"This Charming Man"
"This Charming Man" cover
Single by The Smiths
Released	31 October 1983 3 August 1992 (re-issue)
Format	7" single, 12" single (re-issued in both these formats plus CD and cassette)
Recorded	October 1983
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	2:41
Label	Rough Trade
Writer(s)	Johnny Marr Morrissey
Producer(s)	John Porter
Peak chart positions
#25 (UK) (original release) #8 (UK) (re-release)
The Smiths singles chronology
"Hand in Glove" (1983) "This Charming Man" (1983) "What Difference Does It Make?" (1984)

"This Charming Man" is a song by British rock band The Smiths, released as their second single in October of 1983 on the independent record label Rough Trade. The song was composed by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer/lyricist Morrissey. Musically, the song is defined by Marr's bright jangle pop guitar riff and Morrissey's characteristic vocals.^[1] The lyrics revolve around the popular Smiths theme of sexual ambiguity and, as with many of Morrissey's compositions, features a line taken from a cult film, play, poem or novel. In this case, the lyric "A jumped-up pantry boy who never knew his place" is adapted from the 1972 film Sleuth ^[2].

Though only moderately successful on its release (reaching #25 on the UK charts), today it is one of the most popular songs in the band's catalogue.^[3] In 2004, BBC Radio 2 listeners voted it #97 on the station's "Sold On Song Top 100" poll,^[4] while in 2001 UNCUT magazine pegged it as #10 on their "100 singles that changed your life" feature.^[5] In 2006, British Conservative Party leader David Cameron named it as one of his Desert Island Discs.^[6]

Composition and meaning

"This Charming Man" is an up-tempo song, featuring only the traditional rock and roll instruments of guitar, bass, and drums. The song begins with a short introductory guitar riff, before Marr is joined by the rhythm section four seconds later. Morrissey's vocals are first heard some eight seconds after this. The singer's melodies are diatonic and avoid blues inflections.^[7] The chorus is heard only twice. The first time it is followed by a brief pause and the second time by the closing of the song. The rhythm section of Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce provides an unusually danceable beat. The drums were originally programmed on a Linn Drum Computer by Peter Boita under the direction of Producer John Porter who used Peter's Linn Drum programme to trigger the sampled sounds of the live drum kit, featuring a Motownesque bassline.^[8]

Marr's guitar part consists of him playing single notes of thirds as opposed to strumming chords. The guitar creates a counter-melody throughout the song. Marr overdubbed numerous guitar parts onto the song.^[7] In December 1993, Johnny Marr told Guitar Player magazine



Marr wrote the tune in preparation for a John Peel session, in the same night that he wrote "Still Ill" and "Pretty Girls Make Graves".^[5] Based on the Peel performance, Rough Trade owner Geoff Travis suggested that the band release the song as a single instead of their original choice of "Reel Around The Fountain".^[2]

The lyrics of many of The Smiths' songs have been reviewed by academics and the sexual ambiguity, bisexuality and homoeroticism depicted are suggested as providing an insight into the attitudes and past experiences of Morrissey. Ricky Rooksby in Inside Classic Rock Tracks describes the opening line as "wonderfully evocative" and says that Morrissey's lyrics are marked by a "droll wit" and colloquial phrases such as "I haven't got a stitch to wear".^[7] In discussing the opening lyrics, "Punctured bicycle / on a hillside desolate / Will nature make a man of me yet?", Sheila Whiteley, Professor of Popular Music at the University of Salford suggests Morrissey is referring to a "rite of passage" and in another part of the song which refers to a "passenger seat" suggests he is referring to a real event in his life.^[10]

Nabeel Zuberi in Sounds English - Transnational Popular Music notes that Morrissey often refers to a "deviant outsider" in his lyrics, which is represented in this case by the "charming man" of the song's title who offers the young man a lift when his bicycle tire is punctured. Zuberi describes the meeting as a "brief encounter" and suggests, on behalf of the songwriter, "partly a homoerotic attraction". He notes that Morrissey's lyrics often place working-class males in a homoerotic situation,^[11] and the line "jumped up pantry boy who doesn't know his place" was taken from the film Sleuth, in which the upper class protagonist played by Sir Laurence Olivier uses the phrase as an insult to his working class rival played by Sir Michael Caine.

Music videos and performance

Two music videos, similar in theme, exist for "This Charming Man". The first was filmed by the British television show The Tube, and features the band playing the song in an empty room. The second is from the Riverside television programme (7 November 1983) and shows the band playing the song in a room with a floor covered by flowers. The latter was used as a promotional film upon the single's re-release in 1992^[12] and is featured on The Smiths - The Complete Picture video compilation.

