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The Smiths

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Rodrigo Amarante Julia Brokaw/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Julia Brokaw/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Guest DJ: Rodrigo Amarante

August 18, 2021 • The great Brazilian-born, now Los Angeles-based musician has just put out Drama, his first solo album in seven years. We also hear music that changed his life, including songs from The Smiths and Gilberto Gil.

Guest DJ: Rodrigo Amarante

Listen · 49:55 49:55

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Only 1 Chance At A First Impression: Celebrating Great Musical Debuts

Jimi Hendrix Experience's Are You Experienced? was released 50 years ago Friday. Evening Standard/Getty Images hide caption

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Evening Standard/Getty Images

World Cafe

Only 1 Chance At A First Impression: Celebrating Great Musical Debuts

XPN

May 12, 2017 • Fifty years ago, the Jimi Hendrix Experience made about as tremendous a first impression as it gets with Are You Experienced? — but here are several more debuts that stack up.

Hear Car Seat Headrest's Cover Of The Smiths' 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore'

Courtesy of the artist.

All Songs Considered

Hear Car Seat Headrest's Cover Of The Smiths' 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore'

April 12, 2017 • Singer Will Toledo performs a passionate and heartbreaking version of the 1985 Smiths song about depression and time's indifference to everything.

As 'X-Files' Returns, Meet The Man Behind The Theme Song

The supernatural investigations of FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are scored by composer Mark Snow. Ed Araquel/Fox hide caption

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Ed Araquel/Fox

Music Interviews

As 'X-Files' Returns, Meet The Man Behind The Theme Song

January 22, 2016 • At creator Chris Carter's request, composer Mark Snow tried to make the X-Files theme sound like The Smiths. In the process, he stumbled on a very different sound — that would become iconic.

As 'X-Files' Returns, Meet The Man Behind The Theme Song

Listen · 5:26 5:26

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Wright Photo/Rhino Records

Review

Music Reviews

Long Live The Smiths' 'Complete Works'

Fresh Air

January 25, 2012 • The band didn't have many big hits, but it helped define the music of its generation. With the release of The Smiths' complete works, rock historian Ed Ward look back and tries to figure out what made the group so important.

Long Live The Smiths' 'Complete Works'

Listen · 8:35 8:35

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