The Smiths A-Z: "The Draize Train"

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member






Next up in our Smiths A-Z project is this instrumental track, first released as a B-side on the "Panic" single in 1986. (A live version also appears on Rank.)

The song was played live 11 times by the Smiths but (shockingly!) has never been performed by Morrissey.

What do we think?
 
A song that didn’t change my life...
Not for me this one I’m afraid.
 
In The Smiths instrumental league table I'd out it 3rd and last behind Money Changes Everything and Oscillate Wildly.

I can't ever imagine Morrissey lyrics over that music. The song itself I don't mind. 6/10.
 
Not one I've ever been particularly interested in, always thought it was lazy to put an instrumental on the B-side of a single.
 
This is proof, if proof were needed, that Morrissey was 84% of the appeal of The Smiths. This is proof that The Smiths would be nothing without Morrissey. Johnny Marr would have ended up playing in the kind of band that real ale drinkers like. Johnny still lives in Morrissey’s shadow which is why he hates him.
 
The live version from 'Rank' is amazing, and I can see why Morrissey himself chose to pick it as part of the album tracklisting, whilst cutting other tracks with vocals. Unfortunately the studio version is very sparse, bland and boring in comparison.

The studio versions of both 'Money Changes Everything' and 'Oscillate Wildly' sound complete as instrumentals, and you don't miss Morrissey whatsoever. 'The Drazie Train' however, sounds barren, and desperately missing his voice.

5 out of 10 (studio)
8 out of 10 (live)
 
In all these years, I can count the number of times I've listened to the studio version on two hands, but I am quite partial to the Rank version and it adds another dimension to an incredible album. As Johnny says above, it's the weakest of the three instrumentals and adds very little to The Canon.
 
At the time, I really couldn’t get excited about a Smiths track that did not feature Morrissey’s voice. Moz was indeed an important part of the appeal of the. Smiths.
At this point, I actually wouldn’t mind if JM included some instrumental tracks on his solo album. I don’t think this track is horrible, though probably the weakest of the 3 instrumentals.
 
I quite enjoyed listening to it again a few minutes ago simply because I very rarely give it a spin.

It's a pretty good instrumental, with both Johnny and Andy occasionally shining, but the wordless songs are not exactly the reason why I listen to The Smiths.

I agree that the live version is superior to the studio recording.


Just to show other viewpoints and not because they should be considered in any way definitive...

In the poll on this board this song ranked 68th from 73 of the group's songs.
In the poll on the Hoffman board this song ranked 66th from 73 of the group's songs.
 
Not keen on the title - assuming the reasoning behind it was correct. It sounds a bit weird that Morrissey wouldn't add lyrics but possibly influenced its name.

The stock Morrissey quote:
"I was... asked to write words for... 'The Draize Train', which I thought was the weakest thing Johnny had ever done. Geoff Travis came to see me one day with the tape of it and said, 'It's the best thing Johnny's written and it's a Number One single if you put words to it'. But I said, 'No, Geoff, it's not right'. So, yes, there was pressure to write lyrics, but I thought they were better as they were."
(Morrissey via NME, Feb. 13, '88).

A Marr mention:
"I've got an Epiphone Coronet with one pickup, and I string it with the high strings from a 12-string set. It's a really zingy, trebly guitar. I used that on a lot of things that people think are 12-string... I also used it on the studio version of 'The Draize Train,' along with two Rickenbackers. I was working with Alan Rogan, the famed English guitar technician. He said, 'Well, if you want a Pete Townshend sound, I'll bring down two of Pete's guitars.' I don't know whether Pete knows about that!"
(Marr via Guitar Player, 1990).

Regards,
FWD.
 
I think it’s quite gorgeous. A missed opportunity for Moz when he chose to not add lyrics to it.
 
The stock Morrissey quote:
"I was... asked to write words for... 'The Draize Train', which I thought was the weakest thing Johnny had ever done.

live version is fine as a breather on Rank, but it really is The Smiths
weakest released song. I don’t think even Bryan Ferry could have saved that one. Lol.


Golden Lights, any day.


:cool:



Geoff Travis came to see me one day with the tape of it and said, 'It's the best thing Johnny's written and it's a Number One single if you put words to it'.

Says Geoff, the man that believed ‘How Soon is Now?’ could never work as a A-Side single! doh:




But I said, 'No, Geoff, it's not right'. So, yes, there was pressure to write lyrics, but I thought they were better as they were."
(Morrissey via NME, Feb. 13, '88).






 
This is proof, if proof were needed, that Morrissey was 84% of the appeal of The Smiths. This is proof that The Smiths would be nothing without Morrissey. Johnny Marr would have ended up playing in the kind of band that real ale drinkers like. Johnny still lives in Morrissey’s shadow which is why he hates him.
It doesn't prove that at all. It's one track and not by standard Johnny's best. Why would you suggest that all of Johnny's abilities are summed up in this one track?

I prefer the Rank version... seems like a fun song for the band to rock out on live.
 
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Draize Train! I choo choo choose you!

Johnny, quick question: I've just found out it's vivisection terminology. :( .
So how come I hear a train in my head? Is it because it's always there? :unsure:
 
It’s a fine instrumental track that displays the rockier side of the band; it was fitting that it was played many times in concert, especially considering the dual guitar lineup with Craig Gannon at the time. The solos are quite cool on listening and they mesh well with the airy, almost synthetic rhythm guitar, essentially another opportunity for Johnny to flex his funk muscles (although to a lesser effect than “Barbarism” due to a number of factors). It rattles along nicely, and has a great, macabre title, but it’s five minute runtime outstays it’s welcome and (unlike “Oscillate Wildly”, the best of the instrumentals for my money) it doesn’t have another real section to keep the tune alive.
6/10
 
live version is fine as a breather on Rank, but it really is The Smiths
weakest released song. I don’t think even Bryan Ferry could have saved that one. Lol.


Golden Lights, any day.


:cool:





Says Geoff, the man that believed ‘How Soon is Now?’ could never work as a A-Side single! doh:

Wild T coulda fixed this thing...
"Movin' along/ Turkin' on"
 
I think it is a cool-sounding song. Sounds like Miami Vice. It is sort of hard to imagine Morrissey putting lyrics to it, tho. A little too dance-oriented.
 
[Given that there are, er, other things to discuss on here today, I'll wait until tomorrow before moving on to our next track in the Smiths A=Z...]
 
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