Live performances of the song were notable for Morrissey's stage antics. In both the music videos, and a famous appearance on Top of the Pops, Morrissey appeared waving gladioli around his head. UNCUT magazine, commentating on this nationally televised debut, wrote "That Thursday evening when Manchester's feyest first appeared on TOTP would be an unexpected pivotal cultural event in the lives of a million serious English boys. His very English, camp glumness was a revolt into Sixties kitchen-sink greyness against the gaudiness of the Eighties New Pop World, as exemplified by Culture Club and their ilk. The Smiths' subject matter may have been 'squalid' but there was a purity of purpose about them that you messed with at your peril."^[5] BBC Radio 2's feature on the song remarked that the performance "...marked most people's introduction to The Smiths and, therefore, to the weird, wordy world of Morrissey and the music of Johnny Marr."^[4]

The Top of the Pops performance would be cited by many Smiths followers as being a key event in their musical upbringing. Noel Gallagher, lead guitarist of Britpop band Oasis, said that "When The Smiths came on Top of the Pops for the first time, that was it for me. From that day on... I wanted to be Johnny Marr."^[13]

Reaction and legacy

Critical recognition

Aside from being a fan favourite, the song has received nearly unanimous critical acclaim as well. Paul Morley of the NME, reviewing the single upon its original release, wrote "'This Charming Man' is an accessible bliss, and seriously moving. This group fully understand that the casual is not enough... This is one of the greatest singles of the year, a poor compliment. Unique and indispensable, like 'Blue Monday' and 'Karma Chameleon' - that's better!"^[5] A contemporary review in The Face read "Where has all the wildness and daring got to? Some of it has found its way onto The Smiths' record, 'Charming Man'. It jangles and crashes and Morrissey jumps in the middle with his mutant choir-boy voice, sounding jolly and angst-ridden at the same time. It should be given out on street corners to unsuspecting passers-by of all ages."^[5]

All Music Guide's Ned Raggett noted that "Early Elvis would have approved of the music, Wilde of the words," calling it "an audacious end result by any standard."^[1] Tim DiGravina, of the same organization, writes that "Debating the merits of the track here would be a bit pointless, as it's a classic song from one of the last great classic bands. It might as well be called 'This Charming Song', as Johnny Marr's jangling, chiming guitar sounds as if it's being recorded in the heavens, and Morrissey's vocals are astonishingly deep. The song is dear to the heart of every fan of the band."^[14]

Fan reaction

Fan reaction was similarly ecstatic. In "This Is Uncool: The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk and Disco", Garry Mulholland wrote "It felt much bigger than No. 25. Jesus, it felt seismic. Everyone I knew (who wasn't a black-music obsessive) fell instantly in love with 'This Charming Man', and then whimpered like The S.O.S. Band for the attentions of Morrissey and Marr."^[8] Lead singer of Suede, Brett Anderson, himself a teenager at the time, called it "a truly magical, beautiful song," remarking that "it's so ultimately charming and has some of the most brilliant lyrics ever ... incredibly idiosyncratic but incredibly self-confident within that."^[5]

Influence

"This Charming Man" is considered to be one of the Smiths' signature songs, in large part because it manifested many of the band's defining musical motifs in a three-minute pop song. As such, it has been influential on later alternative rock bands, particularly those from Britain.

The song has been covered numerous times by different artists and in various styles. One of the earliest Death Cab for Cutie recordings is a cover version, dating from November 1996. It was released as part of the band's rarities collection You Can Play These Songs with Chords in 2002. Canadian indietronica outfit Stars released their own take on the song in 2001. The heavily modified cover was featured on their A Lot of Little Lies For the Sake of One Big Truth EP, as well as their debut Nightsongs. Indie rock group Braid issued their cover of it on 2000's "Movie Music, Vol. 2" collection of compilation tracks and cover recordings.

In 2004, the song was an obvious influence on Mitch Benn & The Distractions' satirical "Never Went Through a Smiths Phase" track on their Too Late to Cancel album. Since its original release, the song has also been featured on seven themed compilations dealing with the underground music of the 1980s.

Versions and release history

The earliest version of "This Charming Man", performed for John Peel's radio programme in Maida Vale Studio 4, was recorded on September 21 1983. This version of the song was first included on the 1984 compilation Hatful of Hollow.

In September 1983, the band entered Matrix Studios, London to attempt a proper studio recording of the song with the intent of releasing it as their second single. However, the result (known as the "London" version) was unsatisfactory, and soon after the band travelled to Strawberry Studios in Stockport, Greater Manchester to try again. Here, they recorded the A-side most listeners are familiar with.^[2] On 28 October 1983, the "Manchester" version of "This Charming Man" was released in the UK in 7" and 12" formats, reaching #25 in the UK charts. The song was also included as a bonus track on the American version of the band's eponymous debut, The Smiths (it was not featured on Rough Trade's original UK and European run of the album). In 1992, WEA re-issued group's catalogue and all subsequent pressings of The Smiths have incorporated "This Charming Man" as track six. WEA additionally re-released the single itself in 1992 to support the Best...I compilation album.

