Girlfriend in a Coma (song)

Last updated

"Girlfriend in a Coma"
Girlfriend in a Coma.png
Single by the Smiths
from the album Strangeways, Here We Come
B-side "Work Is a Four-Letter Word"
"I Keep Mine Hidden"
Released10 August 1987
RecordedMarch–April 1987
Studio The Wool Hall, Beckington, Somerset
Genre
Length2:02
Label Rough Trade
Songwriter(s) Johnny Marr, Morrissey
Producer(s) Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Stephen Street
The Smiths singles chronology
"Sheila Take a Bow"
(1987)		"Girlfriend in a Coma"
(1987)		"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"
(1987)
Music video
"Girlfriend In A Coma" on YouTube

"Girlfriend in a Coma" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It was the first of three UK singles from the band's fourth and final studio album, Strangeways, Here We Come . Inspired by the song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", "Girlfriend in a Coma" features a lilting acoustic guitar line performed by Marr and lyrics about a hospital-bound lover sung by Morrissey.

Contents

"Girlfriend in a Coma" was released as a single in August 1987, reaching number 13 in the UK Singles Chart. The single features a cover of the Cilla Black song "Work Is a Four-Letter Word" on the B-side, a decision made by Morrissey that infuriated Marr to the point that it became a reason for the band's break-up in the aftermath of the single's release. As a result, Morrissey appears alone in the song's music video.

"Girlfriend in a Coma" has seen critical acclaim for Marr's guitar work and Morrissey's witty lyricism. It has since appeared on multiple compilation albums and has been ranked by music writers as one of the band's best songs.

Background

"Girlfriend in a Coma" was inspired by Bob and Marcia's version of the Nina Simone song "To Be Young, Gifted and Black". [2] Marr recalled, "[Morrissey and I] both absolutely adored it. So 'Girlfriend in a Coma' was trying to capture the spirit of that. If you listen to the string parts on both you maybe can see it." [3] Initially the band attempted to record the song with a reggae-inspired arrangement, but, unhappy with this sound, the band collaborated with co-producer Stephen Street to re-arrange it with a more gentle acoustic sound.

Marr later spoke positively of the song, commenting in 1993, "Over the last few years I've heard 'Girlfriend in a Coma' in shops and people's cars, and I'm always surprised by how good it sounds." [4]

Music and lyrics

The song's lyrics are told from the perspective of a man whose girlfriend is in a coma after an accident. The singer's anxiety is balanced by his memories of the bad times in lyrics such as "There were times when I could have murdered her/But you know I would hate anything to happen to her". The song quotes the Four Seasons' "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)," a song that reached number one in the UK when covered by the Bay City Rollers. [3] The repeated assertion "I know it's serious" is undercut by his careless tone and "the light playful accompaniment by the other members of the band". [5] Armond White of Rolling Stone calls "Girlfriend" a song about AIDS which responds "to the crisis that took the lives and broke the hearts of so many friends and lovers" during the 1980s. [6]

Release

Released on 10 August 1987, "Girlfriend in a Coma" was the last single by the Smiths to include newly recorded material on the B-side. It contains the band's last recorded song, "I Keep Mine Hidden", as well as a cover of a Cilla Black song, "Work Is a Four-Letter Word", both recorded in May 1987.

Morrissey's insistence on including the Cilla Black B-side annoyed Marr and he left the band soon afterwards. Marr said to Record Collector in 1992: "'Work Is a Four Letter Word' I hated. That was the last straw, really. I didn't form a group to perform Cilla Black songs. That was it, really. I made a decision that I was going to get away on holiday. The only place I could think of was L.A. L.A. was the only place I knew where there'd be sunshine, so off I went. I never saw Morrissey again". [7]

Because of its morbid subject matter, the song was banned on BBC Radio 1. Morrissey later said, "You're not really supposed to like those songs. They're very depressing and not supposed to be played on radio." [8] However, released in the wake of the Smiths' acrimonious breakup, the single reached number 13 in the UK.

The single's cover features playwright Shelagh Delaney, from a 1961 edition of A Taste of Honey . This was the second time Delaney appeared on a Smiths cover; she also appeared on the cover of Louder Than Bombs album. The British 7" vinyl contained the matrix message: AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO/SO FAR SO BAD. The British 12" version contained the etching: EVERYBODY IS A FLASHER AT HEART/AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO. [3]

Music video

"Girlfriend in a Coma" was one of two songs on Strangeways selected to receive music videos. The song's video saw moderate success on MTV, though it only featured Morrissey, as the band had disbanded before the videos could be made. [9] The music video, which was directed by Tim Broad, featured clips from the 1964 film The Leather Boys —as stated by White, the scene present in the music video depicts "a young man (Colin Campbell) who marries too soon and faces doubts about his masculinity, egged-on by his equally immature wife (Rita Tushingham)". [6]

Morrissey was hesitant to take part in the videos, but was implored by Rough Trade's Geoff Travis to participate in order to boost the album's singles. Morrissey recalled in his autobiography, "Tim Broad steps in to make sense of it all, hotch-podging two videos for both 'Girlfriend in a Coma' and 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before'. The results for both are frustratingly unwatchable, although Tim did his best with such a mealy-mouthed budget." [10] [nb 1]

