Yea-Sayers:

"The Smiths didn't fall out of a clear blue pop sky — groups like Orange Juice had engaged in similarly fey janglepop. But there was something about Morrissey — cavorting louchely on TOTP in a big, pyjama-like shirt, idly brandishing a bunch of gladioli like a weapon, his vocals deliberately plummy and prominent in the mix. That Thursday evening when Manchester's feyest first appeared on TOTP would be an unexpectedly pivotal cultural event in the lives of a million serious English boys. His very English, camp glumness was a revolt into Sixties kitchen-sink greyness against the gaudiness of the Eighties New Pop World, as exemplified by Culture Club and their ilk. The Smiths' subject matter may have been 'squalid' but there was a 'purity' of purpose about them that you messed with at your own peril."
-Uncut, February 2001, #10 Single That Changed Your Life

Single Of The Decade
NME: One of the greatest bands ever (and they get to review The Smiths as well!!). The timing of this re-release is impeccable - Brett is absolutely flabbergasted, it's time for some gentle weeping and mutual blouse swapping.
Brett Andersen of Suede: I don't know really what to say about this. There's no way that any of these other records are ever gonna compare to it, it's in a completely different league. This is how to do it, really. It's a truly magical, beautiful song. It's one of the greatest records ever made, it's so ultimately charming and has some of the most brilliant lyrics ever.
NME: Did The Smiths say anything to you about your life?
BA: Mmm, yes. Actually yes, completely honestly and not just being a thing to say but yes, they did. I've never seen them live, that's how much they changed my life, it didn't seem to matter. Anyway, it is one of the best singles ever, it's incredibly idiosyncratic but incredibly self-confident within that. It's a bit unfair to make it Single Of The Week because it isn't a new single - it's a piece of art history. We'll call it Single Of The Decade instead.
NME: How do you feel, knowing Morrissey is a big Suede fan?
BA: Pretty incredible. He's doing a cover version of one our songs, "My Insatiable One." The thought of it is pretty brilliant, imagining him sitting down with our record and learning it, thinking about what the words are after I've spent so many years thinking about his lyrics (sighs wistfully), it's quite incredible.
- Brett Anderson of Suede, New Musical Express, 1992

"Taking things seriously; intelligence is not an awkward, obscure thing which is difficult to set in motion, but a way to glory. When you have thoughts of your own, you can be assured that you will be accused of seriousness. So? Morrissey is serious, but he offers us rapture, not dialectics. 'This Charming Man' is an accessible bliss, and seriously moving. This group fully understand that the casual is not enough... This is one of the greatest singles of the year, a poor compliment. Unique and indispensable, like 'Blue Monday' and 'Karma Chameleon' - that's better!"
- Paul Morley, New Musical Express, November 12, 1983

"...as are this group, and the title might well refer to their wonderful singer Morrissey, the man who combines the charm of Liberace, the soul of Van Morrison, and the falsetto of Tiny Tim! The Smiths are becoming consistently brilliant - especially live - and the winning combination of lazy vocals and ringing guitar chimes (like Buzzcocks meet the Byrds on Top of the Pops!) look set to confirm both their talent and their potential massiveness. A free daffodil with every copy (ring 01-727 6085 for details)."
- Unknown Critic

"Waller was weak tea-ed about 7" of 'This Charming Man' last week. His senses must be profoundly dulled. The new Smiths record isn't good; it isn't brilliant; it's......... (adjective to be filled-in by those sensible, adult-teenyboppers who regularly these days invade the stage at Smiths live outings). The Smiths are so important the media is not noticing it. Just how IT should be; I mean, the emergence of a mega-to-be group, who are also musically very sound indeed. The 12" features ANOTHER version of 'This Charming Man', entitled the 'Manchester' version. It is a close thing but it is even better than the regular, Waller-abused 'London' interpretation. They sound as though they were recorded underwater, doubtless Morris(S!)ey's attempt at something exotic-sounding and filmatic. These are two songs to stick on the flip of a twelve inch single. If they are giving these away, what on earth have they got in store for us on the album?"
- Unknown Critic

