The Smiths – Life Is Very Long When You’re Lonely (Godfather Records GR351)

Life Is Very Long When You’re Lonely (Godfather Records GR351)

Irvine Meadows, Laguna Hills, CA – August 28th, 1986

(74:32):  Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Still Ill, I Want The One I Can’t Have, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, How Soon Is Now?, Frankly Mr Shankly, Panic, Stretch Out & Wait, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Is It Really So Strange?, Cemetry Gates, Never Had No One Ever, What She Said/Rubber Ring, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, The Queen Is Dead, Money Changes Everything, I Know It’s Over

At this point in their career The Smiths’ success had blown wide open.  Voted as one of the most influential bands of the time, the band was riding a huge wave of popularity.  This particular show documents that success.  Recorded at Irvine Meadows in beautiful Laguna Hills, CA this recording represents possibly the best sounding Smiths recording anywhere.  The stunning quality and perfect mix of instruments makes this recording worth listening to over and over again.  The absence of hiss leads me to believe this is from a low gen source.

Security during this show was rather heavy handed and Morressey makes numerous comments throughout the show in regards to this problem.  After “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore” Morrissey says ” I hope that the security don’t ruin your night too much, but I’m sure that they’ll do their best…never mind, they’re outnumbered…” 

Once he returned to the stage for the first encore he exclaimed “Oh God!!” along with Johnny Marr’s comments of “Neanderthals, fucking idiots, these guys!”  During “I Know It’s Over”, Morrissey interrupted his singing to shout to one of the security guys “Jesus Christ!  Don’t be so stupid!  Leave him alone, you stupid idiot!  Leave him”  He then resumed his singing as if nothing had ever happened.  This alone makes for a hell of a listen.

This show has been previously released on the very popular Bootleg “Thank Your Lucky Stars” on the Big Music Label.  This release lists this recording as being from the Universal Amphitheater on Aug. 26th but it has been proven to be from Irvine Meadows on the 28th.  There are some audience sources for the two Universal Amphitheater shows which helped to prove the correct date.  There are a few fan made versions of “Thank Your Lucky Stars” with different artwork floating around. 

In 2005 the tracks from “Thank Your Lucky Stars” were split over a bootleg LP and 2 bootleg 7″s. The LP, titled “Brighter Sides To Life” featured the songs “Still Ill”, “I Want The One I Can”t Have”, “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”, “How Soon Is Now?”, “Frankly, Mr. Shankly”, “Panic”, “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now”, “The Queen Is Dead”, “Money Changes Everything” and “I Know It”s Over”. The 7″ bootleg titled “Good Times” featured “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”, “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”, “Stretch Out And Wait” and “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side” and the other bootleg 7″, “Break My Spine”, featured the remaining 4 songs, “Is It Really So Strange?”, “Never Had No One Ever”, “Cemetary Gates” and “What She Said/Rubber Ring”.  “Wilde About The Smiths”, a factory pressed cd in digipack has “I Know It’s Over” from this concert with many other live tracks, rarities and radio and tv sessions.

Godfather Records has released this recording in their signature gatefold packaging with numerous high quality pictures of the band.  The artwork and pictures capture the overall essence of the band and do justice to the music contained within the packaging.  I already had this release as “Thank Your Lucky Stars” and I have to say I’m very pleased with Godfather’s version.  They’ve done well and I couldn’t be any happier.  I know this release will definitely please many fans of The Smiths as well as those who already have “Thank Your Lucky Stars”.  Good job Godfather, you released a recording I could not refuse.