Shoplifters of the World Unite
My only weakness is a listed crime
The Smiths’ 18th single, ‘Shoplifters of the World Unite’ was released 38 years ago today (January 26, 1987). The single reached number twelve in the UK Singles Chart. The single’s cover art consists of a 1955 photograph of Elvis Presley (his first ever press shot) taken by his hairdresser, James R. Reid.
The runout on the A-side on the UK 7 and 12-inch single was etched with “ALF RAMSEY`S REVENGE1”.
Morrissey dedicated the single to American music promoter Ruth Polsky.'2
Early copies of the UK 12-inch single were sold in a plastic carrier bag with the word "Shoplifter" on one side and the front artwork on the other.
According to Stephane at PassionsJustLikeMine.com, the song was only written a few weeks before it was recorded, which was in November 1986 at Trident Studios in London. The song has the distinction of being produced solely by Johnny Marr.
‘Shoplifters’ exudes an upbeat glam rock style and features a short guitar solo from Marr, in which he utilized harmonized layering. Marr later described this technique as being “…a steel player's technique. You touch the strings with a right hand finger an octave higher than where you're fretting, and then pluck the string with your thumb3."
Marr further detailed his decision to employ a brief solo (what he has described as a “guitar break”) in ‘Shoplifters’ in a 2013 interview:
"I think what I did there was I just went ‘fuck it’, to be honest. I thought ‘if someone wants to give me stick for it, let them give me stick for it, they won’t’. Well, within about a week I was getting shit for it"4
The song’s title alludes to both Karl Marx’s "Workers of the world, unite!" slogan and 1966s David and Jonathan5 hit song, ‘Lovers of the World Unite’. Musically, ‘Shoplifters’ possesses a noticeable similarity to T. Rex's ‘Children of the Revolution’. Listen to the latter here:
An instrumental outtake of ‘Shoplifters’ was leaked via the internet in 2009. This outtake highlights Andy Rourke’s deft bass playing, which stands out given that the track is not mixed. Listen to this remarkable instrumental outtake here:
An instrumental demo of the song appears on 2010’s The Smiths bootleg LP. Listen to this instrumental version here:
While the Smiths’ are credited with performing the song only once in concert - at their final gig at Brixton Academy on December 12, 1986 - ‘Shoplifter of the World Unite’ was actually performed a second time in front of an audience (albeit a small one in a television studio) on the British music program The Tube on April 10, 1987. Unlike other television appearances in early 1987 where they performed ‘Shoplifters’, the Smiths did not mime the studio version of the song, but actually performed it in what turned out to be the bands final live performance (the Smiths mimed their songs on their subsequent appearance on Top of the Pops on April 23, 1987).
Watch the Smiths perform ‘Shoplifters’ on The Tube here:
Aside from the act of shoplifting, the lyrics of ‘Shoplifters’ appear to allude to homosexuality as evidenced by the ambiguous line “My only weakness is a listed crime” as well as the more overt “A heartless hand on my shoulder/A push and it's over/Alabaster crashes down”.
"[It was a] very, very witty single and a great moment for the Smiths in England. I think it was probably the best days of our career. It was just a very funny time and a time of very sparky rebellion, and this song, more than any, I think, exemplifies that. I like it."
- Morrissey interviewed by Richard Blade, KROQ, July 1997
"It [the song’s direct reference to shoplifting] does not literally mean picking up a loaf of bread or a watch and sticking it in your coat pocket. It's more or less spiritual shoplifting, cultural shoplifting, taking things and using them to your own advantage."
- Morrissey interviewed by Shaun Duggan in 1987
‘Shoplifters’ was released in April 1987 as a B-side to the Australia issue of the Smiths’ ‘Ask’ single.
In Greece, the song was included as a backing track on the release of the ‘Sheila Take a Bow’ maxi-single.
Lastly, in Germany the song was included as a backing track on a CD format special edition (a ‘mini’ album) of the ‘Shelia Take a Bow’ single.
The song has appeared on numerous Smiths compilation albums released over the years.
Watch the official promotional music video (containing the studio version of the song) taken from the Smiths’ appearance on Top Of The Pops on February 5, 1987 here:
This etching presumably references Sir Alfred Ernest Ramsey (1920 – 1999), who was an English football player and manager. As a player, he represented the England national team and captained the side, but he is best known for his time as England manager from 1963 to 1974, which included guiding them to victory in the 1966 FIFA World Cup.
Ruth Polsky (December 5, 1954 - September 7th 1986) was a pioneering booker and music promoter in New York City. Polsky got the Smiths their first North American gig at Danceteria in New York City (December 31, 1983). She died after being crushed by a runaway taxi cab on the steps of the Limelight club in New York City.
“I remember being at a party at her [Ruth's] place in 1983 when the Smiths were in town. Morrissey was in Ruth’s bedroom the whole time. Every so often, a hand would come out of the door, it would wiggle, someone would bring him a drink, and he’d go back inside the bedroom. He wouldn’t come out — like Marie Antoinette! He was such a prima donna!” -Parker Dulany of Certain General, New York Post, February 7, 2017
“Ruth was a tough girl, [...] After our gig at the Danceteria in 1983, me and Mike [Joyce] were walking back to her place. We heard gunshots and ambulances — we were s–tting ourselves. But Ruth said, ‘No, don’t worry, that’s nothing!’ ” -Andy Rourke, New York Post, February 7, 2017
Guitar.com, August 17, 2021
The Quietus, February 19, 2013
David & Jonathan were a pop singer/songwriter duo from Bristol, England consisting of Roger ("David") Greenaway (born 1938) and Roger ("Jonathan") Cook (born 1940) who became famous during the 1960s.