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"This Charming Man"
Single by the Smiths
from the album The Smiths
B-side
  • "Jeane"
  • "Accept Yourself"
  • "Wonderful Woman"
Released31 October 1983
RecordedOctober 1983
StudioStrawberry, Stockport, England
Genre
Length2:41
LabelRough Trade
ComposerJohnny Marr
LyricistMorrissey
ProducerJohn Porter
The Smiths singles chronology
"Hand in Glove"
(1983) 		"This Charming Man"
(1983) 		"What Difference Does It Make?"
(1984)

"This Charming Man" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Released as the group's second single on 31 October 1983 by the independent record label Rough Trade, it is defined by Marr's jangly guitar riff and Morrissey's characteristically morose lyrics, which revolve around the recurrent Smiths themes of sexual ambiguity and lust.[1] A different version, from the John Peel Show on BBC Radio 1, was included on the 1984 compilation album Hatful of Hollow.

Feeling detached from the early 1980s mainstream gay culture, Morrissey wrote "This Charming Man" to evoke an older, more coded and self-aware underground scene. The singer said of the song's lyrics: "I really like the idea of the male voice being quite vulnerable, of it being taken and slightly manipulated, rather than there being always this heavy machismo thing that just bores everybody."[2]

Although only moderately successful on first release—the single peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart—"This Charming Man" has been widely praised in both the music and mainstream press. Re-issued in 1992, it reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart (making it the Smiths' biggest UK hit by chart position). In 2004, BBC Radio 2 listeners voted it number 97 on the station's "Sold on Song Top 100" poll.[3] Mojo magazine journalists placed the track at number 1 on their 2008 "50 Greatest UK Indie Records of All Time" feature.[2] It was certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in 2023.

Background

[edit]

By early 1983, the Smiths had gained a large following on the UK live circuit and had signed a record deal with the indie label Rough Trade. The deal, along with positive concert reviews in the weekly music press and an upcoming session on John Peel's radio show on BBC Radio 1, generated a large media buzz for the band. In a music scene dominated by corporate and video-driven acts, the Smiths' camp and bookish image stood out, and many expected the band to be the breakthrough act of the UK post-punk movement.[2] However, the Smiths' May 1983 debut single "Hand in Glove" failed to live up to critical and commercial expectations, mostly due to its perceived low production values. When Rough Trade label mates Aztec Camera began to receive day-time national radio-play with their track "Walk Out to Winter", Marr admitted to "feeling a little jealous, my competitive urges kicked in". The guitarist believed the Smiths needed an up-beat song "in a major key" to gain a chart positioning that would live up to expectations.[2]

Marr wrote the music to "This Charming Man" especially for the Peel session[4] on the same night that he wrote "Still Ill" and "Pretty Girls Make Graves".[5] Based on the Peel performance, Rough Trade label head Geoff Travis suggested that the band release the song as a single instead of the slated release "Reel Around the Fountain", which had gathered notoriety in the press due to what were seen as lyrical references to paedophilia.[6][7] The Smiths entered Matrix Studios in London in September 1983 to record a second studio version of the song for release as a single.[6] However, the result—known as the 'London version'—was unsatisfactory and soon after, the band travelled to Strawberry Studios in Stockport to try again. Here, they recorded the more widely heard A-side.[8]

Music and lyrics

[edit]

The lyrics of "This Charming Man" comprise a first person narrative in which the male protagonist punctures one of his bicycle's tyres on a remote hillside. A passing "charming man" in a luxury car stops to offer the cyclist a lift, and although the protagonist is at first hesitant, after much deliberation he accepts the offer. While driving together the pair flirt, although the protagonist finds it difficult to overcome his reluctance: "I would go out tonight, but I haven't got a stitch to wear". The motorist tells the cyclist: "it's gruesome that someone so handsome should care".[2]

Morrissey deliberately used archaic language when composing the voice-over style lyrics for "This Charming Man". His use of phrases and words such as 'hillside desolate', 'stitch to wear', 'handsome' and 'charming' are used to convey a more courtly world than the mid-Eighties north of England, and evoke a style that has, in the words of the music critic Mat Snow, "nothing to do with fashion".[2] Morrissey had already used the word 'handsome' in a song title—in "Handsome Devil", the B-side to "Hand in Glove"—and observed in a 1983 interview with Barney Hoskyns that he used the word to "try and revive some involvement with language people no longer use. In the daily scheme of things, people's language is so frighteningly limited, and if you use a word with more than 10 letters it's absolute snobbery."[2] Snow puts forward the case that through the use of the dated word 'charming', Morrissey sought to rebel against the then mainstream gay culture from which he felt alienated. Morrissey told Hoskyns: "I hate this 'festive faggot' thing ... People listen to 'This Charming Man' and think no further than what anyone would presume. I hate that angle, and it's surprising that the gay press have harped on more than anyone else. I hate it when people talk to me about sex in a trivial way."[2]

