This Charming Man - Smith Cover

[ODH]

As I hinted at elsewhere, here's my cover of the Smiths This Charming Man.

This is a very important song to me. In 1983 I was in my first term in Salford University.  One Thursday (22nd November 1983) night we saw the Smiths on Top of the Pops doing this. Someone said they were playing the Hacienda that night, we decided to go.  Amazingly we got in and it was one of the best gigs I've ever seen.  The Smiths homecoming.

This Charming Man

The Smiths

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I know they had a 12" version which I think was called the New York remix or something.  I used to have a copy but no more.  I've done my own, which I dubbed the Newport Remix.

[Burtog]

 ......I didn't see what you had written at the bottom of your post, I was gonna ask you if this was a 12" version.

This has turned out perfectly, it's a tricky riff to play isn't it.

Can't beleive you got to see them at the Hacienda - WOW, I'm very jealous but at 8rys old they probably wouldn't have let me in.

Stunning cover Nick - I'm really enjoying this festival, you doing another?

[ODH]

Thanks mr Burtog.

My little fat fingers have been fumbling around this riff for the best part of 30 years now, although the jumped-up-pantry-boy section took some working out (all the published tabs I looked at were miles out).  Still a bit of a struggle though.  I ended up with Dbm (open E) - A - Gbm - Badd9 then Dbm (open E), B (major add open E), Gbm ---

Looking on the internet, turns out that Hacienda gig was the 24th, not the 22nd. No matter.  I used to have the flyer for it. Gone now. Found an image of it. I was actually a card carrying member, so £2 entry!


I wasn't going to do any more covers, but I couldn't pass up a Smiths fest.  Next week my wife will be producing our first child.  I don't expect to have any time for music for a long time and this might well be my swan-song.

I'm still singing your great version of Cemetary Gates in my head, and the original, which I'd all but forgotten about.  I had the Queen is Dead on vinyl in the 80's then on CD in the 90's.  Now I have neither.  Must get hold of the mp3 version.

[Oldrottenhead]

great version and i am so jealous you got to see them  and at that particular venue

[Pete C]

Commenting via ipod on hotel wi-fi in Budapest and very very drunk! Cracking version Nick of a classic. Loved listening to that! Great news about the baby but hope you stay on Songcrafters even if its only comments. I'll miss your covers - I've always said we have very similar taste in music. All the best!  Pete

[Hook]

Outstanding Nick, this is a brilliant cover!. Another Favorite of mine (I think they are all my favorites!) that I would have never tried attempting but you really did this one solid!
Rock On!

[ODH]

Thanks Pete and Hook

I'll certainly be staying active on Songcrafters, just without doing so much of my own recording for a bit.  I think this is great and fairly unique community and I really enjoy listening to everyone's posts.  Now I've got my iPhone it's a lot easier to participate.

[stuart3645]

great cover nick, really enjoyed your guitar work on this one... takes me back to my youth..ahh the fog of time lol...

[Pete C]

Back home and had chance for a proper listen to this. Really impressed by the guitar work (and bass) on this.  Its a song I'd love to cover but I always have difficulty with repetitive picked guitar parts which a lot of Smiths songs have. Used to play Sweet Child o'mine in my last band and I hated playing the intro until the rest of the band joined in. I'd often fluff the beginning and have to start again - embarrassing in front of an audience!

[macman]

Excellent work on a tricky tune! Sounds great.