The Smithereens
Encyclopedia
The Smithereens are a rock band
from Carteret
, New Jersey
, United States
. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio
(vocals & guitar
), Jim Babjak
(guitar
& vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar
& vocals), and Dennis Diken
(drums & percussion). This lineup continued until 2006, when Mesaros left the band and Severo Jornacion took over on bass guitar.
The Smithereens have collaborated with numerous musicians, both in the studio (Suzanne Vega
and Belinda Carlisle
) and live (Graham Parker
and The Kinks
). The band's name comes from a Yosemite Sam
catchphrase, "Varmint, I'm a-gonna blow you to smithereens!"
and graduated from Carteret High School
in 1975. In 1980, they formed the band with DiNizio, who is from Scotch Plains, New Jersey
.
The Smithereens are known for writing and playing catchy 1960s-influenced power pop
. The group gained publicity when a single
from its first album
, "Blood and Roses", was included on the soundtrack
for, and as the theme song of the 1986 Albert Pyun
movie
, Dangerously Close
, and the video
got some moderately heavy rotation on MTV
. "Blood and Roses" was also featured on the 1980s TV show Miami Vice
during the episode 'The Savage' (first aired February 6, 1987).
The group spent some time in its initial semi-celebrity phase defending itself in Rolling Stone
against thinly-veiled accusations of sounding too much like The Byrds
and The Beatles
, pointing out that its Marshall Amplifier-heavy live sound was closer to heavy metal
than it was to The Beatles. The Smithereens have always worn their inspirations proudly, but the band also influenced other musicians, most notably Kurt Cobain
during the period he was writing Nevermind
. Ironically, some feel the Smithereens (like many early 1990s bands) were hurt by the rise of grunge
.
Along with a basic Eastern-coast roots-rock sound that owed much to the inspirations of DiNizio, including Buddy Holly
, The Who
, The Clash
, Elvis Costello
, and Nick Lowe
, the Smithereens deployed a uniquely retro obsession with Mod, the late British Invasion
pop of John's Children
and The Move
, and other artifacts of fifties and sixties culture that lent its music substance. The title and lyrics of their song, "In a Lonely Place," appear to be based on the 1950 Humphrey Bogart film
of the same name, including the lyrics, "I was born the day I met you, lived a while when you loved me, died a little when we broke apart." The title and artwork for the album 11
were a nod to the original 1960 Ocean's Eleven
film.
The Smithereens starred as themselves and were featured as the entertainment in the indoor beach party scene of the Troma film Class of Nuke 'Em High
, playing the song "Much Too Much".
The highest position a Smithereens album attained on the Billboard
pop charts was in 1990, when 11 peaked at #41 on the strength of the single "A Girl Like You" (which hit #38). "A Girl Like You" was originally written to be the title track for the 1989 Cameron Crowe
film Say Anything....
The group is still active and tours frequently. The basic tracks for their latest studio album of original material, titled 2011, were recorded in early October 2010 and the album was released on April 5, 2011.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
from Carteret
Carteret, New Jersey
Carteret is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 22,844.Carteret was created as the borough of Roosevelt on 11 April 1906, incorporating Woodbridge Township, and was a result of a referendum on 22 May 1906...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio
Pat DiNizio
Pat DiNizio , of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, is the lead singer, songwriter, and member of the band The Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros, from Carteret, New Jersey....
(vocals & guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
), Jim Babjak
Jim Babjak
Jim Babjak , is the lead guitar player and founding member of The Smithereens. He has written and sung several songs for the band...
(guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
& vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
& vocals), and Dennis Diken
Dennis Diken
Dennis Diken co-founded the NJ band The Smithereens. Besides playing with The Smithereens, Dennis is a fill-in DJ on WFMU.As a musician and record producer, Diken has worked with The Smithereens, Ben E. King, Mary Weiss of 1960s girl group The Shangri-Las, Dave Amels, and R...
