| "Strangeways Here We Come" | September 1987 | |
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A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours I Started Something I Couldn't Finish Death Of A Disco Dancer Girlfriend In A Coma Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me Unhappy Birthday Paint A Vulgar Picture Death At One's Elbow I Won't Share You UK CD [Rough Trade ROUGHCD106]
Additional information: The 2006 Japanese cd reissue is slipped inside a mini-replica of the original Victor Japan LP sleeve. Even the inner sleeve, obi and label are replicas of the ones from the original LP pressing. The picture disc LP edition (with the album's front artwork onto vinyl) is actually a bootleg reproduction made in 2007.
Artwork information: The original cassette cover has a different tint to the other formats. The WEA reissued cassettes were redesigned to be more similar to the LP and compact disc artwork. The inside photo displayed in the left bar is found inside the cd booklet, the cassette inlay and on each side of the LP inner sleeve.
Etchings on vinyl:
Additional release date information:
Chart peak information:
Certifications:
Promotion: Australia: Stock copies of the original LP were promo marked on sleeve and record, or had a "sample record not for sale" sticker on the reverse of the cover. The 1988 reissues on Festival Records were promoted via stock LPs with a promo sticker on the label. Brazil: Stock copies of the LP with a gold promo stamp on the back and a promo warning stamped in ink across the labels were sent to radios and record shops for promotion. A 4-track various artists promo EP from 1988 featuring "Girlfriend In A Coma" (6WP.0012/#9) was slipped in a blue and yellow sleeve. Canada: Copies of the LP were stamped in gold on the back with a promo warning. France: The sleeve of stock LPs were stamped in the corner with the words DISQUE GRATUIT INTERDIT A LA VENTE in a circle and dispatched for promotion. Germany: A 5-page press release, a promo photo and a promotional postcard of the album's artwork were inserted inside stock copies of the LP and sent to media. Shortly after, in 1988, "Girlfriend In A Coma" appeared on a label promo sampler titled "Line - Der Sampler Nr 26" (LICD 9.00346). Israel: Stock LPs with a record company sticker on the back were used to promote this album. Japan: Promotion of the original release was done via promo LPs and promo CDS. The former had a red promo sticker on the sleeve and the usual extra 3-character promo text printed on the label while the latter, just like the 1990, 1993 (and possibly 1995) reissues, have a promo sticker on the case or obi, and promo text on the cds' inner ring. The promo cd for the 2006 reissue in LP-replica sleeves have a white and red promo sticker on the back and 'sample loaned' etched on the cd's inner ring. USA: Promo-stamped copies of the LP were the main means of promotion of this album. Two one-track 12"s were also distributed for the same purposes. The first one, "Girlfriend In A Coma" (Sire PRO-A-2843, view left bar) was sent to radios around the time of the release of the album. The second one "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" (Sire PRO-A-2893, not displayed but same type of label) was distributed shortly after. The latter song was also released as a commercial 7" single in that country. "Girlfriend On A Coma" was included on a various artists promo cd sent to radio at the time, titled "Music For The Starving Millions" (PRO-CD-2831). The video for "Girlfriend In A Coma" was included on two different promo video compilations from the record label. The first one was dated 10-05-87 and numbered MiniComp#25 while the other was from 1988 and numbered MiniComp#62. A promo video interview of Morrissey and Marr titled "In Conversation" was sent to some media around the release of "Strangeways Here We Come".
Quotes: Morrissey in 1994, commenting about Johnny Marr's opinion that "Strangeways Here We Come" is the Smiths best album: "Well it is. We're in absolute accordance on that. We say it quite often. At the same time. In our sleep. But in different beds."
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