In January 1987 the Smiths recorded what was to prove their final
session with longtime producer John Porter, a rousing and sparkling take
on their hit single "Sheila Take A Bow". The version recorded with
Porter is one of the greatest showcases of Johnny Marr's guitar genius. For reasons only known to the band, they then scrapped the Porter
recording and redid the track from scratch with producer Stephen Street,
resulting in the version known and loved by millions.
In 2010, an astounding set of unknown Smiths sessions was unearthed and
saw dissemination through fan websites and at least one bootleg physical
release. Among these tracks was the long-thought-destroyed Porter
recording of "Sheila Take A Bow", in true studio and official release-ready quality.
You can stream this version over at Soundcloud.
It is our belief that, with the general renewed interest in the Smiths
of late, and the expected back catalog reissues in the pipeline, this
version of "Sheila Take A Bow" would make a fantastic and exciting
single if released as such by Rhino / Warner Bros. Backed with at least
one of the other rare tracks unearthed in 2010, this would be a release
for the ages.