🎵 The Smiths - How Soon Is Now? REACTION 

This song - which guitarist, Johnny Marr, described as The Smiths' "most enduring record" - is about their frontman Morrissey's crippling shyness. It has since become an anthem for the alienated and socially isolated.

"That's what vampires listen to, in their house." - I love this so much. Also Morrissey would be insufferably satisfied to hear you say this is what stylish people listen to.

Lex is absolutely right to say that there's a whole lot of 80s music which doesn't fit the stereotype of being happy, poppy songs with typical 80s sounds and production. This is very often overlooked when music from that decade is considered.

"This is what vampires listen to when they're hanging upside down in their caves sleeping" - Lex. I laughed my ass off. Perfect!

I was not a radio “top 10 radio” person when I was growing up. SOOOO….My favorite program on MTV was a show called “120 Minutes “, it would air a TON of alternative / dark wave / punk videos for 2 hours. Basically where those of us who didn’t hang out with the “jocks”, “cheerleaders”, etc…this was music for misfits who read Nizche. That’s where I found all these badass darker bands. *essential show! Sad MTV stopped playing music to the masses in the early 90s.

A very hypnotic song and so important for the alternative 80s. It takes you on a journey. Total vibe. Great song.

Johnny Marr is a stellar guitarist, textures and tones unlike any other player.

The first time I heard How Soon Is Now?, it blew me away & continues to do so every time I hear it. A brilliant song

This song is the vibe of catching the train home at 3 AM in the rain

This is one of the greatest songs ever. It breaks my heart every single time I hear it. Amazing tune. What am I saying, I’m a metal head. That’s how great this song is. It grabs your heart and soul and takes you on a depressing journey that is actually uplifting to hear that other people have issues similar to the rest of us.

In the early 80s electronic music was dominant, The Smiths brought guitar bands back to the forefront, but with a twist: Johnny Marr re-imagined how guitars could effect the mood of a song, and singer Morrissey delivered lyrics of self-reflection and aloof sneering delivered with his unique crooning voice.

Every sad teenager in the 80's had this in their playlist. Myself included ❤

Used to love this song. Completely original at the time. Stands up in time nicely. They were completely original and very creative as a band. This has to one of the most requested songs for DJ's of the 80's in Modern Rock clubs. Very danceable. Only the coolest of DJ's played it in other clubs.

Great song. Thanks for reviewing. This was the soundtrack of my days in the late 80's. The tremolo of the guitar drives the tune and gives it a beat, and then that slide between chords pulls you back to the tune. Morrissey captures what everyone thinks, though, with "I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does." We all need love, regardless of who we are. Fav line: There's a club if you'd like to go You could meet somebody who really loves you So you go and you stand on your own And you leave on your own And you go home and you cry And you want to die

Thanks for the love to the old Manchester music scene, The Smiths and New Order music that I grew up listening to. I was listening to this song (and The Smiths in general) a great deal when my parents got divorced and even though it sounds maudlin it spoke to me and said things I just could not. Much love from Manchester.

The 80's had an underlying destopian feel, but unlike the 70's or 90's. This decay was embraced in a way. For art, for soul, for feel. Those before and after seemed to be more movement orientated. The good, the bad , and the ugly. Were as the 80's was an almost internalized meloncholy that brought with it a validation. An enjoyment in decay.

It's funny how Lex mentions this being a "train song." On my second trip to England, I had the best of The Smiths on my iPod. Sitting on the train, watching England pass me by from the train window-- big mood.

the movie in the background was a film called The Breakfast Club about students getting weekend detention but this song is also the theme song for the TV show Charmed a show about witches 💙

I was about 17/18 years old when I bought this album. I'm 52 now, still listen to it regularly.

In 1990, Soho sampled the beginning of this for " hippychick", a big club hit

The 80’s post punk and mod era takes a beating but truly some of the most creative musicality of the last 50 years.

