The Smiths “Ask” b/w “Cemetry Gates” and “Golden Lights” 1986. 12″ single. Sire/Rough Trade Records. “Ask” reached #14 on the UK charts in ‘86 and does not appear on any standard Smiths albums, but is on some comps and live recordings. “Cemetry Gates” is included on a jewel of vinyl perfection, “The Queen is Dead,” and is, in my opinion, equally if not more deserving of an A side spot. Allmusic’s Stewart Mason writes about the track, “Morrissey delivers one of his most relaxed vocal performances, which creates a sort of double-bind effect: at first, “Cemetry Gates” just sounds like a lighthearted, comic song about spending time wandering about graveyards, which in fact can be a fun and only slightly morbid way to spend a nice afternoon for those who enjoy such things. So fair enough, one might think: it’s a cheerful song for the Goths and an ironic song for everyone else. Except that the heart of the song turns out to be a deadly serious rant on plagiarism and the danger of taking on someone else’s words and thoughts as your own…”

Like “Ask,” “Golden Lights” is also only available on compilation releases, including “Louder Than Bombs” and “The World Won’t Listen” (both 1987). “Golden Lights” is not a Smith’s original, rather it was penned by Twinkle (real name Lynn Ripley), a British 1960′s one-hit-wonder (for “Terry” which reached #4 on the UK charts in 1964).