stop me stop me stop me

andy

Been watching Smiths stuff on youtube and found this. Chris Martin & Noel Gallagher doing Stop Me.

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Four Eyes

Hmmm. This kind of disturbs me (especially with Chris Martin's dancing). However, I'm still undecided about the Mark Ronson version.

matt

I didn't even know this was a Smiths song. I am suitably ashamed.

andy

the original

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andy

Don't like the Ronson version.

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Three big things wrong here:

1. Swapping Marr guitar for synthy orchestral strings and horns? I suppose this is the man who invented lite-jazz radiohead, but he shouldn't be encouraged to turn every song in the world into one optimised for broadcast in a noisy Slug and Lettuce.

2. Swapping the original vocal for some terrible sub-Bedingfield corporate anthem hack. Listen to the way he sings the word 'outpatients' (1.51), it's beyond wrong. Ladies and Gentlemen - warbling is not emotion. This is a Smiths song, not Musical Theatre.
The punishment for this singer is that he should only be allowed to sing in Gilette adverts. His tragedy is that he would not consider this a punishment.

3. Ending the song using POINTER SISTERS LYRICS. Look over your shoulder Mr Ronson, the line disappearing in the distance is the one that divides irony from missing the point entirely.

It's practically a war crime.

Lucy

I don't think it's that bad - but then I'm not a big smiths fan so should perhaps leave the building.

matt

Lucy, I'm not generally either, but there's a handful of genius spattered throughout all their records.

Ewan

I don't really like the smiths so really enjoyed the Mark Ronson his version of this song. The album is a lot of fun and great to hear brass being used in pop music.

However I think he should leave it at this album before we all cry 'one trick pony'

andy

I can take people disagreeing with me about their favourite pubs, curry houses, pizza places and local authority, but if this casual dismissal of the Smiths continues, we'll be left with no choice but to shut the site down.

matt

Ewan, Mr Ronson was quite famous before this album as a producer of albums by: Amy Winehouse (good), Robbie Williams (bad), some Lily Allen (ok) and some hip hop that I'm not really au fait with. Andy, the Ronson version of the Smiths song features lyrics by The Supremes, not The Pointer Sisters (who, by the way, I actually quite like - greatest hits wise) Yours, Dr Pop

tosscat

It puts me in mind of when a co-worker complained to me for dismissing David Gray as being shit by saying "How could someone so shit write something as beautiful as 'say hello wave goodbye'.

matt

I have the original Soft Cell video on an 80s compilation DVD. I don't think I've seen anything more camp. Interesting music fact: the radio versions of David Gray's "Please Forgive Me" and "Babylon" was mixed/produced by one half of Orbital. They are brothers-in-law.