The Smiths and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Today I have some music for you that comes from the 1980s. Specifically, this song is by one of the greatest British bands of all time, and this song is hands down one of the most remarkable romantic songs we will ever hear. The Smiths will forever and always hold an incredibly special place in my heart because of this song. Now for those of you who don't know, The Smiths was a band of England during the mid and late 80s. They were a group that spearheaded so much within the music world, including individualism and artistic creativity.

The Smiths have always been a phenomenal band, which is why I have been giving them a good and thorough listen over the course of the past few days. This song stands out not only as one of the greatest songs by The Smiths, but as one of the greatest romantic songs of all time. The balance between the composition itself and the lyricism is absolutely beautiful and perfect. There is an odd kind of hope that we get with this song. Those warmer feelings of love and hope are easily read throughout the song, without being explicitly defined or explained. Morrissey's lyrics elegantly describes what he would do for the one he loves and makes it clear that the person next to him is someone he cares about. But he never explicitly has to say it. And I love that because not only does it leave this song open to being interpreted by the listeners, but it also lets us apply the song to our personal lives in the way which best suits us. This wickedly devastating song is one that can move us and definitely get us to listen. What makes The Smiths' able to deliver a more spirited song about a slightly melancholy topic, is due to a fantastic case of opposites. While Morrissey is able to deliver brooding and morose lyrics and vocals, Johnny Marr brings a bouncier musical input. Together, Morrissey's baritone vocals on top of livelier melodies keep the song afloat.

This song tends to tell more of a story. The song opens up with an enchantingly short introduction. We are beckoned to the song with some nice acoustic guitar strumming. It isn't strong and powerful but does have a purposeful firmness as a melodic rhythm. Morrissey seamlessly opens the song and plays off the rhythm of the song to ease us into this new lyrical scene he created. Johnny Marr introduces layers of guitar chords over the beginning acoustic and bass guitar melodies. This song is also one of the very first songs in which The Smiths use synthesized strings. The synthesized strings give this song a little bit the brighter sounds. It takes away some of the depressing moroseness which comes with Morrissey's lyrics and voice on this track. The sweeter melodies perfectly support the utterly romantic lyrics and give us a song that has devotion penned into every word. The climax of the song is an interesting dichotomy of being very dark and discontent, while also being fully content with the situation at hand. The chorus tends to air a bit on the darker side of things, especially considering the subject matter at hand. However, the dichotomy leaves us very intrigued and almost a bit confused. The chords of the song convey contentment and peace. The lyrics make us question if Morrissey is actually okay, and whether or not the scene being described is just an exaggeration. We hear a desperation creep into Morrissey's voice as the song progresses, an insecurity that he can't seem to shake. But at the end, we get a little bit of a bittersweet moment. The Smiths end the song with a repeated line. This line is most powerful at this place in the song because of what it means. Faith in the tiniest flickers of hope is what gets us through.

The Smiths is an iconic band, and their music is some of the most well known. But this song, this has to be my absolute favorite. The depressingly romantic nature of the song is so beautifully executed by the band, almost to the point of it being hauntingly so.

Today's instrumental song is from the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This movie was phenomenal, to say the least. While the parent franchise has been one I grew up with, this film offers such a fresh and different perspective on the magical world involved. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!


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