"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"*

Having totally been sucked into This Charming Charlie over on Tumblr, I have had Smiths songs stuck in my head for the last few days.

source: This Charming Charlie (Charles Schultz & The Smiths)

Strangeways Here We Come was a big part of my first year of college. I (like many others in my age demographic) had gotten sucked in by the Columbia House CD of the Month Club, where the introductory promotional offer was 10 cds for a penny. HOWEVER, if you didn't cancel right away, you were stuck with getting the random CDs that Columbia House would send you that you'd have to return right away to avoid the charge. If you are my age, either you or someone you know signed up for this supposed "deal". Ugh, I know that I got stuck with one or two albums that I didn't want because I didn't get them back to the post office fast enough. Looking back, I can't believe it took me over a year before I cancelled. I am such a sucker for a deal. (But I did end up getting a lot of cool music, most of which was recommended by Rolling Stone magazine, back in the day when Rolling Stone actually mattered to the music industry. Like Sarah McLachlan's Solace - brilliant album.)

Up until that point, I really only knew the odd song by The Smiths from the local college radio station or mix tapes from friends. (I was more into REM and U2 at that point.) But Strangeways pretty much became the soundtrack of my freshman year of college. Make of that what you will. (There was definitely angst, but I was 18 so that is kind of par for the course.)

Anyhow, if you are a fan of The Smiths (as I am AND I am even more so a fan of the Peanuts), I definitely recommend checking out This Charming Charlie. It definitely will make you smile; it likely will make you laugh; and it probably will make you remember things you'd long thought you had forgotten. 


* song title from The Smiths