The Smiths "Girlfriend In A Coma" was released thirty years ago today. The single was the first taste of the band's final studio album Strangeways Here We Come, which would later follow in September of that year.
The single (or really, one of the single's b-sides) played an important role in shaping music history because it was yet another source of frustration for Johnny Marr, who at this point was beyond disgruntled with the Smiths and had had enough. Marr was cool with the b-side "I Keep Mine Hidden," but he detested the other b-side, a cover of Cilla Black's "Work Is A Four Letter Word" and fought to keep it off the release. He famously lost that battle, and as mounting tensions within the band became too much for him to deal with, he decided to go on holiday to Los Angeles to get away from it all. He never returned to the Smiths, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Also: Fans of The Smiths should head over to Glorious Noise to check out some shots of the legendary Shelagh Delaney.
Published August 10th, 2017