Hand in Glove / Handsome Devil

by The Smiths

Hand in Glove / Handsome Devil cover art
  • Type: Single
  • Released: 13 May 1983
  • Label: Rough Trade
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 6:05
  • Community rating: 4.14/5 from 4 ratings

Artists on this release: Andy Rourke, Johnny Marr, Mike Joyce

Album Notes & Community Reviews

The debut single from The Smiths, setting the definitive template for their unique brand of indie-pop. Johnny Marr composed the bright, chiming riff on a heavily detuned guitar, while Morrissey's unapologetic, literary lyrics concerning hidden romance challenged the era's traditional pop heteronormativity. The provocative single cover, featuring a nude photograph of Jim French, immediately established the band's distinctive aesthetic.

Genres

Descriptors: lgbtq, melodic, jangly, literary, witty

Tracklist

  1. Hand In Glove (3:12)
  2. Handsome Devil (Live) (2:53)

Credits

  • Andy Rourke - bass guitar
  • Mike Joyce - drums
  • Johnny Marr - guitar, harmonica, music by [all], written-by
  • Porky - lacquer cut by
  • Morrissey - voice, words by [all], written-by

More from The Smiths: full discography