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.