Compiled by Stephane Daigle
Last updated
January 1998
An etching is the little bit of text that can often be found between the run-out grooves of a vinyl record. Unless it is otherwise specified, these etchings are all from UK releases. Etchings on other countries releases are most likely not by Morrissey or The Smiths.
The list only includes messages, not catalog/matrix numbers or signatures that can often also found engraved in the records (ex:"timtom" or 1-1U-1-1).
For any corrections or additions, please e-mail :
[email protected].
Any input will be very welcome.
You will find the original of this page here.
Stephane's site is called Passions Just Like Mine
THE SMITHS
"Hand In Glove"
7": KISS MY SHADES / KISS MY SHADES TOO
"This Charming Man"
7": none / SLAP ME ON THE PATIO
12": WILL NATURE MAKE A MAN OF ME YET / none
"What Difference Does It Make?"
7" and 12": none / none
"The Smiths (debut album)"
none / none
"Hand In Glove" (featuring Sandie Shaw)
7": "KISS MY SHADES" / "J.M."
12": none / none
"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now"
7": SMITHS INDEED / ILL FOREVER
12": SMITHS PRESUMABLY / FOREVER ILL
"William, It Was Really Nothing"
7" and 12" with green cover: THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST / ROMANTIC AND SQUARE IS HIP AND AWARE
7" lilac cover: THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST / WE HATES BAD GRAMMER
12" lilac cover: THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST / ROMANTIC AND [ ] IS HIP N'AWARE
"Hatful Of Hollow"
THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST / none
(only on original Rough Trade release, not on the WEA reissue)
"Barbarism Begins At Home" (DJ 12" promos)
THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES / none
"How Soon Is Now?"
7" and 12": THE TATTY TRUTH / none
"Meat Is Murder"
UK: ILLNESS AS ART / DOING THE WYTHENSHAWE WALTZ
(only on original Rough Trade release, not on the WEA reissue)
Holland: HOLLAND CUTTING / none
"Shakespeare's Sister"
UK: HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS / none
Holland: HOLLAND CUTTING / none
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"
7": OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS / OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS
12": OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS, OUR SOULS / none
12" Canada: HELEN WHEELS / none
"The Boy With The Thorn In His Side"
7" and 12": ARTY BLOODY FARTY / "IS THAT CLEVER"...JM
"Bigmouth Strikes Again"
7": none
12": BEWARE THE WRATH TO COME / TALENT BORROWS, GENIUS STEALS
"The Queen Is Dead"
FEAR OF MANCHESTER / THEM WAS ROTTEN DAYS
(only on original Rough Trade release, not on the WEA reissue)
"Panic"
7" and 12": I DREAMT ABOUT STEW LAST NIGHT / none
Germany 12": 'HANG THEM HIGH MONIKA' / HANG THEM HIGH MONIKA
"Ask"
7" and 12": ARE YOU LOATHESOME TONIGHT? / TOMB IT MAY CONCERN
12" Germany: "NATUR FEEDS THE ZENSOR GROUP" / none
"Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" (a German release)
7": Rock and Rolling to the top / A PRECISE DIAMOND CUT
12": ---NOH GIRL LIKE JAGUAR ROSE--- / BUSY TRAIN TO THE LOCOMOTION
"Shoplifters Of The World Unite"
7" and 12": ALF RAMSEY'S REVENGE / none
"The World Won't Listen"
none / none
"Sheila Take A Bow"
7" and 12": COOK BERNARD MATTHEWS / none
"Girlfriend In A Coma"
7": AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO / SO FAR, SO BAD
12": EVERYBODY IS A FLASHER AT HEART/AND NEVER MORE SHALL BE SO
"Strangeways Here We Come"
GUY FAWKES WAS A GENIUS / none
(only on original Rough Trade release, not on the WEA reissue)
"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"
7" and 12": "MURDER AT THE WOOL HALL"(X)STARRING SHERIDAN WHITESIDE
/ YOU ARE BELIEVING, YOU DO NOT WANT TO SLEEP
"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"
7" and 12": "THE RETURN OF THE SUBMISSIVE SOCIETY" (X) STARRING SHERIDAN WHITESIDE /
"THE BIZARRE ORIENTAL VIBRATING PALM DEATH"(X)STARRING SHERIDAN WHITESIDE
"Rank"
PEEPHOLISM / none
(only on original Rough Trade release, not on the WEA reissue)
"Rank" is the last Smiths release with an etching. None of the WEA compilations ("Best I", "Best II", "Singles") and their singles ("This Charming Man", "How Soon Is Now", "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out", "Ask", "Sweet And Tender Hooligan") have anything engraved except catalog numbers or signatures.
MORRISSEY
"Suedehead"
7" and 12": "DREAMS...ARE JUST...DREAMS" / none
"Viva Hate"
EDUCATION IN REVERSE / none
(only on original Fame and HMV LPs, not on Parlophone 1995 reissue)
"Everyday Is Like Sunday"
7" and 12": NINETEEN EIGHTY HATE / none
"The Last Of The Famous International Playboys"
7" and 12": ESCAPE FROM VALIUM / RETURN TO VALIUM
"Interesting Drug"
7" and regular 12": ESCAPE FROM VALIUM / RETURN TO VALIUM
etched 12": "WHAT KIND OF MAN READS DENIM DELINQUENT?" / MOTOR CYCLE AU PAIR BOY
etched promo 12": HOSSCAH! HOSSCAH! / none
"Ouija Board, Ouija Board"
7" and 12": "ART, ANY ROAD" / none
"November Spawned A Monster"
7" and 12": none / none
"Piccadilly Palare"
7" and 12": GEORGE ELIOT KNEW / none
"Bona Drag"
"AESTHETICS VERSUS ATHLETICS" / none
(only on original HMV LP, not on Parlophone 1995 reissue)
"Our Frank"
7": FREE RON, FREE REG / DRUNKER QUICKER
12": "FREE REG, FREE RON" / "DRUNKER QUICKER"
"Kill Uncle"
"NOTHING TO DECLARE EXCEPT MY JEANS" / none
(only on original HMV LP, not on Parlophone 1995 reissue)
"Sing Your Life"
7" and 12": none / none
"Pregnant For The Last Time"
7" and 12": none / none
"My Love Life"
7" and 12": none / none
"We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful"
I DON'T KNOW ANYONE THAT'S HAPPY, DO YOU? / none
"You're The One For Me Fatty"
7" and 12": none / none
"Your Arsenal"
7" and 12": none / none
"Certain People I Know"
7" and 12": WHY BOTHER TO KEEP CLEAN? / WHY BOTHER TO KEEP CLEAN?
"Beethoven Was Deaf"
WOULD YOU RISK IT FOR A BISCUIT / none
"Beethoven Was Deaf" is the last Morrissey release with an etching. No 7", 12" or LP put out since 1993 have anything engraved except catalog numbers or signatures.
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