Hands down my favourite Smiths tune, so atmospheric. 🔥

It's so great to see a 'younger generation' coming to terms of a different style of music that's so hard to place a specific word or definition to. . .(New Order, Depeche Mode, The Smiths.) Now imagine growing up in the 80s and hearing it as it's being created! I miss the 80s!!

I was a little too young to understand The Smiths at the time. However, one of my early memories is The Smiths on Top Of The Pops with Morrissey wearing a hearing aid and a Gladioli in his back pocket. So I guess they still made an impact on me. I now completely appreciate the band and this song has become a favourite of mine.

As a teen and twenty-something I was grateful to find music like this, where people actually said the things I felt... in metal, post-punk, grunge, alternative. Got me through some very dark times, and it doesn't make me feel sad to hear it now. Only thankful that it was, and is still around.

"There's a club if you'd like to go... you could meet somebody who really loves you... so you go on your own, and you leave on your own, and you go home and you cry and you wanna die" The Smiths, always with the big pick me up lines!!

In this episode of Brad & Lex & Berto, the trio seem to try deciphering what they're ingesting. Lex will place blame on a whole decade as she gives the Smith's a sedated "ponder bop" which peps up slightly. Berto seems to mirror his inlaw while Brad gives us a very chill "side to side sway".

Lex pretty much nailed the description! A cover of this song has been used in the movie The Craft, and was the theme song for the TV show Charmed, both of which were about covens of attractive young witches!

How Soon Is Now? is a song performed by The Smiths - a very influential English alternative rock band that existed from 1982 to 1987. The lyrics of the song tell the story of a person whose incredible shyness prevents them from finding a romantic partner. The song is basically about Smiths’ singer Morrissey’s battle with severe shyness.

The Smiths were so depressingly upbeat! My friends and I hung out in the underground night club scene where The Smiths and all the cooler music was played... and yes, Lex, you are correct, we were (and still are) very fashionable! Haha The Smiths songs are emotionally driven poetry, set to upbeat guitar riffs, with Morrissey drawing you in ever the more closely with each lyric he sings painting a clear a vivid landscape that captured what it was like back then to be young and it be ok to not be ok. They were definitely one of the most interesting bands of the 80's.

This song and “Panic” grabbed me in the 90’s, so freaking good.

One of the best songs ever written. The Smiths have upbeat songs as well. And Morrissey’s lyrics s usually belie the pop sensibility of the music.

Check out “Bigmouth Strikes Again” or “That Joke Isn’t Funny anymore. As much as a wizard Johnny Marr is on guitar, Andy Rourke has created some of the most melodic bass lines you’ll ever hear. Also @ 7:20 - Lex always says the most random thing about a song but somehow it makes sense 😂👏🏾

I’ve always thought of this song a hauntingly, beautiful masterpiece, but you’ve just nailed it with the vampire analogy!

The Smiths are British. They are one of the best bands of all time. My fifteen year old self used to be depressed and melancholy to their music on a regular basis. I have loved them for years.

Marr was the music and Morrissey was the voice and together they made everlasting magic!!!

The Smiths were a staple for the alternative crowd in high school. Artsy, creative types who felt like they didn't fit into the main stream but didn't want to conform either. High school in the 80s had very strongly defined cliques: preps, jocks, head bangers, nerds, and alternative. There was a bit of cross over but not much. It's probably why that fan video was set to The Breakfast Club. The characters in that movie each represented 1 of those 5 cliques. And yes, lots of alternative types wore black, army boots, etc.

The Smiths, or Morrissy, the lead singer and song writer, is one of a kind. He's been said to be the punk Elvis of rock with his smooth, melancholy delivery. He's a great crafter of song, melody and lyric. Genius.

The FIRST song I ever heard from the Smiths. I bought "Meat Is Murder" because I saw it at the record store and I was in the Army at the time. I LOVED the song from minute go. And it summed up my life at the time. It has been my go to since.