As with many of Morrissey's compositions, the song's lyrics features dialogue borrowed from a cult film. The line "A jumped-up pantry boy who never knew his place" is borrowed from the 1972 film adaptation of Anthony Shaffer's 1970 homoerotic play Sleuth, in which Laurence Olivier plays a cuckolded author to Michael Caine's 'bit of rough'.[2][8]

Both studio versions begin with an introductory guitar riff, joined by the rhythm section. Morrissey's vocals are first heard eight seconds into the track. His vocal melodies are diatonic, and consciously avoid blues inflections.[9] The chorus is played twice; the first time it is followed by a brief pause, the second by the closing of the song. The rhythm section of Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce provide a beat more danceable than usual for a Smiths track. The drums were originally programmed on a Linn LM-1, under the direction of producer John Porter. Porter used the programme to trigger the sampled sounds of the live drum kit, featuring a Motownesque bassline.[10] Marr's guitar part consists of single notes and thirds as opposed to strummed barre chords, and his guitar serves to creates a counter-melody throughout the song. Marr overdubbed numerous guitar parts onto the song,[9] and in a December 1993 interview, told Guitar Player magazine:

I'll try any trick. With the Smiths, I'd take this really loud Telecaster of mine, lay it on top of a Fender Twin Reverb with the vibrato on, and tune it to an open chord. Then I'd drop a knife with a metal handle on it, hitting random strings. I used it on "This Charming Man", buried beneath about 15 tracks of guitar ... it was the first record where I used those highlife-sounding runs in 3rds. I'm tuned up to F# and I finger it in G, so it comes out in A. There are about 15 tracks of guitar. People thought the main guitar part was a Rickenbacker, but it's really a '54 Tele. There are three tracks of acoustic, a backwards guitar with a really long reverb, and the effect of dropping knives on the guitar – that comes in at the end of the chorus.[11]

The chord progression from the instrumental intro to the lyric "Will nature make a man of me" is: A | Asus4 | A | E | Bm7 | D7 | C#m | E | A | E/A | Asus4 | E[12]

Reception

[edit]

On release, the song received near unanimous critical praise. Paul Morley of the NME wrote, "'This Charming Man' is an accessible bliss, and seriously moving. This group fully understand that the casual is not enough ... This is one of the greatest singles of the year, a poor compliment. Unique and indispensable, like 'Blue Monday' and 'Karma Chameleon' – that's better!"[13] A contemporary review in The Face asked, "Where has all the wildness and daring got to? Some of it has found its way onto the Smiths' record, 'This Charming Man'. It jangles and crashes and Morrissey jumps in the middle with his mutant choir-boy voice, sounding jolly and angst-ridden at the same time. It should be given out on street corners to unsuspecting passers-by of all ages."[14] Another contemporary review by Treble magazine described the song as a "stellar jangle-pop track," based on one of Marr's first truly iconic guitar licks.[15] While the band was little-known in the United States at the time, Robert Palmer of The New York Times described the song as "sparkling, soaring, superlative pop-rock, and proof that the guitar-band format pioneered by the Beatles is still viable for groups with something to say".[16] The following year, Palmer chose the song as the second best single of 1984.[17] PopMatters described the song musically as "chiming, bouncing rockabilly".[18]

AllMusic's Ned Raggett noted that "Early Elvis would have approved of the music, Wilde of the words", and described the track as "an audacious end result by any standard".[19] Tim DiGravina, of the same organisation, wrote that "Debating the merits of the track here would be a bit pointless, as it's a classic song from one of the last great classic bands. It might as well be called 'This Charming Song'."[20] In 2007, Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher described the first time he heard the track: "The second I heard 'This Charming Man' everything made sense. The sound of that guitar intro was incredible. The lyrics are fuckin' amazing, too. People say Morrissey's a miserable cunt, but I knew straight away what he was on about."[21] In 2006, Liz Hoggard from The Independent said that "'This Charming Man' ... is about age-gap, gay sex".[22]

