Patti Smith: The Godmother Of Punk?

[METALPRIEST]

Official Website

Horses (1975)
Radio Ethiopia (1976)
Easter (1978)
Wave (1979)
Dream of Life (1988)
Gone Again (1996)
Peace and Noise (1997)
Gung Ho (2000)
Trampin' (2004)
Twelve (2007)


I love Patti Smith!! But why am I offering a thread for this talented lady in the 70's forum and not the punk forum?? Well she is from the 70's for one and IMO, offers much more than her punk rock image may give.

In 1946 she was born in my home town of Chicago! Patti had a strong religious upbrining but had left that behind and the opening line to her debut album, Horses, you will hear her sing.

"Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine"



Patti was also considered to be the front for Blue Oyster Cult and even wrote lyrics to some of their songs including, Debbie Denise,Career of Evil, Fire of Unknown Origin, The Revenge of Vera Gemini and Shooting Shark.

In 1974 we see the Patti Smith Group with Lenny Kaye!!

In 1980 Patti was married to MC5 guitarist Fred Smith and they had a son. Patti is the mother in law to White Stripes drummer Meg White whom her son Jackson had married.

In 1988 Patti released Dream of Life and her husband Fred died in 1994 with her brother following shortly after. In 2004 Patti released Trampin' which had many songs regarding motherhood, and she had lost her mother two years before this album.

In 2005 she was named Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture, inducted into the rock hall in 2007, has been a supporter for Greenpeace,Ralph Nader and many protest against the war in Iraq.



I hope many find great stories, music and photos to share of this legendary performer, artist, poet, musician and singer!!

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[METALPRIEST]

Now onto some favorite songs of mine.​

As well as influencing many rock and roll performers including myself...shock rocker Marilyn Manson even covered one of her songs on the band's Smells Like Children album, and this song of Patti's was used in the film Natural Born Killers.

A pretty controversial song from her Easter Album..Rock & Roll N*****

The song was intended not for race but for those that are outside of society and different. I wanted to include this song early as I feel some one else in our community may...and I wanted it to be shown in the proper light and that it was NOT a song about racism. I have african american mates who love the song.





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[Soot and Stars]

Awesome thread Metal! I own these:

What a difference just between two albums. I love how she can put out a gorgeous ballad and then put something out as Rock as this:

Horses and Hey Joe


I first heard her on the No Alternative soundtrack doing a chilling spoken word A Capella called Memorial Song (which I can't find)!

Here's another track I like from Horses:

Free Money

 

[ladyislingering]

I absolutely adore Patti Smith despite just having discovered her music properly within the past year.

Her gaze is piercing, her voice is haunting, and everything about her is absolutely mesmerizing. Long live the Godmother of punk.

 

[METALPRIEST]

Great Additions! Free Money is a great tune!! I love the entire Horses album...I think all in all I like her last 70's effort WAVE the best..but they're all great in my book.

You and others may be a little young to remember a show at the top of the 80's (though you may) called Kids Are People Too.

I always wondered...HOW DID THEY GET HER on a kid show??

She does sooo well too man! The way she handles herself with the children in the audience and sings a wonderful version of You Light Up My Life.

Very touching.

This is at the end of the 70's for her here before going off and doing different things with her life. You can hear the Marianne Faithful influence as well.

I mean you can on alot of her material...but this is sooo Marianne.

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[METALPRIEST]

Sorry Lady!! I made my post after you posted here. Great to see another Patti Fan!! Jump on board!!

 

[Velvetclown]

Well, at least she´s no Lady GAGA

 

[Astrid Kirchherr65]

Well, at least she´s no Lady GAGA

I love Patti Smith but ..I confess my knowledge of her is limited to a few songs..most of the ones listed ..

and this one ..I 'm not sure WHERE I heard this/it was in the 80's because I was still in HS

Yeah Patti is one of the pioneers of punk for sure

 

[Aktivator]

"I see it all before me:
the days of love and torment;
the nights of rock-and-roll.
I see it all before me.
Sometimes my spirit's empty;
don't have the will to go on.
I wish someone would send me
energy.

Give me something.
Give me something to give.
Oh, God, give me something:
a reason to live.
My body is aching.
Don't want sympathy.
Come on. Come and love me.
Come on. Set me free.
Set me free. "


Patti had a rocky beginning for me. My older brother was obsessed with her and played her day and nite back in 1977. I didn't like her at all. Then in 1978 she released Easter and from the first time I heard the album I finally got Patti. That album hit some cord in me and I finally got the punk scene and Ms. Smith. Shortly after I took my long ponytail haired ass to the famed CBGB's and remember her doing "Pissing in a River" and then going to where the bathrooms are and walking down the steps to see a stream of piss coming out of the bathrooms. Between the poetry and the music she drew me in been a fan ever since.

Horses and Easter are my favorite albums by her but give me anything from her 70's era and I'm a fan. I've got a bunch of boots from that era. I also like the three albums she put out in the 90's when I saw her a few more times.

Patti Smith-Piss Factory

 

[METALPRIEST]

Yeah that's a great song AK..I too like her 90's stuff!!