478:"I approved in the sense that I believe Smiths records should be heard. 'Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me' and 'I Started Something I Couldn't Finish' were great songs but, quite obviously, there weren't acceptable B-sides and quite obviously there was no acceptable reason for a CD and cassette single, but they occurred nonetheless. It's difficult because I wanted those songs to be heard, the death of the Smiths was far too convenient. If there was a last opportunity to invade and infest the airwaves I thought it should be done."
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482:"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" was still released as a single in other countries, but its promotional video—which featured Morrissey plus a large number of Morrissey lookalikes—was used in the UK to promote "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish".
378:." Marr recalled, "It was just a weird chord change that I had in my pocket for a while, and we needed a song so I pulled that out, just trying to get the key changes to work. I mean there was a lot of throwing stuff around with that album ." The song was inspired by
397:
Marr explained, "I wanted the electric guitar parts a lot less layered and with a lot more weight, which you can hear on 'I Started
Something I Couldn't Finish'." Marr composed the song's music on a 12-string
836:
Morrissey on the James cover: "In another age, with a full living group, that would never have occurred. That was just a matter of trying to suspend 'I Started
Something I Couldn't Finish in the ... lower
421:
Though
Morrissey was critical of certain aspects of early versions of the song, Marr commented that "Morrissey was really into the song and he was sort of encouraging me" in contrast to Joyce and bassist
470:' "What's the World." The single reached number 23 in the UK, a relative underachievement commercially. Morrissey later reflected on the commercial shortcomings of the song and its follow-up, "
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348:
366:"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" has seen critical acclaim for Marr's guitar work and Morrissey's witty lyricism. It has since appeared on multiple compilation albums.
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The
British 7-inch and 12-inch vinyls contain the etching: "MURDER AT THE WOOL HALL"(X)STARRING SHERIDAN WHITESIDE / YOU ARE BELIEVING, YOU DO NOT WANT TO SLEEP.
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ranked the song as the band's 25th best, writing, "The Smiths' music is riddled with indecision, and this song is
Morrissey at his most doubtful."
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Though not originally planned to be released as a single, "I Started
Something I Couldn't Finish" was released as the album's second single after "
527:. The B-side etching is a reversal of "You are sleeping, you do not want to believe", a sample heard at the end of the Smiths song "Rubber Ring".
463:(the lyrics contain a reference to "mass murder"), the band selected "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" as the replacement A-side in the UK.
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426:, who were not fond of the song. Marr pointed to Joyce and Rourke's opposition to the song as an additional incentive for him to leave the band.
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374:"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" began as part of a jam session played during the sessions for the band's single "
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The B-sides included alternate and live recordings of previously released Smiths songs, alongside a cover of
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535:"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" saw positive critical reception from its release. Reviewing
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called it "a classic pop song that seems to echo―believe it or not―the treasured oeuvre of
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33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip
Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999
521:. One of Morrissey's pseudonyms, Sheridan Whiteside is the title role in the play
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was the recording studio in Bath where the Smiths had recorded their last album
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The track features an outtake during the fade out, with
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Songs That Saved Your Life (Revised
Edition): The Art of The Smiths 1982-87
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1125:"The Smiths: who has performed the best cover versions of their songs?"
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ranked the song as the 42nd best Smiths song. A cover was released by
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359:. Released in November 1987, it reached number 23 in the
1072:"Ranking: Every Song by The Smiths from Worst to Best"
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The Smiths - "I Started
Something I Couldn't Finish"
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988:(in Portuguese). Radio and Television of Portugal.
986:"The Smiths: Strangeways, Here We Come: Especiais"
1558:Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
447:Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
349:Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
476:
740:"Pretty Girls Make Graves" (Troy Tate version)
682:"Pretty Girls Make Graves" (Troy Tate version)
278:
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8:
886:I Started Something I Couldn't Finish rating
1604:Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
1740:Song recordings produced by Stephen Street
1551:Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
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751:"Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" (live)
693:"Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" (live)
472:Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
459:banned the single in the aftermath of the
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240:Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
29:
20:
1099:"Rob Sheffield Ranks All 73 Smiths Songs"
490:The cover of the single features actress
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355:for references to mass murder after the
1123:Parkinson, Hannah Jane (10 June 2014).
1038:, page 340. Reynolds & Hearn 2006.
902:"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"
850:
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729:"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"
671:"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"
620:"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"
330:and released on the group's 1987 album
47:
36:
24:"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"
1653:A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours
1035:The Smiths: Songs That Saved Your Life
984:Gonçalves, Pedro (28 September 2017).
1544:I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
1056:Huttinger, Robert (6 February 2012).
312:I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
259:
231:I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
7:
1565:There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
280:
1495:The Boy with the Thorn in His Side
14:
1646:Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
73:Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
1151:"The 40 Best Smiths Covers Ever"
1149:Stoudt, Sara (28 January 2022).
1097:Sheffield, Rob (1 August 2017).
923:Goddard, Simon (26 March 2013).
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294:
289:
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892:. Retrieved on 29 October 2012.
858:Segretto, Mike (2022). "1987".
1523:Shoplifters of the World Unite
1460:William, It Was Really Nothing
1453:Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
864:. Backbeat. pp. 469–470.
713:
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1:
1488:That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
1446:What Difference Does It Make?