(drums & percussion). This lineup continued until 2006, when Mesaros left the band and Severo Jornacion took over on bass guitar.
The Smithereens have collaborated with numerous musicians, both in the studio (Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.Two of Vega's songs reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner"...
and Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands and the first such group whose members wrote their own songs and played their own instruments...
) and live (Graham Parker
Graham Parker
Graham Parker is a British rock singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.-Early career :...
and The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
). The band's name comes from a Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam is an American animated cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The name is somewhat alliterative and is inspired by Yosemite National Park...
catchphrase, "Varmint, I'm a-gonna blow you to smithereens!"
Career
Babjak, Diken, and Mesaros are all from Carteret, New JerseyCarteret, New Jersey
Carteret is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 22,844.Carteret was created as the borough of Roosevelt on 11 April 1906, incorporating Woodbridge Township, and was a result of a referendum on 22 May 1906...
and graduated from Carteret High School
Carteret High School
Carteret High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Carteret in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Carteret School District....
in 1975. In 1980, they formed the band with DiNizio, who is from Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...
.
The Smithereens are known for writing and playing catchy 1960s-influenced power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
. The group gained publicity when a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from its first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, "Blood and Roses", was included on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for, and as the theme song of the 1986 Albert Pyun
Albert Pyun
Albert Pyun is an American film director best known for having made many low-budget B-movies and direct-to-video action films. He frequently blends kickboxing and hybrid martial arts with science fiction and dystopic or post-apocalyptic themes, which often include cyborgs...
movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Dangerously Close
Dangerously Close
-Plot:At an elite school, a group of student who call themselves "The Sentinels" begin terrorizing their socially undesirable classmates. Soon, one of their targets ends up brutally murdered....
, and the video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
got some moderately heavy rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. "Blood and Roses" was also featured on the 1980s TV show Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
during the episode 'The Savage' (first aired February 6, 1987).
The group spent some time in its initial semi-celebrity phase defending itself in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
against thinly-veiled accusations of sounding too much like The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, pointing out that its Marshall Amplifier-heavy live sound was closer to heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
than it was to The Beatles. The Smithereens have always worn their inspirations proudly, but the band also influenced other musicians, most notably Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
during the period he was writing Nevermind
Nevermind
Nevermind is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Butch Vig, Nevermind was the group's first release on DGC Records...
. Ironically, some feel the Smithereens (like many early 1990s bands) were hurt by the rise of grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
.
Along with a basic Eastern-coast roots-rock sound that owed much to the inspirations of DiNizio, including Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
, and Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain "Nick" Lowe , is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...
, the Smithereens deployed a uniquely retro obsession with Mod, the late British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
pop of John's Children
John's Children
John's Children were a 1960s pop art/mod rock band from Leatherhead, England that briefly featured future T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan. John's Children were known for their outrageous live performances and were booted off a tour with The Who in Germany in 1967 when they upstaged the headliners...
and The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
, and other artifacts of fifties and sixties culture that lent its music substance. The title and lyrics of their song, "In a Lonely Place," appear to be based on the 1950 Humphrey Bogart film
In a Lonely Place
In a Lonely Place is a film noir directed by Nicholas Ray, and starring Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame, produced for Bogart's Santana Productions. The script was adapted by Edmund North from the 1947 novel In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes.Bogart stars in the film as Dixon Steele, a...
of the same name, including the lyrics, "I was born the day I met you, lived a while when you loved me, died a little when we broke apart." The title and artwork for the album 11
11 (The Smithereens album)
11 is the third official album by The Smithereens. It was released on October 18, 1989 . The album cover was inspired by a movie poster for the original Ocean's Eleven.-Track listing:...
were a nod to the original 1960 Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Eleven (1960 film)
Ocean's 11 is a 1960 heist film directed by Lewis Milestone and starring five Rat Packers: Peter Lawford, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Joey Bishop....
film.
