Rocktrospectiva: The Experimental And Political "Meat Is Murder" Turns 40

Released on 11 February 1985, "Meat Is Murder" was the second studio album by iconical English rock band, The Smiths, the album became the band's only studio album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart, and stayed on the chart for 13 weeks, aslo the album was an international success: it spent 11 weeks in the European Top 100 Albums chart, peaking at number 29. It also reached number 110 on the US Billboard 200 in the United States. The album spawned three singles "Barbarism Begins At Home", "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" & "How Soon Is Now?".

After the band's 1984 debut studio album, lead vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr produced the album themselves, assisted only by engineer Stephen Street. They had first met Stephen Street on the session for "Heaven knows I'm Miserable Now" and requested his contact number, but never made to work on the album, so officially, the record's production is credited to "The Smiths".

To build the album's soundscape, Morrissey provided Marr and Street with his personal copies of BBC sound effects records from which to source samples. Morrissey would continue this practice on future Smiths singles and albums. Meat Is Murder was more strident and political than its predecessor, including the pro-vegetarian title track, which Morrissey forbade the rest of the band from being photographed eating meat),  and the anti-corporal punishment "The Headmaster Ritual". Musically, the band had grown more adventurous, with Marr and Rourke channelling rockabilly and funk influences in "Rusholme Ruffians" and "Barbarism Begins at Home", respectively. "Rusholme Ruffians" interpolates the Victoria Wood song "Fourteen Again".  

The Meat Is Murder" universe contains the animal defense and protection, feminism, school punishment, also is remarkable for the several sound patterns and rhythm sections. The different influences are notable, like the rockabilly on "Rusholme Ruffians", or the strange but charming "NOwhere Fast" and "I Want The One I Can't Have", the disco sound on "Barbarism Begin At Home", in which Andy Rourke bassline is notable and clever, the feminism is noticeable on "Shakespeare's Sister" inspired on a Virginia Woolf composition essay "A Room Of One's Own",

Morrissey's lyrics are another example on how this album reached different sound summits, Mozza decided to get rid of self compassion and uncharmed topics and chose stories even more critical. Even thought Marr considered this album as the least succesful of the band, is still one of the most succesful worldwide and recognisable by the band, and one of the albums you should listen before you die. 

Meat Is Murder Track List:  

 

1. The Headmaste Ritual

2. Rusholme Ruffians

3. I Want The One I Can't Have

4. What She Said

5. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

6. Nowhere Fast

7. Well I Wonder

8. Barbarism Begins At Home

9. Meat Is Murder

10. How Soon Is Now?* 

 

*US LP