The Smiths是適合在任何時候，當你翻開畢業紀念冊時，
為你電影般流轉的青春配上優雅旋律的音樂。
我願意用The Smiths的歌曲來為我半生的大大小小記憶作上註解。
他是青春的配樂，我的故事詩。
從六零年代The Who、The Rolling Stones、The Kinks英倫傳統到七零年代
Sex Pistols、The Clash叛客搖滾以來的奠基，八零年代似乎已經確認以吉他
為導向的英式搖滾傳統，吉他位置的重要性與比例幾乎可以在The Smiths
找出答案，不僅如此，他們更確定了八零年代之後英國獨立音樂場景，
帶出了短暫卻又影響甚鉅的Madchester風潮和Shoegaze運動。
The Smiths的靈魂人物Johnny Mars時而優美時而侵略的電吉他伴奏，
就好似在述說一個故事，喃喃地、咆哮地、譏諷地、自嘲地、情感豐沛地
為一首歌畫出了輪廓，選擇故事的題裁架構出美麗的胴體，然後，
Morrisey狂狷地為它添上青春的靈魂，那冗長的敘事詩篇似乎總是無法準確地
套進Johnny Mars為他設定好的音位句型，而是急切地要傾吐那瑣碎的少年呻吟。
Morrisey絮叨的詩句是濟慈微恙身體上的笑容、葉慈對古老玄祕的沉思，
是韓波少年老成的才氣、雪萊我行我素的浪漫，Johnny Mars的吉他繼承叛客的
遺緒、踏著輕快的步伐應和當下的暈眩，這兩者完美的結合，形塑出八零年代的
英國文化、少年時代的青春祕儀。即便生不逢時如我，也能在音樂中找到共鳴，
感受那多愁善感的蒼白美麗，此乃人人必經的青春時光，The Smiths永遠不會長大，它將停留在那個年代，成為年少輕狂永遠的代言人。
我在〈There Is A Light that Never Goes Out〉、〈The Boy with the
Thorn in His Side〉、〈 Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now 〉找到那敏銳易碎的
細緻愛意、處境堪憐的沉淪自溺、無病呻吟的青春哀嚎，再多的形容詞似乎
都不及那詩詞的精準，且看：
〈There Is A Light that Never Goes Out〉
Take me out tonight
Where there's music and there's people
Who are young and alive
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I haven't got one anymore
Take me out tonight
Because I want to see people
And I want to see life
Driving in your car
Oh please don't drop me home
Because it's not my home, it's their home
And I'm welcome no more
And if a double-decker bus
Crashes in to us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well the pleasure, the privilege is mine
Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, I don't care
I don't care, I don't care
And in the darkened underpass
I thought Oh God, my chance has come at last
But then a strange fear gripped me
And I just couldn't ask
Take me out tonight
Oh take me anywhere, I don't care
I don't care, I don't care
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I haven't got one
No, I haven't got one
There is a light that never goes out
〈The Boy with the Thorn in His Side〉
The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A murderous desire for love
How can they look into my eyes
And still they don't believe me ?
How can they hear me say those words
Still they don't believe me ?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever believe me ?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever, they ever, believe me ?
Oh ...
The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A plundering desire for love
How can they see the Love in our eyes
And still they don't believe us ?
And after all this time
They don't want to believe us
And if they don't believe us now
Will they ever believe us ?
And when you want to Live
How do you start ?
Where do you go ?
Who do you need to know ?
〈 Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now 〉
I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour
But heaven knows I'm miserable now
I was looking for a job, and then I found a job
And heaven knows I'm miserable now
In my life
Why do I give valuable time
To people who don't care if I live or die ?
Two lovers entwined pass me by
And heaven knows I'm miserable now
I was looking for a job, and then I found a job
And heaven knows I'm miserable now
What she asked of me at the end of the day
Caligula would have blushed
"You've been in the house too long" she said
And I (naturally) fled
I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour
But heaven knows I'm miserable now
"You've been in the house too long" she said
And I (naturally) fled
The Smiths曲曲經典、令人欲罷不能，據聞已有歌劇團將The Smiths的歌曲改
為musical上演，我相信，將來一定會有一部青春公路電影將以The Smiths的
歌曲作為整片的配樂。邁向青春的終結，The Smiths或許不能給未來多大的啟示，
但是卻能時時喚醒你那沉睡的青春記憶，那份悲慘的美好將長存你我心底，如同
The Smiths的音樂永不凋零。
專輯列表：
《The Smiths》1984
《The Meat Is Murder》1985
《The Queen Is Dead》1986
《Strange Ways, Here We Come》1987
《Rank》(Live)1988