During an appearance on Top of the Pops, Morrissey appeared waving gladioli.[1] A 2004 BBC Radio 2 feature on the song noted that the performance was most people's introduction to the Smiths and, "therefore, to the weird, wordy world of Morrissey and the music of Johnny Marr".[3] Uncut magazine, commentating on the nationally televised debut, wrote that "Thursday evening when Manchester's feyest first appeared on Top of the Pops would be an unexpected pivotal cultural event in the lives of a million serious English boys. His very English, camp glumness was a revolt into Sixties kitchen-sink greyness against the gaudiness of the Eighties new wave music, as exemplified by Culture Club and their ilk. The Smiths' subject matter may have been 'squalid' but there was a purity of purpose about them that you messed with at your peril."[14] Noel Gallagher said of the performance: "None of my mates liked them — they were more hooligan types. They came into work and said 'Fuckin' hell, did you see that poof on Top of the Pops with the bush in his back pocket?' But I thought it was life-changing."[21]

Versions and release history

[edit]

The earliest version of "This Charming Man" was recorded on 14 September 1983, in Maida Vale Studio 4, for John Peel's radio programme (first broadcast: 21 September 1983).[23] Produced by Roger Pusey, and assisted by Ted De Bono, this version of the song was first included on the 1984 compilation Hatful of Hollow. On 28 October 1983, the "Manchester" version was released in the UK in 7-inch and 12-inch formats, reaching number 25 in the UK charts.[24] The record sleeve uses a still frame from Jean Cocteau's 1950 film Orphée, featuring French actor Jean Marais.[2] The song was later included as a bonus track on the cassette version of the band's debut album The Smiths in the UK.[25]

Following the 1989 bankruptcy of Rough Trade,[26] WEA Records purchased the Smiths' back catalogue.[27] In 1992 WEA re-issued the band's catalogue, and all subsequent pressings of The Smiths have incorporated "This Charming Man". WEA re-released the single itself in 1992 to support the Best... I compilation album. The reissued single reached number 8 on the British singles chart, the band's highest chart placing.[28][29]

In December 1983, DJ François Kevorkian released a "New York" mix of the single on Megadisc records.[30] Kevorkian geared the song for nightclub dancefloors. The track was intended to be pressed in limited numbers for New York club DJs. However, Rough Trade boss Geoff Travis liked the mix and gave the release wide distribution in the UK.[31] Morrissey publicly disowned the mix, and urged fans not to purchase copies.[30] Travis later claimed, "It was my idea, but they agreed. They said 'Go ahead', then didn't like it so it was withdrawn." He also said, "Nothing that ever happened in the Smiths occurred without Morrissey's guidance; there's not one Smiths record that went out that Morrissey didn't ask to do, so there's nothing on my conscience."[31]

Cover versions

[edit]

Death Cab for Cutie covered "This Charming Man" for their 1997 demo You Can Play These Songs with Chords.[32]

In 2001, Canadian indie pop band Stars covered the song for their debut album Nightsongs.[33]

American rock band The Killers performed a cover of the song alongside Johnny Marr on guitar, during their headline Glastonbury Festival set in 2019.[34]

French new wave covers band Nouvelle Vague covered "This Charming Man" on their 2024 album Should I Stay or Should I Go, continuing their reworkings of 1980s new wave classics in a bossa nova style.[35]

