Music

Listen to The Smiths "Paint a Vulgar Picture" Early Demo

by Ciaran Thompson

A demo version of the track “Paint a Vulgar Picture” off the Smiths’ album Strangeways, Here We Come, their fourth and last studio album, has surfaced. This version shares a few different lyrics and a different take on the intro.

The album itself, released in 1987, was composed by Johnny Marr with lyrics written by Morrissey and was recorded at Wool Hall studios in Bath, England. Before the record was released the band had broken up with Marr quitting citing personal differences with Morrissey and the band’s lack of managerial presence. The cover of the disc, designed by Morrissey, is a shot of Richard Davalos looking at James Dean who is cropped from the picture. The two were in the 1955 film East of Eden.