Patti Smith, the “punk Poet Laureate,” is a key figure of ‘70s rock and roll and in the development of punk and alternative rock. She got her start (in music, at least) reciting her poetry accompanied by Lenny Kaye on guitar, eventually growing the ranks to become a full band, the Patti Smith Group. The band backed Smith’s expressive poetry with a sound that ranged from flowing avant-garde improvisations to a primitive punk-rock attack. At its best, as on Horses, the effect was captivating and utterly original.
Playlist 1
The absolute only place to start your Patti Smith listening experience is with her flat-out masterpiece, the debut album Horses (1975). Don’t pay any attention to those middle-of-the-road types who say it might be better to try one of her more accessible albums first—if you don’t like the full, intense Patti Smith experience, don’t even bother with the rest.
Here’s Horses, in its entirety.
Playlist 2
This playlist starts with a terrific early single, then samples from her remaining ‘70s albums. The Easter album (1978) is the most listenable and consistent, and the most acclaimed and popular; Radio Ethiopia (1976) and Wave (1979) are much better that they are often considered, but it’s true that they have fewer truly memorable moments.
Playlist Notes:
- For some inexplicable reason, the “Piss Factory” single fades out at the end, rather than including the original ending, which gave the song some closure with a nice, simple guitar lick and a piano flourish. Not sure why they thought it necessary to trim the final 15 seconds—what could there have been to gain by it?
- Worse, the track “Rock n Roll Nigger” appears to be unavailable (greyed out), except for a live version I was able to find, leaving the “Babelogue” intro stranded and clipped.
More Patti Smith
After a nine-year hiatus to focus on raising a family, Smith returned in the late ‘80s with Dream of Life and eight years later in the mid-‘90s with Gone Again, after which she released an album every few years or so for a decade and a half. Plenty of good music to sift through. I’ll update this post with an additional playlist at a later date.
Cover Art:
- Horses: Source, Discogs.com, Fair use.
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