London
No City Can Save You
From Soundcheck to Studio
It is believed that Johnny Marr composed the music for what would become "London" during the summer of 1986, as the song was rehearsed during a pre-show soundcheck at Centennial Hall in London, Ontario, on 30 July 1986. The Smiths, together with "fifth Smith" Craig Gannon,1 recorded it at Mayfair Studios in London in October 1986 alongside "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" and "Half a Person." Although produced by Morrissey and Marr, engineer Stephen Street's contribution was significant enough that he received a formal co-production credit.2
The Peel Session
Just ten days before what would prove to be their final concert at London’s Brixton Academy, the Smiths entered west London’s Maida Vale Studios with producer John Porter to record “London” along with “Is It Really So Strange?,” “Half a Person,” and “Sweet and Tender Hooligan” for their fourth and final session for John Peel’s BBC Radio 1 program, which was broadcast on 17 December 1986.
Listening to this performance today, there is little to suggest that the Smiths were nearing the end. On the contrary, the band sounds energized and fully engaged, delivering some of the most forceful and spirited performances of its final year. Rather than a group in decline, the session captures a band still operating at a remarkably high level, making its imminent dissolution all the more surprising.
The Peel version of the song can be heard in the following link:
Life Beyond the B-Side
"London" was released on 26 January 1987 as one of two B-side tracks on the 12-inch edition of "Shoplifters of the World Unite," sharing the reverse with "Half a Person." The single, the Smiths' eighteenth overall and eighth to feature a non-album A-side, reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
Subsequent releases of "London" include The World Won't Listen (February 1987) and Louder Than Bombs (March 1987) compilation albums, as well as the German edition of the "Sheila Take a Bow" single (October 1987). The song later appeared on the live album Rank (September 1988), which featured the Smiths' performance at the National Ballroom in London on 23 October 1986. It was subsequently issued as a live recording on Morrissey's "The Boy Racer" single (November 1995), captured at London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on 26 February 1995. The same performance was later included on the 20th Anniversary Edition of Vauxhall and I (2014). The live Rank version was subsequently featured on the compilations The Sound of The Smiths (2008) and Complete (2011), the latter of which also included the original studio recording.
Listen to the studio version of “London” in the following link:
Concert Performances
The Smiths performed “London” live 11 times, beginning on 13 October 1986 at the Sands Centre in Carlisle, England, during the fourth leg of The Queen Is Dead Tour. The song was also performed at the band’s final concert, at Brixton Academy in London on 12 December 1986, where it formed part of a one-off medley with Miserable Lie. This unique medley can be seen in the following link:
As a solo artist, Morrissey has performed “London” 41 times, beginning in February 1995 on the Boxers Tour. He most recently performed the song in March 2020 during the Live in Concert 2020 Tour.
In the remainder of this essay, I explore:
Why “London” is far more than a song about leaving home.
A striking literary parallel with Elizabeth Smart’s By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept.
How “London,” “Half a Person,” and “Panic” form an informal trilogy of escape, failed reinvention, and disillusionment.
Why “Back to the Old House” is an overlooked companion piece to “London.”
The musical architecture behind one of the fastest and most exhilarating recordings in the Smiths’ catalogue.
Why “London” ultimately stands as one of Morrissey’s most profound meditations on belonging.
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