Every Tuesday, the Analog Kid blog goes back in time and features some groovy R&B/soul songs from a specific year. Sometimes you’ll hear songs from individual artists, and other times you’ll get an entire full-length classic LP ripped directly from the Analog Kid’s vast vinyl vault. Warning: by R&B/soul, I also mean disco. I could go all C + C Music Factory on your ass at any given moment, so just be ready!
It’s Smiths/Morrissey week here on the Analog Kid blog! Why, you ask?
Because I wear black on the outside, ’cause black is how I feel on the inside.
When I decided to do a Smiths/Morrissey week on Sunday night, my first thought was about how much fun it would be. My second thought: what could I possibly post on Groovy Tuesday, a day in which I traditionally feature soul and R&B classics? The Smiths were many things, but soulful isn’t really one of them. And then it came to me: “Hippychick!”
OK, so “Hippychick” is really more dance than R&B/soul– but it’s close enough, and it’s a damn fine song to boot. I have written many times about my fondness for 94.5 The Edge (an alternative music station based in North Texas in the late ’80s and early ’90s), and The Edge played the shit out of “Hippychick” in 1990. In fact, they even put “How Soon Is Now?” back into regular rotation just to mess with listeners’ brains– you were never quite sure which song it was until the beat kicked in.
Confession time: I wasn’t really into The Smiths or Morrissey until 1989. That’s when The Edge came into existence, and that’s when I first started hearing the classic Smiths songs mixed in with new Morrissey material on a daily basis. My first Moz-related purchase was the 12″ single for “Ouija Board, Ouija Board,” and after that the floodgates opened. Within months I owned all of The Smiths’ albums and Viva Hate, and my daily wardrobe soon consisted of a variety of oversized Smiths/Morrissey t-shirts.
“Hippychick” was there in the beginning for me, and it will always hold a special place for that reason. The fact that it brilliantly samples what many consider to be The Smiths’ masterpiece only makes it better.
Important programming note: be sure to check out the bonus tracks for two incredibly rare versions of “How Soon Is Now?” And yes, one of them is the Holy Grail of Smiths collectables: the Italian 12″ mix!
![Hippychick [U.S. CD Single]](https://analogkidblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/hippychick-u-s-cd-single.png)
Soho: Hippychick [U.S. CD Single]
Atco Records, 1990
1. “Hippychick [Extended Vocal]” (London)
2. “Hippychick [No Acid Ted Mix]” (London)
3. “Hippychick [Never Trust A Hippy Mix]” (London)
Hippychick [Never Trust A Hippy Mix]
4. “Hippychick [Happiness Is A Warm Hippy Mix]” (London)
Hippychick [Happiness is a Warm Hippy Mix]
5. “Hippychick [Dub Plate Instrumental]” (London)
Hippychick [Dub Plate Instrumental]
_______________________________________________________________
Bonus Tracks!
The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.
Soho: “Hippychick” (London)
From the album Goddess
Atco Records, 1990
Morrissey: “Ouija Board, Ouija Board” (Morrissey/Street)
From the U.S. 12″ single Ouija Board, Ouija Board
Sire Records, 1989
Morrissey: “I Don’t Mind if You Forget Me” (Morrissey/Street)
From the album Viva Hate
Sire Records, 1988
The Smiths: “How Soon Is Now?” [Withdrawn Italian 12″ Version] (Morrissey/Marr)
From the Italian 12″ single William, It Was Really Nothing
Rough Trade/Virgin, 1984
How Soon Is Now? [Italian 12″ Version]
The Smiths: “How Soon Is Now? [U.S. Single Edit]” (Morrissey/Marr)
From the U.S. 7″ single How Soon Is Now?
Sire Records, 1984
How Soon Is Now? [U.S. 7″ Edit]
![Bigmouth Strikes Again [U.K. 12_]](https://analogkidblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/bigmouth-strikes-again-u-k-12_.png)
The Smiths: “Unloveable” (Morrissey/Marr)
From the U.K. 12″ Bigmouth Strikes Again
Rough Trade Records, 1986
The Analog Kid 
I like the post, but “Hippychick” is to “How Soon Is Now” as “Ice Ice Baby” is to “Under Pressure.” I’m a pretty calm dude, but I used to Hulk out when the every time that magical intro got my hopes up only to crush them, Soho-style.
Well, I wouldn’t go as far as to compare it to Vanilla Ice– but I hear ya. I think it works for me because (as I mentioned) I got into The Smiths about the same time, so it takes me back to that one-year period where all I did was digest Marr and Morrissey.
I loved when The Edge played it just for the reason you hated it– you just didn’t know! I can tell the difference now, but back then my shitty car speakers left me guessing every time.
In fairness, Soho’s song isn’t THAT bad, it’s just that when you borrow from greatness, you’re inviting comparison. You go too far down that road and you get Rick Springfield’s cover of “Baker Street”…
Hello. Would you happen to have the fabulous song “Taxi” that Soho ridiculously released as only a cassette tape B side? I owned this but all of my tapes were played to death and all of my tape decks died. I have been trying to find someone who can provide me with the song every since then.
https://www.discogs.com/Soho-Hippychick/release/1377377
Also I should mention that Soho has made the album Goddess available for free on Bandcamp. https://soho.bandcamp.com/album/goddess
I am trying to contact the band to ask about getting that “Taxi” song. No luck on that so far.
I do not have a copy of “Taxi,” but I did a little digging and found that it was actually released on the U.K. “Hippychick” CD single. Here’s a link:
https://www.discogs.com/Soho-Hippychick/release/238566
The CD itself is pretty cheap, but shipping can bite ya if you’re in the U.S. But this definitely seems like the best way to get a high-quality copy of “Taxi.” Good luck!