My Gen X Playlist: How Soon is Now – The Smiths

Amorphophallus Titanum

If you are wondering what this is, you’re in for a surprise. For years I’ve heard about this flower at the Huntington Library, but have yet to see or smell it.

The rare plant, which is scientifically referred to as Amorphophallus titanum, blooms for only 24 hours every two to three years.

Native to the equatorial rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, the flower can grow more than 12 feet tall.

The tropical plant gets its name from a powerful rotten meat-like stench it emits when blooming to attract nighttime pollinators.

– abc7

You heard that right. It smells like rotten meat. It’s been nicknamed the corpse flower. You can’t make this up. Gross, but you have to admit, interesting.

The anticipated bloom date is within the next two weeks. I may try to go check it out when I get the green light on the bloom. I can’t imagine how bad the rotten smell could be and quite frankly, it’s a little concerning given my sensitive sense of smell. I still say, game on.

This topic has The Smiths written all over it. I’m lukewarm on the song Meat is Murder, so I chose a song from its namesake album. How Soon is Now was released in 1984 and includes an iconic guitar intro.

Meat Is Murder is the second studio album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 11 February 1985 by Rough Trade Records. It became the band’s only studio album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart.

“How Soon Is Now?” was added to the original American LP as the first song on side 2. All US releases prior to 2011 include the song. 

This song . . . is about their frontman Morrissey’s crippling shyness. It has since become an anthem for the alienated and socially isolated.

– Wikipedia

Being this flower can’t be easy. If I smelled of rotten meat, I might be incredibly shy. Could you blame me? And maybe that’s why the corpse flower only blooms for 24 hours. With crowds coming to flock, stare and (ugh) smell me, I think I’d go back into hiding as well.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

I am the son and the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth, how can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

I am the son and the heir
Of a shyness that was criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth, how can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

There's a club if you'd like to go
You could meet somebody who really loves you
So you go and you stand on your own, and you leave on your own
And you go home and you cry and you want to die

When you say "it's gonna happen now"
Well, when exactly do you mean?
See I've already waited too long
And all my hope is gone

You shut your mouth, how can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does