Track listing

[edit]
UK 7-inch single, 1983 and 1992, and 1992 cassette single
No.TitleLength
1."This Charming Man"2:41
2."Jeane"3:02
UK 12-inch single, 1983
No.TitleLength
1."This Charming Man (Manchester)" (Same as Original Single Version)2:41
2."This Charming Man (London)"2:47
3."Accept Yourself"3:55
4."Wonderful Woman"3:08
US 12-inch single, December 1983
No.TitleLength
1."This Charming Man (New York) Vocal" (Remixed by François Kevorkian)5:35
2."This Charming Man (New York) Instrumental" (Remixed by François Kevorkian)4:18
UK CD single 1, 1992
CD1
No.TitleLength
1."This Charming Man (Manchester)" (Same as Original Single Version)2:41
2."Jeane"3:02
3."Wonderful Woman"3:08
4."Accept Yourself"3:55
UK CD single 2, 1992
No.TitleLength
1."This Charming Man (Manchester)" (Same as Original Single Version)2:41
2."This Charming Man (London)"2:47
3."This Charming Man (New York Vocal)"5:33
4."This Charming Man (New York Instrumental)"4:19
5."This Charming Man (Peel Session from 21 September 1983)"2:43
6."This Charming Man (Single Remix)"2:46
7."This Charming Man (Original Single Version)"2:41
USA CD single 1, 1992
CD1
No.TitleLength
1."This Charming Man (Manchester)" (Same as Original Single Version)2:41
2."Jeane"3:02
3."Accept Yourself"3:55
USA CD single 2, 1992
No.TitleLength
1."This Charming Man (Manchester)" (Same as Original Single Version)2:41
2."This Charming Man (London)"2:47
3."This Charming Man (New York Vocal)"5:33
4."This Charming Man (New York Instrumental)"4:19
5."This Charming Man (Peel Session from 21 September 1983)"2:43
6."This Charming Man (Single Remix)"2:46
7."This Charming Man (Original Single Version)"2:41
8."Wonderful Woman"3:08
Japanese CD single, 1992
No.TitleLength
1."This Charming Man (Manchester)" (Same as Original Single Version)2:41
2."This Charming Man (London)"2:47
3."This Charming Man (New York Vocal)"5:33
4."This Charming Man (New York Instrumental)"4:19
5."This Charming Man (Peel Session from 21 September 1983)"2:43
6."This Charming Man (Single Remix)"2:46
7."This Charming Man (Original Single Version)"2:41
8."Jeane"3:02
9."Wonderful Woman"3:08
10."Accept Yourself"3:55

Personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]
Year Chart Peak
position
1983 UK Singles (OCC)[36] 25
UK Indie Chart (OCC)[7] 1
1984 Australia (Kent Music Report)[37] 52
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[38] 15
1992 Australia (ARIA)[39] 108
Ireland (IRMA)[40] 9
UK Singles (OCC)[29] 8
UK Airplay (Music Week)[41] 46

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[42] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] 3× Platinum 1,800,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

This Charming Man

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
"This Charming Man" is a song by the English rock band , written by guitarist with by vocalist and released as their second single on 31 October 1983 by . The track features Marr's intricate, jangly guitar layered over a driving , paired with Morrissey's distinctive delivery of depicting a young cyclist aided by a suave, older man whose car offers escape from hardship. Upon release, the single reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart and number 1 on the UK Indie Chart, marking an early commercial breakthrough for the band despite initial modest sales. A 1992 propelled it to number 8 on the UK chart, underscoring its enduring appeal. Critically, "This Charming Man" has been lauded for its melodic sophistication and Marr's riff craftsmanship, often ranked among ' finest works and a cornerstone of . The song's debut performance on BBC's Top of the Pops on 24 November 1983 helped cement the band's visibility, blending energy with literate, wry observations on class and desire. Initially a standalone single not tied to an album, it later appeared on compilations, reflecting its role in defining ' breakthrough sound amid the era's indie scene.

Origins and Development

Songwriting Process

Johnny Marr composed the music for "This Charming Man" in early September 1983, drawing inspiration from Aztec Camera's "Walk Out to Winter," which he heard on BBC Radio 1 and found enviably jangly, prompting a competitive drive to craft an upbeat guitar-based track. He developed the chord structure in approximately 20 minutes and completed the instrumental demo in a single session using a TEAC three-track tape recorder, the same evening he worked on "Pretty Girls Make Graves" and "Still Ill." This rapid creation occurred in preparation for The Smiths' first John Peel session, scheduled days later on September 14 at the BBC's Maida Vale studios, where the song received its initial recording. Marr's approach emphasized a bright, major-key in —uncharacteristic for his typical minor preferences—to produce an accessible, single-worthy piece following the band's debut "" released on May 13, 1983. Morrissey contributed the lyrics soon after receiving Marr's demo, a pattern reflective of their symbiotic early collaboration where Marr supplied instrumental foundations via cassette tapes, enabling to layer poetic content efficiently amid the band's nascent momentum. This division—music by Marr, words by —facilitated the song's swift genesis, underscoring the duo's intuitive partnership in the months after forming in 1982.

