The Purple Beanie Guy's Ode To "How Soon Is Now"

Oh, I know what you're thinking, "You listen to The Smiths? That must mean you're really depressed!". Well I can tell you in all honesty that is not the case what so ever. Now it is well known that The Smiths are a band known for their rather darker side of music, not anything evil or anything like that, they just seem to be well known for really knowing how to capture an emotion and really display it in ways that weren't common in their day. As of course the lead singer of the band Morrissey went on to do his own solo projects, The Smiths were a statement, a band that knew it had to separate itself from most of the well known acts going on during that time period. With their hit song "How Soon Is Now?", The Smiths were able to catch the attention of music listeners everywhere as they brought with them a beginning of a new era. Although most would call it "Dark New Wave" or some other categorization such as that, I can't help but think it's Grunge before there was Grunge, the 90's before there was the 90's.

















Released on their album "Meat Is Murder", "How Soon Is Now?" has become a landmark song that has been covered countless times and frankly seems to be the anthem of any depressed teen. That really kind of annoys me though that this song is just overlooked now a days as just some teenage suicide song, I believe this song deserves far more credit than it is getting in this day and age. Although I realize that most songs that teens are into are from bands such as Three Days Grace, and Manson and what not, when songs such as "How Soon Is Now?" and a band such as The Smiths are pushed aside for previous generations. Now look, I'm not saying that the only way you can enjoy this song is if you are depressed and dark, honestly I believe that it can be enjoyed by anyone because it is a broadcast of the raw emotion, a tribute to it if you will. Using a unique sound and very bold lyrics for that time, The Smiths have created many songs and albums that I hopefully believe will stand the test of time and hopefully be appreciated for what they are rather than just cast aside as melodramatic teenage angst songs. It's songs such as "How Soon Is Now?" that show that not every darker form of song writing needs to be written with repetitive lyrics or be masked by heavy rhythms, but rather can be just as powerful of a song through sheer dedication for what they write and being able to produce the songs with soothing and calming rhythms while at the same time singing about something as horrible as depression. In my opinion The Smiths were truly innovators of their time!