants' "Morrissey" song was originally released in 1992, but the album I Don't Lie was re-issued last month (28 October 2013). The song contains Morrissey-esque/"Muppet" vocal styling, "I can sing like that guy from the Smiths, Morrissey, yeah that's his name…" |
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1998: In Pansy Division's Pile Up album, Morrissey is mentioned in the song "Homo Christmas": "Don't be miserable like Morrissey, let me do you underneath the Christmas tree…". |
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1984: The Television Personalities' live album Chocolat-art feature a song called "A Picture Of Dorian Gray" with these lyrics, "We sit by a river, drinking lemon tea, eating tiny cucumber sandwiches made by Morrissey.". |
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2013: Ebony Bones!' album Behold, a Pale Horse features a cover of the Smiths' "What Difference Does It Make?" |
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2013: Morrissey, who appeared at a recent Sparks show in Los Angeles is the subject of one of Sparks' song called "Lighten Up, Morrissey". The 2008 song is available on the fourth disc of their New Music For Amnesiacs: The Ultimate Collection boxset. |
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1996: In Sleeper's song "Dress Like Your Mother", singer Louise Wener sings, "You sold your old punk records, read the book instead. You lost your sense of humour, but you kept The Queen is Dead. You don't look yourself, you dress like your mother." |
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2013: Keith Top Of The Pops & His Minor UK Indie Celebrity All-Star Backing Band has a song called "Morrissey Will Never Forgive Me" from his album TOTP 2. |
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2013: Dana Gould's comedy album I Know It's Wrong quote Morrissey in his final speech, "The Smiths were really right: It's so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle and kind…" |
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2013: The Bandana Splits covered Morrissey's "Everyday is Like Sunday" in their 50s doo-wop style. |
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2012: The Smiths' "Asleep" is used in the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower starring Emma Watson. |
 2011: In the movie Detention, 31 minutes into the film, Ione Foster said this in the movie theater: "'Meat is Murder?' Everyone knows Morrissey's Kill Uncle is a better album." |
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2011: In the movie Sucker Punch, actress Emily Browning is heard singing The Smiths' "Asleep". The studio recording also appeared in the movie soundtrack. |
2009:
In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, you can clearly see a poster of The Smiths' Meat is Murder on the walls of Shia Labeouf's room. |
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2009: In the movie
(500) Days of Summer, Zoey Deschannel (Summer) said, "I said I love the Smiths… You… You have good taste in music." The motion picture soundtrack features two Smiths songs, |
2004: In Shaun of the Dead, while Simon Pegg is flipping through the channels, The Smiths music video for "Panic" is shown… the lyrics best described the situation:
"Panic on the streets of London." |
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2004: The film Closer feature The Smiths' "How Soon is Now?" |
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2001: In the movie Not Another Teen Movie, featured modern bands covering classic 80s songs, such as Muse covering "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want". |
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1999: Never Been Kissed feature "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want". |
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1998: I haven't seen it, but I am told that the movie The Wedding Singer feature "How Soon Is Now?". |
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1998: The Curve (aka Dead Man's Curve) features "Girlfriend in a Coma". |
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1996: The soundtrack to the movie The Craft featured Love Spit Love's cover of "How Soon is Now?". The song proved such a hit that it was later used as the theme song to the Charmed television show. |
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1990: In the comedy-drama film Men Don't Leave, actor Chris O'Donnell is seen wearing The Smiths' "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" (Boy eating ice-cream) T-Shirt. When his girlfriend asks why he always wears it, he defends himself by saying, "I like this shirt!".
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1988: John Hughes' romantic comedy film She's Having a Baby feature Kirsty MacColl's cover of "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby". |
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1986: An instrumental version of The Smiths' "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" by The Dream Academy was used in a sequence in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Also, a large Meat is Murder poster can be seen hanging in his room. |
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1986: Italian horror movie Demons 2 feature The Smiths' "Panic". |
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1986: Out of Bounds feature "How Soon is Now?". |
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1986: Most of the John Hughes movie of this era featured The Smiths, in Pretty in Pink, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" was used during a scene with Ducky. |
The movie sky high about a superhero family uses a Smiths song in a montage. Also forgetting sarah marshall uses a morrissey song when hes deleting photos off his computer.