He is best known for being the founder member, songwriter and guitarist in The Smiths. The band released numerous singles and four studio albums between 1983 and 1987 until the band dissolved.
Since leaving The Smiths in 1987, Marr focused mainly on contributing to the work of established bands. He played session guitar and or wrote music for artists such as The Pretenders, Talking Heads, Billy Bragg and Kirsty Maccoll (among others). He also briefly became a full-time member of The The due to his friendship with singer Matt Johnson.
Most notably, in 1989 he teamed up with New Order's Bernard Sumner to form synthesiser/guitar super group Electronic. Combining at first with Pet Shop Boys vocalist Neil Tennant, the duo released Getting Away With It which peaked at #12 in the UK charts. Electronic soon solidified as just Sumner and Marr and between them they released three albums. Self titled debut, Electronic, Raise the Pressure and Twisted Tenderness were released in 1991, 1996 and 1999 respectively.
In 2000, Johnny formed his own band called the Healers. He quickly enlisted Zak Starkey the drumming son of the Beatles’ Ringo Starr. In 2003 Johnny Marr + the Healers released an album called Boomslang, which featured Johnny writing lyrics and on vocals which was an unfamiliar role for him.
In September 2006 Marr announced his membership of the US band Modest Mouse on his website. His work appeared on their 2007 album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The following year he joined The Cribs as a full time member, touring, co-writing and recording their 2009 album Ignore the Ignorant. He left the band in 2011 to concentrate on solo work.
In 2013 he finally released his first proper solo effort, The Messenger. This was followed by extensive touring with the setlist including songs from his time in The Smiths and Electronic. He quickly followed up this debut with his second solo set in 2014 with Playland.
In June 2018, He released his third album called Call the Comet with 12 tracks. Call the Comet received generally positive reviews from music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album scored an average rating of 76, based on 13 reviews. Writing for the Associated Press, Mark Kennedy opined that it was "easily his best as a solo artist, deep and rich both musically and lyrically" before concluding, "So feel free to stay in bed, Morrissey. Marr is who we need now."
Generate! Generate!
Johnny Marr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Calculate, calculate, calculate.
I divide and I multiply,
Calculate, calculate, calculate.
Sensations versus thinking,
An equation all good for nothing
Same old song, what’s going on?
[Chorus]
I come by and all is fly,
Generate, generate, generate.
You got no how, I got to know now,
Calculate, calculate, calculate.
Sensations versus thinking,
Oh, no, no, no, it’s beginning.
Get her CD, haven’t sworn,
Generate, generate, generate.
[Chorus]
Sensations judged thinking,
Equation no good for nothing.
Fast crash fear us some theme,
Fast track feel us some theme.
I can’t get behind a war track mind,
Calculate, calculate, calculate.
Rising suns put you on the re-run,
Generate, generate, generate.
Sensations got me thinking,
An equation all good for nothing
God keeps an upper thumb,
Generate, generate, generate.
[Chorus]
Sensations judge my thinking
Oh, no, no, no good for nothing.
Fast crash fearless and theme,
Flashtrack fear us a theme.
Cascade and I go,
Accelerate and I go,
Sensations judge my thinking,
Oh, no, no, no, it’s beginning.
Fast crash fearless and fear
Flashtrack fear us a theme.
The lyrics of Johnny Marr's song "Generate! Generate! Generate!" explore the tension between sensory experiences and analytical thinking. The repeated refrain of "Calculate, calculate, calculate" emphasizes this conflict, as the singer tries to balance their emotions and rationality. The song implies that too much attention to mathematics and logic can be unproductive and frustrating, resulting in "an equation all good for nothing." Instead, the singer suggests a focus on creativity and spontaneity, embodied by the refrain "Generate, generate, generate."
