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Rank is a live album by English band The Smiths. It was released in September 1988 by their British record company, Rough Trade and reached No. 2 in the British charts. In the United States, the album made No. 77.
About the album
Rank was released as a contractual obligation, a year after the band had split. It was recorded on October 23, 1986 at the National Ballroom in Kilburn, and is a fourteen-track distillation by singer Morrissey from the complete concert recording that had earlier been transmitted by BBC Radio 1. The album rode high on Smiths nostalgia and the success of Morrissey's debut solo album, Viva Hate, earlier the same year.
The record finds the group in top form and strengthened by the presence of rhythm guitarist Craig Gannon. The focus naturally lies on songs off the then-current album, The Queen Is Dead, but new songs are played as well ("Ask", "Is It Really So Strange?", "London"). The addition of "The Draize Train" is seen by some as peace offering from Morrissey to guitarist Johnny Marr; as Marr has the sole writing credit for the song, he receives all royalties from its addition.
Cover
The sleeve for Rank, once again designed by Morrissey, stars actress Alexandra Bastedo.
Track listing
All tracks written by Morrissey/Marr except "His Latest Flame" (Pomus/Shuman) and "The Draize Train" (Marr).
LP
Side A
- The Queen Is Dead
- Panic
- Vicar in a Tutu
- Ask
- His Latest Flame/Rusholme Ruffians medley
- The Boy with the Thorn in His Side
- Rubber Ring/What She Said medley
Side B
- Is It Really So Strange?
- Cemetry Gates
- London
- I Know It's Over
- The Draize Train
- Still Ill
- Bigmouth Strikes Again
Compact disc
Same as LP. The two original LP halves can still be discerned on CD as tracks 7 and 8 have not been mixed together but fade down and up, respectively.
People involved
The band
Additional musicians
None.
Technical staff
External links
Passions Just Like Mine (http://tmregistry.com/passion/)
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