For a rock song that is widely recognized as one of the greatest of all time, “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths had humble beginnings. It was originally issued as the B-side to the single for “William, It Was Really Nothing,”—a stand-alone single that would find a home on The Smiths’ 1984 compilation album Hatful of Hollow three months after its initial release. Soon enough, “How Soon Is Now?” would be the A-side of its own single. It would reach the top of the UK Independent Singles Chart and go to No. 24 on the UK Official Singles Chart. In the U.S., it would only register on Billboard’s Dance Single Sales chart, holding down the No. 36 spot in its one-week stay.
Fast-forwarding 40 years, “How Soon Is Now?” has been streamed more than 270 million times on Spotify, and Johnny Marr’s tremolo-soaked guitar part was generously sampled in the 1990 hit “Hippychick” by Soho. “How Soon Is Now?” has also been covered by dozens of artists, which has served to introduce the song to an even broader audience. The three versions featured here have done their part to spread awareness of the song, as well as put a unique stamp on one of the most distinctive hits to come out of the 1980s.
Love Spit Love (1996)
The side project of Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs, Love Spit Love only released a handful of singles, but their cover of “How Soon Is Now?” was one of them. They recorded the song expressly for the soundtrack of the 1996 film The Craft. It subsequently was used for the WB series Charmed, which like The Craft, was centered around female characters who use witchcraft.
Love Spit Love’s version sounds crisper and brighter than The Smiths’ and takes away from the mysterious feel of the original. The instruments in the mix are more distinguishable, and listeners can easily pick out the acoustic guitar strumming that undergirds the dirtier electric guitar sound. In addition to Ralph Sall’s production, two other elements distinguish this version from the original. Butler’s vocals are often sandpaper rough, and in applying his trademark style to the line Just like everybody else does, he gives the chorus a much different feel than Morrissey did. Also, Love Spit Love breaks up the monotony of the main riff—a defining feature of the original—by having all of the instruments aside from electric guitar drop out before the second verse.
Snake River Conspiracy (2000)
The Northern California band Snake River Conspiracy only released one album, Sonic Jihad, which was a mix of original compositions and interpretations of other artists’ songs. Their cover of “How Soon Is Now?” was not only the most commercially successful of the album’s three singles—it is the only cover version of the song to chart in the U.S. It went to No. 15 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart and No. 38 on their Alternative Airplay chart.
While The Smiths’ version creates a swirling aura, Snake River Conspiracy’s rendition is mostly in your face with crunchy guitars and an aggressive, choppy beat. However, they change up the mood for the chorus and the two bridge sections. The guitars and drums take a break, while vocalist Tobey Torres sings over atmospheric synths. The song then fades out before there would be a third and final chorus. While Love Spit Love tinkered with “How Soon Is Now?” on the edges, Snake River Conspiracy gives us an entirely reimagined version of the song. It may not sit well with fans of the original, but at a minimum, they get points for originality.
t.A.T.u. (2002)
The Russian duo t.A.T.u. included “How Soon Is Now?” on their breakthrough record 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane, and it was the fourth and final single released from the album. This faster-tempo version has a glossier sound, adding synths and piano to the mix. t.A.T.u. employs an element introduced by Snake River Conspiracy in their version, removing the drums from the second bridge section. This gives the song a moment to cool down before building up again for a big final chorus.
With more than 18 million streams on Spotify, t.A.T.u.’s rendition of “How Soon Is Now?” is the most popular cover version of the song on the platform. Not everyone has been enamored with their interpretation—Marr called it “plastic music” in a 2007 interview with Uncut. A Drowned in Sound review called it “an amazing version,” while The Guardian split the difference by opining it “is either the best or the worst thing ever.”
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