Track Listing

1. William It Was Really Nothing
2. What Difference Does It Make
3. These Things Take Time
4. This Charming Man
5. How Soon Is Now
6. Handsome Devil
7. Hand In Glove
8. Still Ill
9. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
10. This Night Has Opened My Eyes
11. You've Got Everything Now
12. Accept Yourself
13. Girl Afraid
14. Back To The Old House
15. Reel Around The Fountain
16. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16371 in Music
• Released on: 1993-11-15
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Hatful Of Hollow presents the raw and yearning performances of the early Smiths at their best, with Morrissey singing "'the sun shines out of our behinds" on the iconic "Hand In Glove", his tongue firmly in his cheek. For many Smiths devotees, this is the band's alternative debut album, containing vital Smiths recordings like the John Porter produced "How Soon is Now?". Other less well-known delights include a beautifully mordant acoustic rendition of "Back to the Old House" and the kitchen sink melancholy of "This Night Has Opened My Eyes". Hatful Of Hollow is a sixteen track collection that is taken in the main from BBC Radio 1's cutting edge John Peel and David Jensen evening shows in 1984. Like The Beatles at The BBC, The Smiths radio sessions sound both timeless and epoch defining, and there is no better introduction to the band's beguiling talent than on Hatful Of Hollow. --James Littlewood

CD Description
A composite of radio sessions and sundry early singles, HATFUL OF HOLLOW provides an alternative snapshot of the Smiths' early career. Compiled in the wake of their debut album, it exhibited all of their considerable strengths, in particular Johnny Marr's ringing, expressive guitarwork. The riff hecreates on 'How Soon Is Now' is thoroughly captivating. Vocalist Morrissey's distinctive croon and solipsistic lyrics are already unique and give the group its originality. At times ironic, at others wistful (as on 'Back To The Old House'), he takes the Smiths into new areas of expression and his contrasting visions are fully expressed herein.

Customer Reviews

The BBC Radio Sessions Just Can't Be Beat
The young turks of indie need to listen to this album to remind themselves of how it should be done. Morissey's intelligent lyrics and anguished vocals are matched perfectly with the Marr/Rourke combo and Morrissey's various personae were, surely, more interesting than those of the Gallagher bores?

I disagree with the previous reviewer - I think the version here of 'Hand In Glove' is a superbly melancholic dirge with that piercing harmonica riff that manages to float above the greyness but be part of it at the same time.

'Girl Afraid' is another typical punchy Smiths angst-ridden ditty but drags a little, instrumentally. 'This Charming Man' and 'William, It Was Really Nothing' both good tunes, well crafted.

But my money for the tour de force is on 'These Things Take Time' which has to be The Smiths at their brooding best.

Buy this album - it's a reminder of how good we Brits are at this kind of thing!

The very best introduction to the Smiths...
Many people regard the Smith's studio albums (with the exception of the Queen is Dead) as patchy affairs, skirting dangerously between absolute classics and downright filler. Though, that is an opinion alien to me (I think the first Smiths' album, along with Strangeways Here We Come, are two of the greatest records of the 80's), I can see how such a viewpoint could arise, especially when you measure the success of something like Meat is Murder, alongside the undeniable genius of this.

Hatful of Hollow surfaced in 1984 and would elaborate on the style and sonic template developed by the Smiths on their self-titled debut. The range of styles and ideas, both musically and lyrically, is unparalleled here, with the group culling tracks from their first album, from demos and b-sides, and from various radio sessions, to create a collection that, along with the similar/later compilation, The World Won't Listen, represents the very best introduction to the music of the Smiths. The fact that the band had so much great material just laying around at such an early stage of their career, led John Mulvey of the NME to opine, "there's a sense that the band are rolling out of bed and writing a great song a day"... and it's true! You can't imagine modern-day bands like Coldplay or Keane having so much material left over from their first albums, to the extent that they could easily release a compilation months before starting work on their second...

It is, of course, a testament to the strong songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Marr during this era of fruitful creativity... with Marr providing those bouncing, jangly rhythms, whilst Morrissey, in his words, launched his diary to music. Each of the sixteen songs found herein is a little symphony to angst, loneliness, boredom, malaise, indifference and the role of the outsider, (which are classic themes within the world of the Smiths), with evocative imagery working against broad humour and enthralling melody. There's no real need to give an in-depth analysis of these songs... suffice to say, tracks like What Difference does it Make?, This Charming Man, How Soon is Now, Handsome Devil, Still Ill, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Reel Around the Fountain & Please, Please, Please... figure as some of the most iconic and celebrated Smiths' tracks ever produced, and, if you enjoy at least one, you're likely to enjoy them all.

Hatful of Hollow remains one of the very best Smiths' releases and acts as a great introduction to one of the best bands of all time. For a more comprehensive listen, get this alongside The World Won't Listen and immerse yourself in the joys of songs like You've Got Everything Now, William- It Was Really Nothing, This Night Has Opened My Eyes and Back to the Old House, before progressing to the wonders of The Smiths, Meat is Murder, The Queen is Dead and Strangeways- Here We Come.

The most precious of all shiny discs!
Quite honestly this is the greatest collection of recordings ever .

The Smiths, during their brief but glorious career, never released a poor track (other than the mistake that was the B side twinkle cover) but this is really the collection everyone with ears should own.

I recall buying this album on vinyl on it's initial release for two shillings and sixpence. I was already the proud owner of their debut album so i had an inkling of what to expect when i walked out of the shop with this under my arm.

I played this album none stop for three weeks untill i had memorised every detail. I would, without fear, stop people in the street and quote lyrics at them at any given opportunity such was my love for these songs. I became, in 1984, a fully fledged Smiths apostle sporting an enormous quiff that required scaffolding to maintain it's gravity defying height. I hung on every syllabale uttered by Morrissey for the next five years or so.

The songs on this album are sublime but I simply do not have the creative ability to describe their awesome beauty and power here.

If you are new to the Smiths buy this album first and then rush to their other 5 star works (everything they ever released!)How i envy you this experience you lucky lucky people!