The Smiths was infamously linked with an urban legend of an 18 year old teenager that hostaged a Top 40 radio station in Denver, Colorado. It was told that the said teenager held the radio DJ at gunpoint and forced him to play only The Smiths songs straight for 4 hours. The kid was arrested afterwards at the radio station parking lot by after leaving his rifle to one of the radio station employees and prodded her to call the police. He was charged with extortion and kidnapping. The said incident inspired Hollywood to make a movie with the same plot starring Adam Sandler, Steve Buscemi, and Brendan Fraser, entitled The Airheads in 1994

The greatest intro and song from the greatest 80s group, it's British, it's Northern, it can't be understood in a sunny climate by upbeat happy people

Bout time someone did this song! It’s the perfect song!

My theme song throughout high school. 🖤🖤🖤

First time i heard this i needed to hear again. Now I've must have heard it a thousand times . So brilliant.

Back in the 80's I worked nights and when I got home in the morning I would make a cup of tea roll a joint and play the Smiths Album which this is on it's called "A hatful of hollow" your reference to Vampires is uncanny as that's what We on the nightshift called ourselves especially in the Winter when we never saw any Sun. A great chill out Album.

The piece in the background is what I listened to. Some call it new wave, others call it alternative or punk. For me it was what resonated to those of us left out.

Back in the 80s they would not play this type of music on the radio it was only in California that they would play this type of style music on the radio... It was called "mod music" it wasn't until much later that they would start playing The Smiths on the radio even the Cure etc etc

The movie is "The Breakfast Club" what was a big '80s film starring several member of what was known as the "brat pack." This song was used as the theme song for the TV show "Charmed" in the late '90s.

Madchester era. So glad I was in my teens and twenties growing up in and around Manchester during this period. Exciting and fun times they where indeed.

There is a triumphant satisfied vibe to this tract very atmospheric feel

There is a repetitiveness to this song that works great in a club, but definitely try to go deeper into their catalog. One of the greatest bands of all time. And the lyrics are beyond compare.

So great you've finally got round to the Smiths . Quintessentially British band of the 80's

The Smiths was a group for “the outcasts” in high school. The goth. The black lipstick and black eyeliner and piercings and spiked up hair styles and boy, does it bring back memories. I actually didn’t like the Smiths in their heyday. While my friends would get tickets to see them live, I couldn’t picture myself listening to Morrissey’s voice for a full show. It was during the 90s grunge era that a Friend had a song play at a party and I realized Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke were amazing musicians. I bought one of their CDs for like $3.99 at a used record store and by just putting Morrissey’s voice behind the instruments, it all clicked.

Fun watching you guys reaction. This was our underground waltz in ny back in '84? I wanna say. Genius

When you're ready for more from The Smiths, check out "This Night Has Opened My Eyes" or "This Charming Man" for supersmooth bass lines, "Bigmouth Strikes Again" or "What Difference Does It Make" for slick driving guitar jingle-jangles, and "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" for making two minutes feel like five in a good way.

Great song, brilliant...timeless.

This is an amazing song about our insecurities and best known for being used the movie “The Craft” (a movie about a coven of female witches rather than vampires👍). The Smiths, Depeche Mode, the Cure, and a bunch of others were a bit of the 80’s counter culture. As pop (short for popular) becomes the mainstay on radios you will always see a musical counter culture. You saw it in the 90’s with the “goth wave” and in the 00’s with the “emo wave”.

I remember first hearing this in the 80's and it was the most mind blowing song and music, New Order, Depeche Mode, Yazzoo and The Cure were all the masters of timeless music!

The song Hippy Chick by SoHo (Twin females from the UK) samples the song for its creation. Imagine at around 8:02 a hip hop beat kicks in.

It's funny and fitting that Lex envisions vampires. This great and one-of-a-kind song was used in the opening theme song for the "Charmed" tv show about young witches and the creatures they encountered.

I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does - one the greatest, most powerful lyrics ever

They say how the Sex Pistols launched a 1000 bands, but the Smiths were probably even more influential. They're basically responsible for 40 years of indie rock. (Of course Morrissey was one of the 40 people at the Lesser Free Trade Hall on June 4, 1976, along with members of Joy Division/New Order, the Buzzcocks, the Fall, and Tony Wilson from Factory Records).