"Yes, friends, after all these years good ol' Rough Trade is making a commercial push. Beneficiaries are the Smiths, a Mancunian foursome who play not the electro-funk suggested by assorted mixes of 'This Charming Man', but rather what might be termed 'power pop' were the music not so raw nor the lyrics so artsy... 'This Charming Man' realizes [their] promise in somewhat calmer fashion. As before, the guitar has a glassy jangle, bass is driving and agile when it counts, and drums supply just the right amount of rhythmic fillip. Monochromatic crooning is more of an acquired taste, but the melody (particularly in the bridge) is addictive. I now find it necessary to play the record at least a couple of times a day. Choose your version: The 'Manchester mix' of 'This Charming Man' is also available on the 7-inch. The 'London mix' adds echo to the guitar for a unique effect, but lightens the beat. Francois Kervorkian's New York mix - a separate 12-inch, vocal backed with instrumental - clarifies the vocal and emphasizes percussion, but extends and dissects the song dub-style to no great advantage. Neither of the two 12-inch B-sides can hold a candle to the 7-inch flip of 'Jeane', in which the Smiths get tender but not gloppy."
- Trouser Press

"Where has all the wildness and daring got to? Some of it has found its way onto The Smiths' record, 'Charming Man'. It jangles and crashes and Morrissey jumps in the middle with his mutant choir-boy voice, sounding jolly and angst-ridden at the same time. It should be given out on street corners to unsuspecting passers-by of all ages."
- The Face

 

Smiths-Speak:

"I'm still very upset about that. It was entirely against our principles, the whole thing, it didn't seem to belong with us. There was even a question of a fourth version which would have bordered on pantomime. It was called the Acton version, which isn't even funny."
- Morrissey on the 12" remix of 'This Charming Man', Record Mirror, 2/11/84

"We didn't like the dance mix of 'This Charming Man' which they put out as a 12-inch and we told them so but we're certainly not going around saying 'Rough Trade have screwed us up'."
- Johnny Marr, Sounds, February 25, 1984

"Sire haven't promoted the group anyway. They released 'What Difference Does it Make' instead of 'This Charming Man' totally against our wishes and of course it will fail. I thought 'This Charming Man' the most obviously instantaneous release imaginable."
- Morrissey, The Face, 1984

The line from "This Charming Man," "I would go out tonight but I haven't got a stitch to wear." Was that written from experience?
"From total experience. For years and years I never had a job, or any money. Consequently I never had any clothes whatsoever. I found that on those very rare occasions when I did get invited anywhere I would constantly sit down and say, 'Good heavens, I couldn't possibly go to this place tonight because I don't have any clothes... I don't have any shoes.' So I'd miss out on all those foul parties. It was really quite a blessing in disguise."
- Morrissey, Undress, 1984

"One of the lines in the song 'Accept Yourself' is 'When will you accept your shoes?', and I find that so many people have this dilemma about shoes. If they have the wrong pair of shoes it can totally destroy their entire life. Similarly if people think their feet are too big, or that their nose is too big it can result in a diminished social life for totally false reasons."
- Morrissey, Undress, 1984

"Of all our singles I think I like 'This Charming Man' best, just because the rhythms are so infectious. Smith music really moves me."
- Andy Rourke, Record Mirror, September 8, 1984

"I remember writing it, it was in preparation for a John Peel single. I wrote it the same night as 'Pretty Girls Make Graves' and 'Still Ill'."
- Johnny Marr on "This Charming Man", Guitar Player, January 1990

"I'll try any trick. With the Smiths, I'd take this really loud Telecaster of mine, lay it on top of a Fender Twin Reverb with the vibrato on, and tune it to an open chord. Then I'd drop a knife with a metal handle on it, hitting random strings. I used it on 'This Charming Man', buried beneath about 15 tracks of guitar... 'This Charming Man' was the first record where I used those highlife-sounding runs in 3rds. I'm tuned up to F# and I finger it in G, so it comes out in A. There are about 15 tracks of guitar. People thought the main guitar part was a Rickenbacker, but it's really a '54 Tele. There are three tracks of acoustic, a backwards guitar with a really long reverb, and the effect of dropping knives on the guitar -- that comes in at the end of the chorus."
- Johnny Marr on "This Charming Man", Select, December 1993