Inspirations and Context

The Smiths coalesced in in May 1982, when vocalist Steven and guitarist , bonded by mutual admiration for rock, pop, and literary traditions, resolved to form a band after Marr's impromptu visit to Morrissey's home. This union occurred against the backdrop of a shifting music landscape, where the intense experimentation of —dominant since the late 1970s—began yielding to more melodic indie expressions amid the rise of and new wave acts, fostering an underground scene primed for guitar-driven groups like those emerging from Manchester's factories and bedsits. Marr's guitar approach for the track channeled antecedents, particularly the chiming tones pioneered by in the , which he replicated using his 1964 and a 12-string variant to evoke bright, interlocking arpeggios suited to the early 1980s indie ethos. These instruments, known for their distinctive "jangly" from models like the Byrds' Rosewood-finish 360/12, allowed Marr to diverge from punk's aggression toward a more ornate, folk-inflected rock revival amid Manchester's post-industrial gloom. Morrissey infused the band's early aesthetic with echoes of , drawing from Oscar Wilde's epigrammatic wit and symbolic floral motifs—elements the singer encountered as a through his mother's encouragement and later cited as pivotal, including Wilde's as a favorite. While not dictating the song's specific narrative, this influence lent a dandified irony to the ' presentation, contrasting the era's macho rock stereotypes in favor of cerebral, outsider poise rooted in Manchester's working-class literary heritage. The instrumental foundation originated from a personal epiphany for Marr, who, driving one day, observed an appealing young man stranded with a punctured bicycle tire and felt acute jealousy at missing the chance to intervene, prompting him to compose the riff that night as an aspirational fantasy of rescue and connection. This anecdote, shared by Marr in later reflections, underscores the song's genesis in everyday observation amplified by youthful envy, aligning with the band's drive to elevate mundane northern English vignettes into artful vignettes.

Production and Composition

Recording Details

The commercial single version of "This Charming Man" was produced by John Porter and recorded in October 1983 at in , . The track's final runtime measured 2:43, capturing the core instrumentation of Johnny Marr's arpeggiated guitar riff, Andy Rourke's bass lines, and Mike Joyce's drumming, with Marr employing a 1954 for the primary riff, often double-tracked alongside his for added jangle and depth. Marr overdubbed multiple guitar layers, including acoustic tracks, backward effects, and counter-melodies, to build rhythmic complexity without diluting the song's urgent energy. These choices prioritized textural richness over sparse arrangements, diverging from the rawer session capture. Post-production refinements focused on clarity, such as amplifying the riff's precision and integrating highlife-inspired runs. The single mix incorporated elements re-recorded after the September 1983 Peel version, adding a prominent guitar intro and elevated vocal effects absent in the iteration, to deliver greater punch and commercial appeal. This approach enhanced dynamic contrast, distinguishing the release version through targeted overdubs and balancing rather than wholesale re-tracking.

Musical Elements

"This Charming Man" is composed in A major, utilizing a raised guitar tuning where Johnny Marr tuned his instrument up to F♯ and fingered shapes in G, resulting in the sounding key of A. The track maintains a tempo of approximately 139 beats per minute in 4/4 time, contributing to its lively pace. Marr's guitar work features interlocking arpeggiated lines and layered riffs, achieved through multi-tracking on a four-track recorder, which create a dense, rhythmic texture without traditional rhythm guitar strums. The structure revolves around a progression incorporating suspended and dominant chords, such as variations on A, Bm, and E7 equivalents in the transposed playing, emphasizing tension through unresolved suspensions and modal mixtures drawn from influences. This setup, combined with Marr's guitars, produces the song's signature , marked by bright, shimmering overtones that became a hallmark for guitar tones. The rhythm section, driven by Andy Rourke's bass and Mike Joyce's drumming, locks into a buoyant groove that contrasts with harmonic ambiguities, fostering a sense of propulsion. Morrissey's vocal melody employs elongated phrasing and occasional falsetto reaches, delivered with glottal stops characteristic of his accent, adding a theatrical tension over the guitar's fluid . Marr complements this with a melodic solo in the bridge, weaving scalar runs and chord tones that maintain the interlocking motif without overpowering the vocal line.

Lyrics and Themes

Lyrical Narrative

The lyrics of "This Charming Man" unfold as a recounting a young 's mishap with a punctured on a desolate rural hillside, prompting the reflective query, "Will nature make a man of me yet?" Soon after, the is approached and offered rescue by a sophisticated driver in a "charming ," who espouses a of ease with the line, "Why pamper life's complexities / When the leather runs smooth on the passenger seat?" The driver, portrayed as worldly—"He knows so much about these things"—instructs the to "Don't speak until spoken to," while the latter observes his own youthfulness amid the scene, "Myself, no one looks so young in here," and self-describes an "anachronistic flair." Stylistically, the narrative employs for rhythmic emphasis, evident in phrases such as "punctured bicycle" and "charming man," alongside the repeated "charming car." Wordplay emerges in the driver's , blending colloquial British phrasing with ambiguity about comfort versus complication. The structure revisits the initial hillside imagery and core query, creating a looped, arc that underscores the encounter's pivotal shift from isolation to invitation.

