The Smiths: Songs That Saved Your Life

The Smiths: Songs That Saved Your Life is a book by music critic Simon Goddard.

Description
In December 2002, Goddard's first book on The Smiths was published by the small Surrey-based publisher Reynolds & Hearn under the title The Smiths: Songs That Saved Your Life. It analysed in depth the making of every one of their songs, both released and unreleased and borrowed its format from Ian MacDonald's Beatles book, Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties.

In 2004 it was updated to include new interview material from Smiths founder and guitarist Johnny Marr, who agreed to collaborate after some persuasion. The title refers to a Morrissey lyric from The Smiths' 1985 B-side "Rubber Ring".

Despite positive reaction from fans and the press, in interviews Goddard expressed dissatisfaction with the book and especially the way it was presented by its original publishers who in due course went into liquidation. In 2010 the rights were acquired by Titan Books who agreed to republish a brand new, definitive edit reverting to the title Goddard had always intended, Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. The book is reportedly due 28 February 2013.