Glad to see them going down the rabbit hole of what used to be called college radio, back when 'alternative' was more than just a marketing label.

This song really stands out in a nice blend of early indie music. I would really recommend to check out The Happy Mondays: Hallelujah (Oakenfold Remix).

The Smiths, whose lead singer Morrissey went solo later, was part of the "New Wave" music genre of the 80s. This is one of my favorite songs of theirs.

The video is scenes from "The Breakfast Club" - a movie about kids from different high school cliques serving all-day detention on a Saturday (and the movie is a must-see for any teenager/pre-teen, as the themes still resonate today).

Fascinating reaction guys. It achieved it's goal. You were all really deep in thought about what it meant. This is The Smiths. This track for me is industrial and desolate feelings. The guitar is utterly spellbinding.

Lex is diggin' it!!! I love it! Huge Smiths fan, here!

A cover of this song was used as the theme song for charmed and the craft ( a tv show about sister witches and a movie about witch craft). Vampires are close to witches so close enough lol. Also, this reminds me of orange is the new black when the chick was like “How soon is now is the anthem of the ‘80s” and the other chick response with “Bitch you were born in “92” lmfao!

Up the down escalator by The Chameleons 😎 80's music is and always will be iconic and amazing 😊 Managed to see the Smiths 3 times on there last tour 😭😊😉

Y'all checking out a lot of cool alternative songs lately, love it. More please.

That look in your eyes. That confusion..that curiosity...that nod Welcome to 1985

This song is deff a vibe.

One of my all time favorite Smith’s songs🔥

First time I heard this was in a Very dark club in ‘89, freshman yr in college. Meat Beat Manifesto, 808 State, NIN and How Soon Is Now came on… It WAS SO F’ing loud and I said…. WHAT IS THIS?! Now I have every SMITHs and Morrissey-solo album ever released.

This is one of my favorite songs ever, it was really fun to watch you guys response to it.

Probably the most musically interesting song by The Smiths.

When I listen to The Smith and classic Morrisey, it really breaks my heart to where that guy is now.

Marr was like 21 yrs young when he smoked a ton of weed then wrote the music for this song. it's an indie song that still sounds amazing to this day and gives a great shout out to all the introverts who just want to be heard & loved

When this first came out this type of music was very limited in terms of radio airplay. The club I went to back then played this at least once every night. A couple people (always women) would go up on the dance floor dancing with themselves. They'd try to get their bodies flowing with the music. I think I was the only one of my friends at that time to like this!

Jonny Marr played this for KPIX (?_) a year or so ago, stunning live version, with possibly one of his best renditions of this ever, He de-tuned his guitar halfway through carried on playing then re-tunes it. Gobsmackingly good.

The Smiths are such an amazing band, so many good songs. Definitely need to do more from these

I am the son and the heirrrrr. Great song to react to! My sister used to listen to them all the time. Their music never gets old; Morrissey did a great job. The movie in the background is 1985's The Breakfast Club which was popular that year.

We Mexicans love mos because he made us feel like being an immigrant in usa was OK. That there was someone somewhere else feeling like us.

This was my introduction to THE SMITHS; they were an awesome and complex band. This was my early college days. They played the shit out of this in all the “new wave” clubs out there. The Smiths were considered cool for their sheer counter culture-ness. People either absolutely loved or hated them. There is ALOT MORE songs by them of different styles. You should get back to this.

Its made you think , deep .

This song spoke to me as a young adult who was crippled by shyness.

oh, and it's probably the most iconic Smiths/Morrissey song ever. Haunted my college life. In a good way.

You guys are good, "at least he's getting it out there" is spot on as is Lex's description of what she sees when she hears this song. They are British I believe so the whole long black trench coat on the trolley vision is a bulls eye. Luvuguyz

In the clubs of the late 80's in Houston... This was always the last song of the night.

Oh Smiths, this song hits harder as time goes by.