Interpretations and Analyses

Interpretations of the lyrics often frame the encounter between the stranded narrator and the older man as suggestive of homoerotic tension, with the offer of a ride in a Jaguar XJ6 interpreted as an invitation to seduction or mentorship, evoking Oscar Wilde's themes of forbidden desire and aesthetic patronage between men. This reading draws on the coded language of "punctured bicycle on a hillside desolate" symbolizing vulnerability and the "charming man" as a rescuer from isolation, mirroring Wildean dynamics in where a youthful figure is drawn into a sophisticated, potentially corrupting world. Such analyses link the song to Morrissey's persona of ambiguous allure, yet overlook his explicit rejections of ; in a interview, he described himself as "beyond" gay categorization, and in 2013 clarified, "Unfortunately, I am not homosexual. In technical fact, I am humasexual," emphasizing attraction to humans irrespective of gender while maintaining long-term celibacy in the 1980s and 1990s. A class-based perspective underscores the stark economic contrast— the narrator's "jumped-up pantry boy" status and breakdown evoking proletarian against the benefactor's opulent — as a realist of dependency on rather than merit-based ascent. Released in October 1983 amid Thatcher's policies of and , which widened income gaps ( Gini coefficient rising from 0.25 in 1979 to 0.34 by ), the narrative rejects self-reliant mobility for opportunistic alliance with the affluent, highlighting causal risks of such arrangements in an era where working-class youth faced 14% rates. This view posits the "charming man" not as liberator but enabler of , prioritizing empirical socioeconomic realism over romanticized escape. Alternative analyses reject dominant sexualized framings, viewing the "charming man" as a pragmatic opportunist or advisory figure guiding the narrator toward simplicity—"Why pamper life's complexity?"—amid existential drudgery, aligning with 's self-described teenage life as "relentlessly foul" and his emphasis on lyrical from mundane alienation rather than advocacy for specific identities. In interviews, Morrissey framed his work as personal catharsis detached from political or orientational agendas, suggesting the song's appeal lies in universal yearning for intervention against isolation, empirically evidenced by its resonance across diverse audiences beyond subcultures. These readings prioritize causal agency in individual reinvention over institutionalized narratives of marginalization.

Release and Formats

Single Release

"This Charming Man" was released as a 7-inch single by Rough Trade Records on 31 October 1983, marking The Smiths' second single after "Hand in Glove" earlier that year. The initial UK pressing was limited, distributed primarily on vinyl formats through the independent label. The B-side featured "Jeane", a track produced by Troy Tate and recorded at Strawberry Studios earlier in 1983. Promotional activities included video footage of the band performing the song in studio and live settings, such as appearances on BBC Two's Riverside and Channel 4's The Tube in late 1983. As an indie release on Rough Trade, the single faced initial hurdles in securing broad radio airplay, though support from BBC Radio 1, including playlist inclusions and DJ sessions, helped increase its exposure.

Versions and Reissues

The single version of "This Charming Man," clocking in at 2:43, features a polished completed in with added bass and drum overdubs by producer John Porter, distinguishing it from earlier demo takes recorded in . This mix served as the basis for the October 31, 1983, Rough Trade release and subsequent reissues. In contrast, the rendition on the November 12, 1984, compilation derives from the band's September 14, 1983, session for , lasting 2:43 but characterized by a rawer, live-in-studio sound lacking the single's overdubs and exhibiting a lighter, more upbeat tone due to the session's minimal production. The track maintained non-album status on original studio releases until appearing on compilations such as the 1987 U.S.-only , which incorporated the single mix. A 1992 reissue of the single by Warner included remix variants blending elements from the Manchester demo and London sessions, expanding to multiple tracks on CD formats. Subsequent remasters, supervised by , appeared in 2009 Rhino editions and the 2011 Complete , enhancing clarity across vinyl, CD, and digital platforms while preserving the original mixes' integrity; these were later integrated into streaming services. The 2017 Singles replicated the original 7" packaging with faithful reproductions of the single version on 180-gram vinyl.

