I was starting to get a little worried about Sophia after her first three Smiths selections. ‘Pretty Girls Make Graves,’ ‘Well I Wonder,’ and ‘Never Had No One Ever’ are bleak songs about failing to find love and connection in a cruel world.
With today’s selection she swerves into less morose territory, offering up ‘Sweet and Tender Hooligan,’ a punk-inflected satirical defense of a violent criminal on trial in the British justice system.
This song was released as a single in the U.S. nine years after it was recorded, to promote a collection called Singles. Warner Brothers had acquired The Smiths’ catalog earlier in the decade and proceeded to release six “best of” collections over the next 16 years.
The song ‘Paint a Vulgar Picture’ on the band’s final studio album describes greedy record company execs picking over the catalog of a recently-deceased artist to capitalize on the news: “Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package! Re-evaluate the songs / Double-pack with a photograph / Extra track (and a tacky badge).” That song was prophetic about the way The Smiths’ own material would be handled in subsequent years.
He was a sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
And he said that he’d never, never do it again
And of course he won’t (oh, not until the next time)
He was a sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
And he swore that he’ll never, never do it again
And of course he won’t (oh, not until the next time)
[Verse 1]
Poor old man
He had an accident with a three-bar fire
But that’s OK
Because he wasn’t very happy anyway
Poor woman
Strangled in her very own bed as she read
But that’s OK
Because she was old and she would have died anyway
[Chorus 2]
Don’t blame the sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
Because he’ll never, never, never, never, never, never do it again
Not until the next time
[Verse 2]
Jury, you’ve heard every word so before you decide
Would you look into those mother me eyes?
I love you for you my love, you my love, you my love, you my love
Jury, you’ve heard every word but before you decide
Would you look into those mother me eyes?
I love you for you my love, you my love
I love you just for you my love
[Chorus 3]
Don’t blame the sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
Because he’ll never, never do it again
And in the midst of life we are in death, etc
Sweet and tender hooligan, hooligan
Because he’ll never, never do it again
And in the midst of life we are in death, etc
[Outro]
Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera
In the midst of life we are in debt, etc
Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera
In the midst of life we are in debt, etc
Just will you free me?
Will you find me?
Will you free me?
Will you find me?
Will you free me, free me, free me, free me, free me, free me, free me?
Jury will you free me?
Will you find me?
Will you free me?
Will you find me?
How will you find me, find me, find me, find me, find me, find me, find me?
Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera
Etcetera, etcetera!
Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera
In the midst of life we are in debt, etc
Oh, oh
Meet Me In Montauk 
Euro-punk is definitely not my jam, but I’ll take it over the 3 note Morrissey melancholy fare.
This one is super fun. The beginning guitar reminds me a lot of Misirlou with the beach-like surf rhythm.