Today is the lucky day! YYZ, Depeche, and the smiths! All great song and great picks! Lex got it - dark 80’s is the vibe you are looking at.. if you really want to dive into this please react to blasphemous rumours or policy of truth, both by Depeche Mode regards from Israel…

The "alternative" Toronto radio station CFNY, voted this song #2 in the top 1002 songs of all time, back in 1999. Quite sure if this list where created today How Soon is Now wouldn't stay #2, yet it is still a quintessential 80s song.

As a teenager I didn't like the Smiths but as I've grown older & I'm 52 years old I've begun to realise what a great band they were, I guess our tastes change as we get older🎶❤️

One of the greatest guitar songs

This song for some reason kept the strobes going on the dance floor in the 1980's on some club lights going all the way through the song! I cannot think of a song more divisive on the dance floor either in the 1980's or a more loved and hated band.... than The Smiths. People either adored them.... or hated them. You either got the whimsical alienation and poetic angst and romanticism of forlorn wonderment and irony of a literary Morrissey ( lead singer ) and seriously appreciated the guitar of Johnny Marr which is still awesome or you didn't . This song when it came on in the club..... more than half those dancing would come off and loads of people not dancing all night would rush onto the floor in sheer joy and wild romantic abandonment pretending they were throwing invisible daffodils at each other!! Morrissey hated videos.. and just liked the music to speak for itself.......by the way.... The Smiths spoke to all alienated Indie romantics and to this day I find them awesome and one of the greatest bands of my teenage years. and still of all time in my world..... along with The Beatles, T. Rex, U2. The Stones, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Velvet Underground , Roxy Music, David Bowie..... It effected me as my best friend hated the Smiths and his girlfriend adored them and many other of my best friends had no interest in them and a lot of other friends " Got it! " ...... It was a real us an them kind of band... You either got it knew it or you somehow hated it...... There was no inbetween with The Smiths.... Most people could like or not like a song by The Cure or take or leave a Cult song or Depeche Mode... but The Smiths like The Pixies... you were either IN or you were OUT... and Smiths fans tended to like and love and have all the albums!! Or none!! It is hard for some Brits to get The Smiths, never mind the USA.. I had northern father and southern Mum and two lots of corresponding grandparents....so I get the north south thing... living in the South and visiting and living in the North..... The Smiths inspired everyone from the Stone Roses to Oasis.. and out Manchester on the map.. Morrissey is and always will be a one off.... There is some real beauty and whimsical and romantic delight and pain in The Smiths.... it's like poetry... with great guitars and humour. Morrissey made me smile as much as he did wonder and appreciate irony ......... Special band The Smiths....... MJ , Prince and so much going on... and in the middle of it all and U2 and Bon Jovi you get this English northern band with a huge cult following... loved by The French and adored and hated in England..... like The Sex Pistols were... but loved by a lot of down and outs as much as it was by those who read books..... and following them we get The Stone Roses and Oasis... also great Northern bands... I was gutted the day The Smiths broke up..... I still miss Johnny Marr's guitar with Morrissey's lyrics. .... Nothing like The Smiths before or since and that level of originality is what you want in a great band.

In the 80s our Music had AMAZING DIVERSITY....that's why it's the Best Era of Music!! 💯👍😁❤️🎸🤘

This is the pop end of Darkwave. 80s goth existentialism. Its moody and cool but also dark. You have to pay attention to the lyrics.

Where do we start? There are only a few bands, people, in the world that come along and change the industry. Elvis, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and The Smiths. Just as the Beatles influenced countless bands, the combination of Marr's guitar ability and Morrissey's lyrical genius is masterful. There are few bands that weren't influenced either by Johnny Marr, Morrissey, or them together as The Smiths. When a recluse says he wanted to be a Pop Star and those who know he laughs, he proved them wrong. Morrissey was that shy, introverted, clumsy, geek, neighbor that everyone knew of but knew nothing about him. The Smiths and Pink Floyd are tied as important to my life. Go deep into their catalog and see great music. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out I Know It's Over, this song is powerful.

That's dope whoever did the lyrics video they incorporated the movie The Breakfast Club into it this song is living proof as a musician you can make an entire song around a Riff