Commercial Performance

Chart Achievements

"This Charming Man" was released as a single on 31 October 1983 by and debuted on the UK Singles Chart the following month, achieving a peak position of number 25. This marked ' first entry on the official UK chart, though it also topped the UK Indie Chart during its initial run. A of the single in , tied to a greatest hits compilation, performed stronger commercially and reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart, marking the band's highest-peaking single release at the time. Further saw minor chart activity, including a number 124 entry in 2008 driven by digital downloads. Internationally, the track had limited mainstream chart success upon original release, with no entry on the US , though it received airplay on college radio stations. In Ireland, it peaked at number 22 on the national singles chart. Subsequent decades brought long-tail visibility through streaming platforms, contributing to periodic resurgences in alternative and download charts.

Sales and Certifications

"This Charming Man" earned a Silver certification from the (BPI) in the , representing 200,000 equivalent units of sales and streams. This accolade, awarded reflecting cumulative performance including digital consumption, underscores the track's enduring commercial viability as a catalog item well beyond its initial 1983 release. Physical sales at launch totaled around 100,000 copies in the UK, a respectable figure for ' second single amid their nascent indie status. Relative to subsequent Smiths singles such as "What Difference Does It Make?", which benefited from greater promotional momentum and higher chart placement, "This Charming Man" registered comparatively modest initial sales, largely due to the band's early-career positioning and limited distribution through . Post-2000 digital platforms and reissues in compilations have augmented its overall economic footprint, though comprehensive global unit figures remain unverified beyond metrics.

Reception

Contemporary Critical Response

"This Charming Man," released on October 31, 1983, garnered enthusiastic praise from key figures in the UK music press for its innovative blend of elements. , writing in New Musical Express on November 12, 1983, hailed the single as a breakthrough, commending Johnny Marr's "jingle-jangle" guitar as revelatory and Morrissey's for their sharp , positioning as a fresh voice amid the era's synth-dominated charts. Reviews in publications like Record Mirror echoed this sentiment, with Graham K. Smith lauding the track's distinctive style and lyrical cleverness on November 5, 1983, highlighting its appeal as a gem that showcased Marr's intricate guitar work alongside Morrissey's evocative, ambiguous narrative. Melody Maker similarly acclaimed the single for advancing indie guitar traditions, though some noted its ornate phrasing and niche aesthetic limited immediate mainstream accessibility. John Peel's endorsement further bolstered its indie credentials; recorded a version for his session on September 14, 1983, which aired later that month and received strong listener feedback, prompting Rough Trade to prioritize its release as a marker of underground validation. While celebrated for revitalizing guitar-based songcraft, early critiques occasionally dismissed the song's perceived preciousness—evident in Morrissey's florid delivery and themes—as potentially alienating to broader pop audiences seeking simpler fare.

Retrospective Assessments and Criticisms

In retrospective rankings, "This Charming Man" has been lauded for its guitar-driven innovation and emotional resonance. included it in its list of the 200 best songs of the 1980s, describing it as "a perfect song by a perfect band" for blending Johnny Marr's intricate riffing with Morrissey's evocative delivery. similarly praised its "jumped-up surf-guitar riff" and heart-piercing vocal in assessments of the band's catalog and 1983's standout tracks, crediting it with pioneering a jangle-infused indie aesthetic that influenced subsequent revivals in the genre. These evaluations highlight its causal role in shifting toward brighter, more melodic , evidenced by Marr's arpeggiated style echoing in later acts despite the song's origins in 1983's denser musical landscape. Critics have noted flaws in the song's lingering , particularly Morrissey's , which romanticize vague scenarios of and desire—such as the narrator's roadside encounter—inviting misinterpretations ranging from class commentary to homoerotic undertones without clear resolution. This opacity, while artistically intentional, has been argued to foster over-romanticization, obscuring precise intent and contributing to polarized readings that prioritize emotional projection over textual specificity. has reflected on band dynamics undermining the collaborative legacy, stating in interviews that Morrissey's self-focused actions post-breakup necessitated his intervention to safeguard ' name and output from external exploitation, implying ego-driven tensions eroded unified credit for works like this single. Empirically, the track's influence outpaces its commercial footprint: it debuted modestly at No. 25 on the UK Singles Chart in 1983 with around 100,000 copies sold initially, yet reissues and compilations propelled it to enduring playlist staples and cultural touchstones, countering narratives of instant ubiquity with data on gradual canonization. This disparity underscores a truth-seeking lens: acclaim stems from stylistic rather than volume, though retrospective hype sometimes glosses over the band's internal frictions that limited further cohesion.