On December 3 1983, a "New-York" mix by DJ François Kevorkian was released. Kevorkian geared the song towards the dancefloor, and it was originally intended to only be pressed in limited numbers for use by New York club DJs. However Geoff Travis, head of the Smiths' record label, Rough Trade, liked the mix and gave it a wide release in the UK. Predictably, it met a chilly reception from fans of a group that seemed almost at odds with dance music and culture, and was quickly deleted.^[15] Morrissey later laid the blame on Rough Trade, saying in a February 1984 interview, "I'm still very upset about that. It was entirely against our principles, the whole thing, it didn't seem to belong with us. There was even a question of a fourth version, which would have bordered on pantomime. It was called the Acton version, which isn't even funny."^[16] Travis has countered this, claiming "It was my idea, but they agreed. They said 'Go ahead', then didn't like it so it was withdrawn." He also said, "Nothing that ever happened in The Smiths occurred without Morrissey's guidance; there's not one Smiths record that went out that Morrissey didn't ask to do, so there's nothing on my conscience."^[15]

The record sleeve uses a frame from Jean Cocteau's 1949 film Orphée, featuring French actor Jean Marais.

Track listing

7": Rough Trade / RT136 (UK)

1. "This Charming Man"
2. "Jeane"

12": Rough Trade / RTT136 (UK)

1. "This Charming Man (Manchester)"
2. "This Charming Man (London)"
3. "Accept Yourself"
4. "Wonderful Woman"

12": Rough Trade / RTT136NY (UK)

1. "This Charming Man (New-York)"
2. "This Charming Man (New-York instrumental)"

12": CBS / RTANZ12001 (Australia)

1. "This Charming Man (New-York)"
2. "This Charming Man (New-York instrumental)"
3. "Accept Yourself"

12": Virgin / Virgin 80.074 (France)

1. "This Charming Man"
2. "Accept Yourself"
3. "Wonderful Woman"
4. "This Charming Man (New-York)"

• lead mix "London" (unlabelled)

12": Nuevos Medios / 41-061M (Spain)

1. "This Charming Man (London)"
2. "This Charming Man (New-York)"
3. "Accept Yourself"
4. "Wonderful Woman"

• London version labelled "Manchester"

CD: wea / YZ0001CD1 (UK)

1. "This Charming Man (Manchester)"
2. "Jeane"
3. "Wonderful Woman"
4. "Accept Yourself"

• 1992 re-release

CD: wea / YZ0001CD2 (UK)

1. "This Charming Man (Manchester)"
2. "This Charming Man (London)"
3. "This Charming Man (New-York)"
4. "This Charming Man (New-York instrumental)"
5. "This Charming Man (John Peel session 21/9/83)"
6. "This Charming Man (single remix)"
7. "This Charming Man (original single version)"

• 1992 re-release

CD: Sire / 9 40583-2 (US)

1. "This Charming Man (Manchester)"
2. "This Charming Man (London)"
3. "This Charming Man (New-York)"
4. "This Charming Man (New-York instrumental)"
5. "This Charming Man (John Peel session 21/9/83)"
6. "This Charming Man (single remix)"
7. "This Charming Man (original single version)"
8. "Wonderful Woman"

• 1992 re-release

CD: Sire / 9 40591-2 (US)

"This Charming Man (Manchester)" "Jeane" "Accept Yourself"

• 1992 re-release

CD: wea / 90307-2 (Germany)

1. "This Charming Man"
2. "This Charming Man (Manchester)"
3. "This Charming Man (London)"
4. "This Charming Man (New-York)"
5. "This Charming Man (New-York instrumental)"
6. "This Charming Man (John Peel session 21/9/83)"
7. "This Charming Man (single remix)"
8. "Jeane"
9. "Wonderful Woman"
10. "Accept Yourself"

• 1992 re-release
• this version also released on Japan WEA WMC5-532

Sample

References

The Smiths
Morrissey - Johnny Marr - Andy Rourke - Mike Joyce
Craig Gannon - Dale Hibbert
Discography
Albums: The Smiths | Meat Is Murder | The Queen Is Dead | Strangeways, Here We Come | Rank (live)
Singles: Hand in Glove | This Charming Man | What Difference Does It Make? | Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now | William, It Was Really Nothing | How Soon Is Now? | Shakespeare's Sister | That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore | The Boy with the Thorn in His Side | Bigmouth Strikes Again | Panic | Ask | Shoplifters of the World Unite | Sheila Take a Bow | Girlfriend in a Coma | I Started Something I Couldn't Finish | Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me | There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Band-assembled compilations: Hatful of Hollow | The World Won't Listen | Louder Than Bombs
Other compilations: Stop Me | Best...I | ...Best II | Singles | The Very Best of The Smiths
Related
Rough Trade Records