1735:Songs written by Johnny Marr
816:
804:
631:"Pretty Girls Make Graves" (
449:" as the second single from
441:Initially, the band's label
1725:Rough Trade Records singles
1375:The Very Best of The Smiths
1006:Brown, Len (7 April 2010).
812:The Official Charts Company
433:, shall we do that again?"
314:" is a song by the English
1761:
1730:Songs written by Morrissey
584:All tracks are written by
524:The Man Who Came to Dinner
486:Artwork and matrix message
68:"Pretty Girls Make Graves"
1572:Sweet and Tender Hooligan
1290:Strangeways, Here We Come
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452:Strangeways, Here We Come
333:Strangeways, Here We Come
267:
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52:Strangeways, Here We Come
28:
18:1987 single by The Smiths
1693:Shoplifters of the World
1481:Barbarism Begins at Home
956:. Lulu.com. p. 34.
929:. Titan Books (US, CA).
1382:The Sound of The Smiths
1009:Meetings with Morrissey
906:Passions Just Like Mine
1597:Suffer Little Children
1502:Bigmouth Strikes Again
1389:The Smiths Singles Box
1333:The World Won't Listen
480:
1611:The Headmaster Ritual
455:. However, after the
445:intended to release "
412:electronic snare drum
1537:Girlfriend in a Coma
1474:Shakespeare's Sister
1076:Consequence of Sound
592:, except where noted
406:, while co-producer
351:" was banned by the
322:, written by singer
255:Professional ratings
222:Girlfriend in a Coma
709:
651:
600:
498:from the 1966 film
461:Hungerford massacre
357:Hungerford Massacre
256:
1686:The Smiths Is Dead
1318:Compilation albums
1078:. 21 February 2019
1060:. Roberthuttinger.
1058:"Image of etching"
704:
646:
595:
531:Critical reception
414:alongside drummer
254:
211:singles chronology
1702:
1701:
1680:Live performances
1625:The Queen Is Dead
1530:Sheila Take a Bow
1439:This Charming Man
1414:The Peel Sessions
1340:Louder Than Bombs
1283:The Queen Is Dead
1054:Image of etching
1019:978-0-85712-240-7
1012:. Omnibus Press.
963:978-0-244-17580-1
936:978-1-78116-259-0
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376:Sheila Take a Bow
342:Sheila Take a Bow
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1715:The Smiths songs
1663:Related articles
1639:I Know It's Over
1467:How Soon Is Now?
1326:Hatful of Hollow
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568:Rolling Stone
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539:in 1987, the
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1720:1987 singles
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1252:Craig Gannon
1158:. Retrieved
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1132:. Retrieved
1129:The Guardian
1128:
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1106:. Retrieved
1102:
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1080:. Retrieved
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967:. Retrieved
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810:UK Singles (
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392:Amateur Hour
373:
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344:" sessions.
331:
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50:
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1670:Discography
1582:Other songs
1300:Live albums
1242:Andy Rourke
1237:Johnny Marr
590:Johnny Marr
573:Bow Wow Wow
562:Consequence
443:Rough Trade
424:Andy Rourke
380:David Bowie
328:Johnny Marr
195:Johnny Marr
184:Producer(s)
174:Johnny Marr
155:Rough Trade
1709:Categories
1269:The Smiths
1247:Mike Joyce
1221:The Smiths
1108:31 October
1082:30 October
953:The Smiths
845:References
766:" (live) (
416:Mike Joyce
370:Background
320:The Smiths
209:The Smiths
93:March 1987
43:The Smiths
1590:Still Ill
1232:Morrissey
837:fifties."
798:Ireland (
793:position
705:Cassette
633:Troy Tate
586:Morrissey
518:Viva Hate
410:added an
338:glam rock
324:Morrissey
192:Morrissey
171:Morrissey
124:glam rock
1396:Complete
1155:Cover Me
969:28 April
890:AllMusic
635:version)
404:Emulator
274:AllMusic
90:Recorded
82:Released
75:" (live)
1424:Singles
1368:Singles
1361:Best II
1347:Stop Me
1185:YouTube
1160:28 June
1134:28 June
707:RTT198C
437:Release
431:Stephen
244:(1987)
235:(1987)
226:(1987)
1618:Asleep
1354:Best I
1042:
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960:
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868:
788:Chart
781:Charts
721:Length
663:Length
649:RTT198
612:Length
553:, and
547:T. Rex
388:Sparks
386:" and
268:Rating
265:Source
133:Length
99:Studio
61:B-side
39:Single
1675:Songs
1509:Panic
824:Notes
768:James
718:Title
660:Title
609:Title
598:RT198
496:still
494:in a
468:James
318:band
150:Label
111:Genre
1308:Rank
1162:2023
1136:2023
1110:2020
1084:2020
1040:ISBN
1014:ISBN
971:2022
958:ISBN
931:ISBN
866:ISBN
800:IRMA
791:Peak
773:2:05
754:5:03
743:3:35
732:3:46
696:5:03
685:3:35
674:3:46
647:12"
638:3:35
623:3:46
588:and
382:'s "
316:rock
1516:Ask
1183:on
904:at
888:".
817:23
805:13
714:No.
656:No.
605:No.
596:7"
557:!"
551:Mud
542:NME
474:":
457:BBC
394:."
390:' "
353:BBC
41:by
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