Critical reception

"Girlfriend in a Coma" has seen critical acclaim since its release. David Browne of Rolling Stone praised the song's "bright acoustic guitars" for "add[ing] a folksy grace" to the track. [11] Tim DiGravina of AllMusic named the song as a highlight of Strangeways, stating, "Punchy and fun, yet sad and tender, 'Girlfriend in a Coma' is a gleaming, romantic treat from a band crafting brilliant, genre-defining music in the turmoil of its dying days." [12]

Rolling Stone ranked the song as the 34th best Smiths song, [9] while NME named it the band's 20th best. [13] Guitar named the song as the band's 17th greatest guitar moment, concluding, "Despite the higher watermarks elsewhere on Strangeways, it's still 'Girlfriend in a Coma''s hooky little acoustic earworm that sticks in our grey matter the longest". [2] Consequence ranked the song as the band's 23rd best, writing, "there's something so appealing about how Marr's upbeat composition clashes with the blacker-than-black comedy of Morrissey's lyrics." [14]

Author Douglas Coupland named his 1998 novel Girlfriend in a Coma after the song. [13]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr, except where noted

7" RT197
No.TitleLength
1."Girlfriend in a Coma"2:02
2."Work Is a Four-Letter Word" (edited) (Guy Woolfenden, Don Black, Cilla Black)2:09
12" RTT197 / Cassette RTT197C
No.TitleLength
1."Girlfriend in a Coma"2:02
2."Work Is a Four-Letter Word" (Woolfenden, D. Black, C. Black)2:45
3."I Keep Mine Hidden"1:57

Charts

ChartPeak
position
Ireland (IRMA)12
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)13

Notes

  1. ↑ Morrissey recalled Travis allocating a budget of twelve-thousand pounds for both videos. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Smiths</span> English rock band (1982–1987)

The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). Morrissey and Marr formed the band’s songwriting partnership. The Smiths are regarded as one of the most important acts to emerge from 1980s British independent music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Marr</span> English musician (born 1963)

John Martin Marr is an English musician, songwriter and singer. He first achieved fame as the guitarist and co-songwriter of the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. He has since performed with numerous other bands and embarked on a solo career.

<i>The Queen Is Dead</i> 1986 studio album by The Smiths

The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by the English rock band The Smiths, released on 16 June 1986, by Rough Trade Records. The album was produced by the band's singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. They worked predominately with engineer Stephen Street, who engineered The Smiths' previous album, Meat Is Murder (1985). Marr wrote several songs while the Smiths toured the United Kingdom in early 1985, working out arrangements with bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce during soundchecks. The album title is taken from American writer Hubert Selby Jr.'s 1964 novel, Last Exit to Brooklyn. The cover art features the French actor Alain Delon in the 1964 film L'Insoumis.

<i>Strangeways, Here We Come</i> 1987 studio album by the Smiths

Strangeways, Here We Come is the fourth and final studio album by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released on 28 September 1987 by Rough Trade Records, several months after the group disbanded. All of the songs were composed by Johnny Marr, with lyrics written and sung by Morrissey.

<i>The Very Best of The Smiths</i> 2001 greatest hits album by The Smiths

The Very Best of The Smiths is a compilation album by English rock band The Smiths. It was released in June 2001 by WEA in Europe, without consent or input from the band. It reached number 30 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was not released in the United States.

<i>Stop Me</i> 1988 compilation album by The Smiths

Stop Me is a Japanese exclusive compilation album by English band The Smiths. It compiles the band's then-latest three singles and their B-sides in reverse-chronological order. Stop Me was released in January 1988 by their Japanese record label, RCA Victor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panic (The Smiths song)</span> 1986 single by the Smiths

"Panic" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, released in 1986 and written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. The first recording to feature new member Craig Gannon, "Panic" bemoans the state of contemporary pop music, exhorting listeners to "burn down the disco" and "hang the DJ" in retaliation. The song was released by Rough Trade as a single and reached No. 7 on the Irish Singles Chart and No. 11 in the UK Chart. Morrissey considered the song's appearance on daytime British radio a "tiny revolution" in its own way, as it aired amongst the very music it criticised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Charming Man</span> 1983 single by The Smiths

"This Charming Man" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Released as the group's second single in October 1983 on the independent record label Rough Trade, it is defined by Marr's jangle pop guitar riff and Morrissey's characteristically morose lyrics, which revolve around the recurrent Smiths themes of sexual ambiguity and lust. A different version, from the John Peel Show on BBC Radio 1, was included on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ask (song)</span> 1986 single by The Smiths

"Ask" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released as a single on 20 October 1986 through Rough Trade Records. Credited to vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, "Ask" is an ostensibly upbeat, positive pop song built around major chords. Its lyrics discuss shyness and encourage listeners to overcome their inhibitions. Its multiple guitar parts and complex production led to disagreements regarding its final mix. Craig Gannon, who at the time was rhythm guitarist for the group, has claimed he wrote – and was denied credit for – the song's chord structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hand in Glove</span> 1983 single by The Smiths