The Smithereens starred as themselves and were featured as the entertainment in the indoor beach party scene of the Troma film Class of Nuke 'Em High
Class of Nuke 'Em High
Class of Nuke 'Em High, also known as Atomic High School, is a 1986 film made by cult classic B-movie production group Troma Entertainment. It was directed by Richard W. Haines and Lloyd Kaufman under the pseudonym Samuel Weil...
, playing the song "Much Too Much".
The highest position a Smithereens album attained on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
pop charts was in 1990, when 11 peaked at #41 on the strength of the single "A Girl Like You" (which hit #38). "A Girl Like You" was originally written to be the title track for the 1989 Cameron Crowe
Cameron Crowe
Cameron Bruce Crowe is an American screenwriter and film director. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine, for which he still frequently writes....
film Say Anything....
The group is still active and tours frequently. The basic tracks for their latest studio album of original material, titled 2011, were recorded in early October 2010 and the album was released on April 5, 2011.
Members
- Pat DiNizioPat DiNizioPat DiNizio , of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, is the lead singer, songwriter, and member of the band The Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros, from Carteret, New Jersey....
— Vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Jim BabjakJim BabjakJim Babjak , is the lead guitar player and founding member of The Smithereens. He has written and sung several songs for the band...
— Lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals - Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion - Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Dennis DikenDennis DikenDennis Diken co-founded the NJ band The Smithereens. Besides playing with The Smithereens, Dennis is a fill-in DJ on WFMU.As a musician and record producer, Diken has worked with The Smithereens, Ben E. King, Mary Weiss of 1960s girl group The Shangri-Las, Dave Amels, and R...
— DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion
Studio albums
- Girls About Town, 1980 (d-tone)
- Beauty and SadnessBeauty and SadnessBeauty and Sadness is The Smithereens' second EP, released in 1983 as Little Ricky LR-103. The EP was remixed and re-released in 1988 on Enigma Records.-Review:...
, 1983 (Little Ricky Records/CapitolCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - Especially for YouEspecially for You (The Smithereens album)Especially for You is the first full-length album from New Jersey-based rock band The Smithereens.The album is notable for the hit "Blood and Roses", which has been featured in multiple movie and TV productions. Producer Don Dixon's co-production work on R.E.M.'s Murmur and Reckoning albums added...
, 1986 (EnigmaEnigma RecordsEnigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
/Capitol) - Green ThoughtsGreen ThoughtsGreen Thoughts is the second album by The Smithereens. "Only a Memory" only reached #92 on the Billboard Hot 100, but topped the Album Rock Tracks chart in 1988.-Track listing:All songs written by Pat DiNizio.# "Only a Memory" – 3:42...
, 1988 (Enigma/Capitol) - 1111 (The Smithereens album)11 is the third official album by The Smithereens. It was released on October 18, 1989 . The album cover was inspired by a movie poster for the original Ocean's Eleven.-Track listing:...
, 1989 (Enigma/Capitol) - Blow Up, 1991 (Capitol)
- A Date with The SmithereensA Date with the SmithereensA Date with the Smithereens is the fifth album by the New Jersey rock band The Smithereens, released in 1994. It is seen as a stylistic departure by the band, as A Date is mainly influenced by hard rock and heavy metal, while previous albums have leaned more towards straightforward pop rock...
, 1994 (BMGBMGBertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
/Excelsior) - God Save The SmithereensGod Save The SmithereensGod Save The Smithereens is the seventh album by The Smithereens. Produced by Don Fleming, it was originally intended to be a concept album based on the idea of the world ending as soon as the year 2000 started...
, 1999 (Velvel/Koch EntertainmentKoch EntertainmentKoch Entertainment was a music, film and television distribution company. It was purchased by E1 Entertainment in 2005 and now operates under the name E1 Entertainment.-History:The company began in 1975 as Koch International...
