Strangeways, Here We Come

Cover art

Alt. cover art

THE SMITHS Studio Album
Name	Strangeways, Here We Come
Release	28 September 1987 3 April 2012 (remaster)
Total Length	36:37
Recorded	Spring 1987
Writer/composer	Morrissey / Johnny Marr
Producer	Johnny Marr Morrissey Stephen Street
Art work	Cover star: Richard Davalos on set of "East Of Eden" (1955) by Elia Kazan Layout: Caryn Gough
Vinyl Etching	GUY FAWKES WAS A GENIUS
Publisher	Rough Trade Records (UK) Sire Records (US)
Format(s)	Vinyl, CD, Cassette
Chart position	UK #2 US #55
Studio Album chronology
The Queen Is Dead ← Strangeways, Here We Come
Singles

Information

The Orchestrazia Ardwick mentioned in the credits for this album are fictional and represent Marr & Street's emulation of strings and saxophone.

Track list

CD Edition

UK - [Rough Trade ROUGHCD106]
US - [Sire 9 25649-2]

1. A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours – 3:00 (Morrissey/Marr)
2. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish – 3:47 (Morrissey/Marr)
3. Death Of A Disco Dancer – 5:26 (Morrissey/Marr)
4. Girlfriend In A Coma – 2:03 (Morrissey/Marr)
5. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before – 3:32 (Morrissey/Marr)
6. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me – 5:03 (Morrissey/Marr)
7. Unhappy Birthday – 2:46 (Morrissey/Marr)
8. Paint A Vulgar Picture – 5:35 (Morrissey/Marr)
9. Death At One's Elbow – 2:01 (Morrissey/Marr)
10. I Won't Share You – 2:48 (Morrissey/Marr)

Vinyl

UK - [Rough Trade ROUGH106]
US - [Sire 9 25649-1]

Side A

1. A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours – 3:00 (Morrissey/Marr)
2. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish – 3:47 (Morrissey/Marr)
3. Death Of A Disco Dancer – 5:26 (Morrissey/Marr)
4. Girlfriend In A Coma – 2:03 (Morrissey/Marr)
5. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before – 3:32 (Morrissey/Marr)

Side B

1. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me – 5:03 (Morrissey/Marr)
2. Unhappy Birthday – 2:46 (Morrissey/Marr)
3. Paint A Vulgar Picture – 5:35 (Morrissey/Marr)
4. Death At One's Elbow – 2:01 (Morrissey/Marr)
5. I Won't Share You – 2:48 (Morrissey/Marr)

Mentioned In

• Of which I am most proud: List from Morrissey - true-to-you.net (December 27, 2011)
• OPEN LETTER TO JOHNNY MARR. - Morrissey Central (January 25, 2022)

Discogs Information

Credits

• Bass Guitar - Andy Rourke
• Coordinator [Art] - Jo Slee
• Drums - Mike Joyce
• Engineer [Assistant] - Steve Williams (6)
• Guitar, Piano, Music By - Johnny Marr
• Lacquer Cut By - Tim Young
• Layout - Caryn Gough
• Mastered By - Tim Young
• Merchandising - Jane Sen
• Model [Cover Star] - Richard Davalos
• Photography By - Stephen Wright (4)
• Producer - Johnny Marr
• Producer - Morrissey
• Producer - Stephen Street
• Public Relations [Press] - Pat Bellis
• Songwriter [All Songs Written By] - Johnny Marr
• Songwriter [All Songs Written By] - Morrissey
• Voice, Words By, Sleeve - Morrissey

Notes

First pressing released with "The Smiths" embossed on front sleeve. Comes with a glossy pictured inner sleeve with lyrics and credits.

Recorded at The Wool Hall, Bath, Spring 1987

℗ 1987 Rough Trade Records Ltd. © 1987 Warner Bros. Music Ltd.

Made in England

Runouts: "GUY FAWKES WAS A GENIUS" on side A is etched, the remainder is mostly stamped.

Images

• Strangeways, Here We Come - Discogs master release: https://www.discogs.com/master/21143
• Strangeways, Here We Come (LP Album EMI Pressing) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/373250-The-Smiths-Strangeways-Here-We-Come

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

Recorded at The Wool Hall, Bath, spring 1987.

Silver disc version -> [r=7303556]

Made in France by MPO. MPO France Compact Disc moulded in plastic inner hub.

Images

• Strangeways, Here We Come (Album Gold disc) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/390004-The-Smiths-Strangeways-Here-We-Come

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

3 panel inlay printed to one side only. Black cassette with smooth border. Black paper labels.

This version has a 'smooth' border to the cassette shell and a pale green backdrop to the cover tracklist and barcode on the backflap. A similar version, [r=974310], has a patterned cassette border and a beige background.

Recorded at The Wool Hall, Bath Spring 1987

Images

• Strangeways, Here We Come (Album) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/13417646-The-Smiths-Strangeways-Here-We-Come

Discogs information (additional release)

Notes

First issue, CBS pressing. Released with embossed titles on front sleeve and lyrics printed on a glossy picture liner.

This version has the same 1st issue embossed sleeve as the more common EMI pressing ([r=373250]) and can be prone to having the full or partial text on the front fade to green due to sun exposure.

These matrices are dated '9.87', the month of release, and appear to be derived from the MPO plates ([r=9184436]). The disc however is decidedly not pressed at MPO – the MPO markings are scratched out on both sides, and pressing rings do not conform to the MPO version documented here. Its pressing rings strongly suggest a CBS Pressing Plant, Aston Clinton pressing, confirmed by the stylized, hand drawn CBS hallmark 'Λ' in the runouts (see pics).

Recorded at The Wool Hall, Bath, Spring 1987

℗ 1987 Rough Trade Records Ltd. © 1987 Warner Bros. Music Ltd.

Made in England

Images

• Strangeways, Here We Come (LP Album CBS Pressing) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/4491456-The-Smiths-Strangeways-Here-We-Come