Release Meat Is Murder

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Early in 1985, the Smiths released their second studio album, Meat Is Murder . It was more strident and political than its predecessor, including the pro-vegetarian title track (Morrissey forbade the rest of the group from being photographed eating meat), the light-hearted republicanism of “Nowhere Fast”, and the anti-corporal punishment ” The Headmaster Ritual ” and ” Barbarism Begins at Home “. The band had also grown more diverse musically, with Marr adding rockabilly riffs to “Rusholme Ruffians” and Rourke playing a funk bass solo on “Barbarism Begins at Home”. The album was preceded by the re-release of the B-side ” How Soon Is Now? ” as a single, and although that song was not on the original LP , it has been added to subsequent releases. Meat Is Murder was the band’s only album (barring compilations) to reach number one on the UK charts.