) - Christmas with The Smithereens, 2007 (KochKoch EntertainmentKoch Entertainment was a music, film and television distribution company. It was purchased by E1 Entertainment in 2005 and now operates under the name E1 Entertainment.-History:The company began in 1975 as Koch International...
) includes three original seasonal songs. - 2011, 2011 (eOne Music)
Live albums
- Live, 1988 (RestlessRestless RecordsRestless Records was started in El Segundo, California in 1981 by Enigma Records and primarly released alternative, metal and punk records. Restless also licensed and released records from Bar/None Records, Metal Blade Records and Mute Records...
) - Instant Live: Music Midtown Festival Atlanta, GA 5/1/04, 2005 (Instant Live Recordings)
- The Smithereens - Extended Versions, 2006 (Sony BMG)
- Live at the Court: Greatest Hits and MoreLive at The Court: Greatest Hits and MoreThe ninth album from New Jersey rock band The Smithereens is a live album. It was recorded live at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick, New Jersey.- Track listing :# "Behind the Wall of Sleep"# "Drown in my own Tears"# "Miles From Nowhere"...
, 2008
Compilations
- Blown to Smithereens: Best of the Smithereens, 1995 (Capitol Records)
- Attack of the Smithereens, 1995 (Capitol Records)
- Best of the Smithereens, 1998 (EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
) - From Jersey It Came! The Smithereens Anthology, 2004 (Capitol Records)
Soundtrack albums featuring The Smithereens
- Dangerously CloseDangerously Close-Plot:At an elite school, a group of student who call themselves "The Sentinels" begin terrorizing their socially undesirable classmates. Soon, one of their targets ends up brutally murdered....
, 1986 (Enigma) - BurglarBurglar (film)Burglar is a 1987 American comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson and distributed by Warner Bros. The film stars Whoopi Goldberg and Bobcat Goldthwait.-Plot:...
, 1987 (MCA) - I Was a Teenage ZombieI Was a Teenage ZombieI Was a Teenage Zombie is a 1987 film. Though it had a very low budget and unknown actors, it attracted a cult following.-Plot:The film begins like a '80s comedy with teens looking to purchase some marijuana but turns into comedy/horror genre when a drug dealer is pushed into the river and becomes...
, 1987 (CapitolCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - Under the BoardwalkUnder the Boardwalk (film)Under the Boardwalk is a 1989 American teen romance/drama film starring Keith Coogan and Danielle von Zerneck.-Plot:It is the final weekend of summer and a group of Californian teenagers are looking forward to an upcoming surf contest...
, 1988 (Enigma) - Bull DurhamBull DurhamBull Durham is a 1988 American romantic comedy baseball film. It is based upon the minor league experiences of writer/director Ron Shelton and depicts the players and fans of the Durham Bulls, a minor league baseball team in Durham, North Carolina....
, 1988 (CapitolCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - Encino ManEncino ManEncino Man, released in Europe as California Man, is a 1992 comedy film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Brendan Fraser, Sean Astin and Pauly Shore. The plot revolves around two geeky teenagers from Encino, Los Angeles, California played by Astin and Shore, who discover a caveman in their...
, 1992 (HollywoodHollywood RecordsHollywood Records is an American record label owned by Disney Music Group, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-History:Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner with the idea of expanding the music operations of the company and to develop and promote...
) - TimecopTimecopTimecop is a 1994 science-fiction thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson was also executive producer...
, 1994 (RCARCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
) - Romy and Michele's High School ReunionRomy and Michele's High School ReunionRomy and Michele's High School Reunion is a 1997 comedy film starring Lisa Kudrow, Mira Sorvino, Janeane Garofalo, Camryn Manheim, and Alan Cumming directed by David Mirkin. The plot revolves around two 28-year-old women who appear to have achieved very little success in life and decide to invent...
, 1997 (Hollywood) - Boys Don't CryBoys Don't Cry (film)Boys Don't Cry is a 1999 American independent romantic drama film directed by Kimberly Peirce and co-written by Andy Bienen. The film is a dramatization of the real-life story of Brandon Teena, a transgender man played by Hilary Swank, who pursues a relationship with a young woman, played by Chloë...