Legacy and Influence

Cultural Impact

The song has been featured in British television series such as , where it underscores scenes depicting 1980s working-class youth culture, and , played on a pub to evoke nostalgic camaraderie. Excerpts also appeared in advertisements, including a 2011 spot for electrical appliances that opened with its distinctive guitar riff, broadening its exposure to mainstream audiences beyond initial listeners. "This Charming Man" resonated with 1980s youth s through its portrayal of social awkwardness and fleeting encounters, capturing alienation in Thatcher-era Britain without aligning with dominant pop trends. composed the lyrics to reference a coded, self-aware underground scene, drawing from pre-1980s gay literary influences like rather than overt contemporary activism, which distanced it from mainstream interpretations of queer identity. This subtlety contributed to its adoption in alternative circles, including mod-revival groups associated with apparel, where it symbolized sharp-witted rebellion against synth-dominated charts. Its influence extended to later indie and movements, with the track's jangly guitar riff and ambiguous narrative inspiring guitar-centric bands that revived influences in the . Sustained digital engagement underscores this longevity: as of October 2025, it has exceeded 671 million streams on , ranking among the platform's top tracks, while the official surpassed 100 million views by mid-2024. These metrics reflect playlist inclusion in modern "indie classics" and " alternative" compilations, maintaining relevance for new generations encountering its themes of outsider romance.

Cover Versions and Adaptations

Death Cab for Cutie recorded a cover of "This Charming Man" for their 1997 demo tape You Can Play These Songs with Chords, delivering a faster-paced, raw rendition that amplifies the original's punk edges while preserving Marr's signature jangly guitar riff and Morrissey's lyrical wit. The version, reissued on in 2002, maintains fidelity to the core but introduces a heavier, more urgent drive suited to the band's early influences. The Canadian indie pop duo Stars adapted the track for their 2001 EP The Stars Are Out Tonight on Le Grand Magistery, layering dreamy synths and harmonious dual vocals over the foundational melody to create an electronic-infused interpretation that shifts the song toward atmospheric pop. This version highlights the composition's versatility, transforming its urgent jangle into a more ethereal soundscape without altering the core structure. Nouvelle Vague, known for reinterpretations of rock classics, released a lounge-style cover featuring Mélanie Pain's breathy vocals, which strips back the guitar-driven energy for percussion-light rhythms and subdued , demonstrating the song's melodic resilience in non-rock contexts. Such adaptations underscore the track's structural adaptability, enabling cross-genre translations that retain its hook while innovating on and . Live renditions have further extended the song's reach, including ' 2023 performance with original guitarist at Edinburgh's , where ' charismatic delivery echoed Morrissey's style amid crowd-pleasing energy. These performances affirm the composition's stage viability, often eliciting strong audience responses without commercial single releases. While direct sampling remains sparse, the riff has appeared in indie and experimental tracks, such as The Hood Internet's 2019 mashup incorporating elements into broader hip-hop-inflected blends, illustrating subtle causal influences across genres rather than overt appropriations. No cover versions have achieved significant independent chart success, with most gaining traction through niche releases or live acclaim rather than mainstream sales.

Credits

Personnel

  • Vocals: Morrissey
  • Guitar: Johnny Marr
  • Bass guitar: Andy Rourke
  • Drums: Mike Joyce
  • Producer: John Porter
The primary single version features only these core band members with no additional session musicians credited in the Rough Trade release notes.

Track Listings

The original 7-inch single (Rough Trade RT 136), released on 31 October 1983, consisted of:
  • Side A: "This Charming Man" – 2:43
  • Side B: "Jeane" – 3:02
The accompanying UK 12-inch single (Rough Trade RTT 136), also released on 31 1983, included:
  • "This Charming Man ()" – 2:43
  • "This Charming Man ()" – 2:47
  • "Accept Yourself" – 4:02
  • "Wonderful Woman" – 3:08
A limited New York 12-inch single (Rough Trade RTT 136 NY), featuring remixes by , contained:
  • "This Charming Man (New York Vocal)" – 2:47
  • "This Charming Man (New York Instrumental)"
Later CD reissues in 1992 included extended mixes and B-sides such as these tracks alongside the original single version.

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