REAL, AROUND THE FOUNTAIN

The Smiths - Reel Around The Fountain

It annoys me when people say matter-of-factly that if you are ‘sad’, then you shouldn’t listen to ‘sad’ music, or that ‘it makes you feel worse’. These are often the kind of people who think anything with a guitar or in a minor key is worthy of suicide though so I suppose that says a lot in itself. But, like Amy Barnes wrote in her post about ‘Tiny Vessels’, I find great comfort in hearing somebody tell me they feel the same. And in that respect, its less ‘sad’ to listen to that than to listen to somebody saying how great they feel.

The Smiths is considered ‘sad’ music to most people, admittedly. But it is intelligent and mature. At a time when punk had just passed by, The Smiths seemed to take their disillusionment and put it in to something slightly more timeless, less of the era. It seems to appeal to people now in their twenties who weren’t, or barely were alive during their existence. Having grown up in a period of Britpop and some good British indie music, its easy for me, and many others, to find the sonic link back to the Smiths. But I wonder if current teenagers, sucking on the teet of My Chemical Romance and co. would consider something such as ‘Reel Around The Fountain’ quite so timeless. I’m hopeful it will, because teenage angst only lasts so long, but deeper emotions are lifelong.

I’m not going to talk about if Morrissey is gay or not, or if he supports Manchester United or not, or if he’s a pretentious prick or not. Theres a lot of people who have ridiculous opinions of hatred or godliness and fascination about him for some reason. Just like its said that you should never meet your idols, I wouldn’t want to find out too much, I like it being a little more vague, and not too definable. It removes possible personal relation. Nope, all I am saying, is that he’s a rather good lyricist, and The Smiths certainly find a way to resonate within me.

‘Reel Around The Fountain’ is probably my favourite Smiths song. Can’t even tell you why. But in times of despair, as Morrissey talks of taking a child and making him old, its impossible to not feel taken in, and feeling like he’s singing about somebody just like me, even if everyone goes through it.

I seem to be able to listen to them at almost any time. It isn’t ‘sad’ to me at all. At times it is witty, at times cynical, at times hopeful, elating, despairing, and everything in-between, but that is what life is. It just all feels very real.

Tom Stephens
Editor
http://tomstephens.tumblr.com

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