Louder Than Bombs

Louder Than Bombs is a compilation album by The Smiths. It was released as a double album in March, 1987 by their American record company, Sire Records. Its highest chart position was #63. Popular demand prompted their British record company, Rough Trade, to issue the album domestically as well; it reached #38 on the British charts.

About the album

The album was released as the American counterpart of their recent British compilation, The World Won't Listen, and consisted of all singles and nearly all B-sides that had not at that point been available in the States, either on single or album, with a few extras thrown in.

The album was intended to substitute for both The World Won't Listen and their 1984 compilation, Hatful of Hollow, which hadn't been released in the States. This is why the non-single cut "This Night Has Opened My Eyes", one of the standout tracks of Hatful of Hollow, was included. (European fans: to avoid confusion as to the absence of non-album singles "This Charming Man" and "How Soon Is Now?", bear in mind that they had already been released in the U.S. as bonus cuts to The Smiths and Meat Is Murder, respectively).

As with The World Won't Listen, this compilation includes the scrapped single "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" (passed over in favour of "Shoplifters of the World Unite"), albeit in a different mix.

Because the album offered many B-sides (and the "Sheila Take a Bow" single) that had never been collected onto an album before, Louder Than Bombs became very popular on import with fans in the U.K. To avoid ridiculous import prices being paid, The Smiths' domestic record company, Rough Trade, decided to release the compilation as well, provoking cries of outrage by fans who only two months previously had shelled out for the slimmer U.K. counterpart. The blow was somewhat softened by the fact that the double album retailed at single album price.

After WEA acquired the Smiths back catalogue in 1992, all Smiths albums were re-released at mid price, including Louder Than Bombs.

Cover

The sleeve for Louder Than Bombs, designed by Morrissey, features British playwright Shelagh Delaney of Salford, Greater Manchester.

Track listing

All tracks written by Morrissey/Marr (including "Oscillate Wildly") except "Golden Lights" written by Twinkle.

LP

Side A

Is It Really So Strange? (John Peel session)

Sheila Take a Bow

Shoplifters of the World Unite

Sweet and Tender Hooligan (John Peel session)

Half a Person

London

Side B

Panic

Girl Afraid

Shakespeare's Sister

William, It Was Really Nothing

You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby (alternate mix)

Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

Side C

Ask

Golden Lights

Oscillate Wildly

These Things Take Time

Rubber Ring

Back to the Old House

Side D

Hand in Glove (single version)

Stretch Out and Wait

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

This Night Has Opened My Eyes (John Peel session)

Unloveable

Asleep

Compact disc

Same as LP.

People involved

The band

Morrissey – voice

Johnny Marr – guitars, keyboard instruments, harmonica, bass guitar on "Golden Lights"

Andy Rourke – bass guitar, cello on "Shakespeare's Sister" and "Oscillate Wildly"

Mike Joyce – drums

Craig Gannon – guitar on "Half a Person", "London", "Panic", "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby", "Ask" and "Golden Lights"

Additional musicians

Kirsty MacColl – backing vocals on "Ask" and "Golden Lights"

John Porter – slide guitar on "Sheila Take a Bow" and drum machine on "Golden Lights"

Stephen Street – additional drum machine programming on "London"

Technical staff

Johnny Marr – producer (A3)

Johnny Marr, Morrissey and Stephen Street – producers (A5-6)

Morrissey and Marr – producers (A2, C5, D5-6)

John Porter – producer (A1, A4, B1-2, B4-6, C1-2, C4, C6, D3)

Roger Pusey – producer (D4)

The Smiths – producers (B3, C3, D1-2)

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