The verse "Sensations versus thinking, An equation all good for nothing, Same old song, what’s going on?" suggests that relying solely on analytical thinking can lead to a sense of monotonous repetition and a lack of understanding of the world around us. The chorus "I come by and all is fly, You got no how, I got to know now" implies that the singer's own creative approach allows them to navigate the world more effectively.
The song also highlights the limitations of war and conflict, with the lines "I can’t get behind a war track mind, Rising suns put you on the re-run." The final verse suggests that the solution to these issues is a balance between different approaches to life, with lines like "Cascade and I go, Accelerate and I go" implying that we need both analytical and creative elements to move forward.
Overall, "Generate! Generate! Generate!" is a call for a balanced approach to life that values both sensory experiences and analytical thinking. It urges the listener to strive for creativity and spontaneity while avoiding the pitfalls of excessive calculation.
Line by Line Meaning
I placed by and I wonder why,
I am perplexed and curious, trying to make sense of my surroundings.
Calculate, calculate, calculate.
I am constantly computing and analyzing the situation.
I divide and I multiply,
I break things down and expand upon them.
Sensations versus thinking,
There is a conflict between my feelings and rational mind.
An equation all good for nothing
Despite my calculations, there is no real solution.
Same old song, what’s going on?
I am stuck in a rut and not making progress.
I come by and all is fly,
Suddenly, everything falls into place.
Generate, generate, generate.
Inspiration is flowing, and I am creating something new.
You got no how, I got to know now,
You may not understand, but I need to pursue this path.
Get her CD, haven’t sworn,
I acquire the music and am drawn in by its energy.
Sensations judged thinking,
My feelings are influencing my thoughts.
Equation no good for nothing.
My calculations are not useful in this moment.
Fast crash fear us some theme,
The fear of failure is constantly present.
Fast track feel us some theme.
I need to find a way to overcome this fear and succeed.
I can’t get behind a war track mind,
I cannot support the mentality of always being in conflict.
Rising suns put you on the re-run,
New opportunities arise, but they may just repeat past mistakes.
Sensations got me thinking,
My emotions are influencing my thought process.
God keeps an upper thumb,
There is a higher power in control.
Cascade and I go,
I am carried away by a powerful force.
Accelerate and I go,
I am propelled forward at great speed.
Oh, no, no, no good for nothing.
My attempts to reason are unsuccessful.
Fast crash fearless and theme,
I need to overcome my fear of failure and pursue my goals.
Flashtrack fear us a theme.
The fear of failure haunts me at every step.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAMES DOVIAK, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
HenryWaltonJones
Another brilliant song from the best songwriter of the 80's Always in Morriseys shadow but this man wrote the music for every song and thats what made the Smiths.Dont get me wrong,Morrisey was a fantastic lyricist but he got most of the plaudits.God Bless Johnny Marr,a brilliant guitarist and songwriter.
Vincent Sander
The plaudits were pretty even honestly. It was Rourke and Joyce who were the afterthoughts. As far as media, obviously media always talks to the singer. I mean media talked to David Lee Roth and the band was literally named after the other guy.
R. Patterson
As if his guitar playing doesn't speak enough, he gives you exciting lyrics to finish the picture. He's a treasure.
Wellington Anderson
Muito bom album do Johnny marr....
Josette Albert
I think this is the best song on the whole album. Saw them perform tonight on Jimmy Fallon, was great :D.
Anthony
My personal favorite is The Right Thing Right.....
mainly because he opened his show in Ft. Lauderdale with it, and it set the tone for the whole show. Best concert I ever saw.
Taimur Arif
Johnny Marr = true British underdog hero
Vincent Sander
Surprised by how often Johnny gives off a The Church vibe; I wouldn’t have expected that connection really. Also elements of Joy Division here.
ukrandr
Yea, saw Johnny two nights ago in a church turned music hall in Pittsburgh (more truth found in the later than the former imo) and it really blew me away. Played 5 Smiths songs and these new songs of his are fantastic.
Angela Nicoletti
Thank you Mr. Johnny Marr.