, 1999 (KochKoch EntertainmentKoch Entertainment was a music, film and television distribution company. It was purchased by E1 Entertainment in 2005 and now operates under the name E1 Entertainment.-History:The company began in 1975 as Koch International...
) - Burnzy's Last Call, 1999 (Ripe & Ready/Cellsum Records)
Albums made completely of covers/tribute albums
- Meet The Smithereens!Meet The Smithereens!Meet The Smithereens! is the seventh studio album by Carteret, New Jersey-based rock band The Smithereens. The album features the band covering The Beatles' 1964 debut American album, Meet The Beatles!...
, 2007 (KochKoch EntertainmentKoch Entertainment was a music, film and television distribution company. It was purchased by E1 Entertainment in 2005 and now operates under the name E1 Entertainment.-History:The company began in 1975 as Koch International...
) (A tribute to The Beatles, covering the entire Meet The Beatles! album) - B-Sides The Beatles, 2008 (KochKoch EntertainmentKoch Entertainment was a music, film and television distribution company. It was purchased by E1 Entertainment in 2005 and now operates under the name E1 Entertainment.-History:The company began in 1975 as Koch International...
) (covers of Beatles B-sides) - The Smithereens Play TommyThe Smithereens Play TommyThe Smithereens Play Tommy is the ninth studio album by Carteret, New Jersey-based rock band The Smithereens. The album features the band covering The Who's 1969 album, Tommy.- Track listing :...
, 2009
Singles
| Year | Song | Canada | NZ | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Blood and Roses" | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | Especially for You Especially for You (The Smithereens album) Especially for You is the first full-length album from New Jersey-based rock band The Smithereens.The album is notable for the hit "Blood and Roses", which has been featured in multiple movie and TV productions. Producer Don Dixon's co-production work on R.E.M.'s Murmur and Reckoning albums added... |
| "Behind the Wall of Sleep" | - | - | - | - | - | 23 | ||
| 1988 | "Only a Memory" | - | - | - | 92 | - | 1 | Green Thoughts Green Thoughts Green Thoughts is the second album by The Smithereens. "Only a Memory" only reached #92 on the Billboard Hot 100, but topped the Album Rock Tracks chart in 1988.-Track listing:All songs written by Pat DiNizio.# "Only a Memory" – 3:42... |
| "House We Used to Live In" | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | ||
| "Drown in My Own Tears" | - | - | - | - | - | 34 | ||
| 1989 | "A Girl Like You" | 62 | - | - | 38 | 3 | 2 | 11 11 (The Smithereens album) 11 is the third official album by The Smithereens. It was released on October 18, 1989 . The album cover was inspired by a movie poster for the original Ocean's Eleven.-Track listing:... |
| 1990 | "Blues Before and After" | - | - | - | 94 | 18 | 7 | |
| "Yesterday Girl" | 76 | - | - | - | 16 | 20 | ||
| "Blue Period" (with Belinda Carlisle Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands and the first such group whose members wrote their own songs and played their own instruments... ) |
- | - | 99 | - | - | - | ||
| 1991 | "Top of the Pops" | 58 | - | - | - | 2 | 19 | Blow Up |
| "Tell Me When Did Things Go So Wrong" | - | - | - | - | 11 | 28 | ||
| 1992 | "Too Much Passion" | 22 | 33 | - | 37 | - | - | |
| 1994 | "Miles from Nowhere" | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | A Date with the Smithereens A Date with the Smithereens A Date with the Smithereens is the fifth album by the New Jersey rock band The Smithereens, released in 1994. It is seen as a stylistic departure by the band, as A Date is mainly influenced by hard rock and heavy metal, while previous albums have leaned more towards straightforward pop rock... |
| 1998 | "Downbound Train" | - | - | - | - | - | - | One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen |