Johnny Marr’s 10 favourite songs: “The Smiths you can dance to”
Throughout the indie scene, very few figures are more beloved than the luscious Johnny Marr.
It’s been over four decades since the inception of The Smiths, but the post-punk purveyors still remain one of the most referenced and revered bands to come out of the Manchester scene. Or, simply put, Britain in general – their sound never once losing its place in the wider cultural world since it sauntered onto the scene swinging flowers with their first single, ‘Hand in Glove’ back in 1983.
Blending jangly instrumentals with Morrissey’s melancholic musings, their music has transcended generation and location, still finding its place in record collections and playlists curated by indie kids to this very day. They have remained for many generations one of the first ‘alternative’ bands you ever get into.
Between his iconic tremolo use on ‘How Soon Is Now?’ and the juxtapositionally jangly sounds of ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’, Marr’s contributions to The Smiths’ enduring legacy cannot be overstated. The innovative guitarist has penned some of the most beloved riffs in modern indie, but his achievements are not limited to his stint with the melancholic Mancunians.
Marr has carved out a place for himself as a staple in the scene. He contributed to a Talking Heads classic with ‘(Nothing But) Flowers’, co-founded Electronic with fellow Manchester legend Bernard Sumner, and even joined the Cribs. Throughout his lengthy and lauded career, Marr has gifted indie kids with many of their favourite songs of all time.
While future indie kids spent the 1980s finding their love of music through the sounds of Marr and Morrissey, the guitarist himself first discovered his interest in the craft through the sounds of Eddie Cochran. Speaking with BBC, Marr identified ‘C’Mon Everybody’ as one of the first songs to grab his attention with its use of guitars. “They were my really early memories of being excited about music,” he stated.
Naming his top ten tracks from throughout the years, Marr selected tracks by glam rockers T. Rex, punk purveyor Iggy Pop, and folk legend Neil Young. Dominated by iconic guitar artists and innovative instrument use, it’s a fitting collection of tracks for the Smiths guitarist. Still, he does name songs that are slightly further out of his own wheelhouse.
Sister Sledge’s iconic disco hit ‘Lost in Music’ makes an appearance on the list, which he recalled used to bleed through the walls of his sister’s room while they were both teens. The “symphonic, beautiful, and romantic” song stunned a young Marr and spawned his enduring love for Nile Rodgers.
In fact, you get a real feel for the nightclubs of Manchester in Marr’s whole selection and musical output, for that matter. From Northern Soul and disco to relatable tales of bus stops and the folk you might listen to the morning after, Marr’s tastes are eclectic, but together they form a slice of life.
Marr rounds out the list with two of his own collaborators, picking out the jubilant ‘This Is The Day’ from The The, which he describes as a “beautiful, very, very amazing… inspired song”. His final choice comes from the Pet Shop Boys with ‘Love Comes Quickly’, noting their similarity to The Smiths and concluding, “Someone once said Pet Shop Boys are The Smiths that you can dance to.”
Find the full list of Marr’s picks below.
Johnny Marr’s 10 favourite songs:
- ‘C’Mon Everybody’ by Eddie Cochran
- ‘Bus Stop’ by The Hollies
- ‘Jeepster’ by T. Rex
- ‘Disco Stomp’ by Hamilton Bohannon
- ‘To Be Young Gifted and Black’ by Bob & Marcia
- ‘Gimme Danger’ by Iggy Pop & The Stooges
- ‘Like A Hurricane’ by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
- ‘Lost In Music’ by Sister Sledge
- ‘This Is The Day’ by The The
- ‘Love Comes Quickly’ by Pet Shop Boys
