Super Morrissey Bros: "This Charming Man" by the Smiths as Nintendo soundtrack

This Charming Mashup: The Smiths Meet the Mario Bros.

This Charming Mashup: The Smiths Meet the Mario Bros.

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Slate's Culture Blog
March 6 2012 3:06 PM

Did You See This? Super Morrissey Bros.

morrissey
An illustration created by lazyitis for his 8-bit-style rendering of "This Charming Man"

Mario Bros., the Nintendo arcade game, was first published in 1983. (The sequel, Super Mario Bros., arrived in 1985.) That is also the year The Smiths released "This Charming Man," just their second single, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and frontman Morrissey (the band had formed the previous year, and would put out their self-titled debut album in 1984).

It's not clear whether that historical coincidence inspired the brilliant bit of electronic composition by lazyitis below—which orchestrates the song in the style of an 8-bit videogame theme complete with Mario Bros. sound effects—but I'd like to think it helps to explain just why it works so beautifully. (Via Gizmodo.)

David Haglund is the literary editor of NewYorker.com.