"Hand in Glove" is the debut single by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It was released in May 1983 on independent record label Rough Trade. It peaked at No. 3 on the UK Indie Chart but did not make the top 75 of the UK Singles Chart, settling outside at No. 124.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigmouth Strikes Again</span> 1986 single by the Smiths

"Bigmouth Strikes Again" is a 1986 song by the English rock band the Smiths from their third album The Queen Is Dead. Written by Johnny Marr and Morrissey, the song features self-deprecating lyrics that reflected Morrissey's frustrations with the music industry at the time. Musically, the song was inspired by the Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and centres around a guitar riff that Marr wrote during a 1985 soundcheck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheila Take a Bow</span> 1987 single by the Smiths

"Sheila Take a Bow" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr. Featuring a glam rock-style beat and guitar riff, the song was originally planned to feature Sandie Shaw on backing vocals, but Shaw's distaste for the song and Morrissey's illness during her session resulted in the vocals not being used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cemetry Gates</span> 1986 song by The Smiths

"Cemetry Gates" is a 1986 song by English alternative rock band the Smiths from The Queen Is Dead, their third album. Written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr, the song centres around a guitar riff that Marr initially thought was too uninteresting to base a song around. However, Morrissey liked it and convinced Marr that they could complete the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Started Something I Couldn't Finish</span> 1987 single by The Smiths

"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" is a song by the English rock band The Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr and released on the group's 1987 album Strangeways, Here We Come. Featuring a glam rock-inspired guitar riff, the song emerged from a jam during the "Sheila Take a Bow" sessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me</span> 1987 single by the Smiths

"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It appears as the sixth track on the band's final album Strangeways, Here We Come (1987). It features a backdrop of crowd noises from the miners' strike of 1984–85. The song is a favourite of both Morrissey and Marr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before</span> 1987 single by the Smiths

"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. The song was first released on the group's 1987 album Strangeways, Here We Come. Marr's music features a larger sound, courtesy of a 12-string Gibson ES-335, and one of his few guitar solos with the Smiths. Morrissey's lyrics allude to alcohol and deception.

"A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours" is a 1987 song by English alternative rock band the Smiths, which appeared as the opening track for the band's 1987 final album, Strangeways, Here We Come. Written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr, the song features no guitar and was inspired musically by Reparata's "Shoes" and lyrically by Oscar Wilde's mother, Jane Wilde.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Headmaster Ritual</span> 1985 song by the Smiths

"The Headmaster Ritual" is a song by the English band the Smiths that appeared as the first song on their second studio album, Meat Is Murder (1985). It was released as a single in the Netherlands. The music was written by Johnny Marr and the lyrics by Morrissey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Soon Is Now?</span> 1985 song by the Smiths

"How Soon Is Now?" is a song by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Originally a B-side of the 1984 single "William, It Was Really Nothing", "How Soon Is Now?" was subsequently featured on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow and on US, Canadian, Australian, and Warner UK editions of Meat Is Murder. Belatedly released as a single in the UK in 1985, it reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart. When re-released in 1992, it reached No. 16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Queen Is Dead (song)</span> 1986 song by The Smiths

"The Queen Is Dead" is a 1986 song by English alternative rock band the Smiths, appearing on their third studio album of the same name. Written by Morrissey and Johnny Marr, the song features anti-monarchist lyrics that attracted controversy in the UK music press. Musically, the song was a result of experimentation and jamming, with Marr and rhythm section Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce using technology in the studio to enhance their performances.

References

  1. ↑ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1987". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 469–470. ISBN   9781493064601.
  2. 1 2 Price, Andy (17 August 2021). "The Smiths' 20 greatest guitar moments, ranked". Guitar. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Goddard, Simon (26 March 2013). Songs That Saved Your Life (Revised Edition): The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. Titan Books (US, CA). ISBN   978-1-78116-259-0.
  4. ↑ Lime, Harry. The Smiths. Lulu.com. p. 34. ISBN   978-0-244-17580-1 . Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  5. ↑ Nicholas P. Greco, "Only If You Are Really Interested": Celebrity, Gender, Desire and the World of Morrissey, McFarland, 2011, p.48.
  6. 1 2 White, Armond (10 August 2017). "The Smiths: The Open Secret of 'Girlfriend in a Coma'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  7. ↑ Johnny Rogan, "The Smiths: Johnny Marr's View", Record Collector, November/December 1992.
  8. ↑ Plender, Andrew, "Mr Miserable Spreads Joy", The Independent: 17 May 2006
  9. 1 2 Sheffield, Rob (1 August 2017). "Rob Sheffield Ranks All 73 Smiths Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  10. 1 2 Morrissey (4 November 2014). Autobiography. Penguin. ISBN   978-0-14-310750-7.
  11. ↑ Browne, David (3 December 1987). "Strangeways, Here We Come". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  12. ↑ DiGravina, Tim. "Girlfriend in a Coma - The Smiths | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  13. 1 2 "The 20 best Smiths tracks, as voted by NME.COM users". NME. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  14. ↑ "Ranking: Every Song by The Smiths from Worst to Best". Consequence of Sound. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.