"I Know It's Overrated" - The Queen Is Dead turns 30 - The Quietus

I Know It's Overrated: The Queen Is Dead Turns Thirty - The Quietus
Simon Price , June 13th, 2016 06:10

In the three decades since its release, The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead has repeatedly been hailed as the band's crowning achievement, and regularly features in lists of the greatest albums ever made. Lifelong Smiths fan Simon Price, however, is not so sure
 
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Nah, meat is murder is the best, track-for-track, theres not one dud on it.

Well, apart from the title track, which is good musically, but...

But I agree with the above comment. MIM lacks the light and shade, both in the style of songs and the production, which is good from the point-of-view that the songs sound great, but it's not really very dynamic.
 
I enjoyed the article and agree with him on some points. The Smiths were a singles band - this is something that everyone forgets. Frankly Mr. Shankley and Vicar in a Tutu are without question terrible songs that do nothing for me.
I would disagree - Some Girls Are Bigger than Others is my favorite song on TQID - I think it's a much deeper critique of how society emphasizes vanity and meaninglessness ignoring the reality of horror, violence and poverty that seethe under the normalcy of everyday life. And I Know It's Over is incredibly overrated.
Do you prefer solo Morrissey over the Smiths?
 
I enjoyed the article and agree with him on some points. The Smiths were a singles band - this is something that everyone forgets. Frankly Mr. Shankley and Vicar in a Tutu are without question terrible songs that do nothing for me.
I would disagree - Some Girls Are Bigger than Others is my favorite song on TQID - I think it's a much deeper critique of how society emphasizes vanity and meaninglessness ignoring the reality of horror, violence and poverty that seethe under the normalcy of everyday life. And I Know It's Over is incredibly overrated.
I've never been part of the TQID cheer squad either. Every journalist says it's the best album because every other journalist says it's their best album. And yes those two songs including Bigmouth are probably my three least favourite Smiths songs.

I still enjoy listening to the album but only half of it is Top tier Smiths. The first two albums eclipse TQID easily. It just baffles me that of all the great songs the Smiths did that TQID is the album they're most loved for.
 
I've never been part of the TQID cheer squad either. Every journalist says it's the best album because every other journalist says it's their best album. And yes those two songs including Bigmouth are probably my three least favourite Smiths songs.

I still enjoy listening to the album but only half of it is Top tier Smiths. The first two albums eclipse TQID easily. It just baffles me that of all the great songs the Smiths did that TQID is the album they're most loved for.
I've never been part of the TQID cheer squad either. Every journalist says it's the best album because every other journalist says it's their best album. And yes those two songs including Bigmouth are probably my three least favourite Smiths songs.

I still enjoy listening to the album but only half of it is Top tier Smiths. The first two albums eclipse TQID easily. It just baffles me that of all the great songs the Smiths did that TQID is the album they're most loved for.
I enjoy every song on TQID. There other albums have flaws and fillers.
 
I've never been part of the TQID cheer squad either. Every journalist says it's the best album because every other journalist says it's their best album. And yes those two songs including Bigmouth are probably my three least favourite Smiths songs.

I still enjoy listening to the album but only half of it is Top tier Smiths. The first two albums eclipse TQID easily. It just baffles me that of all the great songs the Smiths did that TQID is the album they're most loved for.

I really enjoy tutu and frankly though tutu is just fun with a good guitar part. The lyrics to frankly also might not be that great but it's super catchy and fun to sing. For me it's I know it's over and never had no one ever as they're, especially when put back to back, momentum killers so early in the album. Cemetry gates is for me also just ok. Catchy opening riff and vocal melody but overall just alright? It's an uneven record for me that doesn't have the detail variety and cohesion of meat is murder and strange ways. It's interesting somewhat that a lot of it doesn't get that much play in his solo sets. Also the subject matter of the songs doesn't hit me like the other albums contents. I'm American so the queen is dead doesn't effect me as much. Frankly is personal if humorous, cemetry gates doesn't really say much about my life and I've never been super lonely or depressed. I like the album a lot but I think its most endearing quality was the validation it gave to smiths fans at the time which includes a lot of critics. It's probably my least played smiths album
 
Maybe it's because I regard TQID as one of the greatest album of all time (the one time I'll agree with NME on something), but I feel the need to vehemently not only disagree with the general statement of the article, but also with its specific claims.

The author is essentially lambasting TQID and "Strangeways" as being the two worst Smiths records, when personally I think they're the two best. Why are they supposedly the two worst? Apparently Morrissey's lyrics have given way to bad, feeble humor post-"Meat is Murder." I believe the author said something along the lines of TQID being 10 "throwaway novelty" tracks. On the contrary, I think a lot of TQID is Moz at his lyrical best and the newfound humor only adds to it. I think Morrissey is such a great lyricist in part because of his ability to so deftly transition from seriousness to humor while delivering the same message. To say "Girlfriend in a Coma" is a horrid track is an opinion that just doesn't sit well with me.

Meanwhile, the individual track-by-track criticism of the album has its faults. What's especially bullshit is the author dubbing the inclusion of previously released singles "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and "The Boy With the Thorn in His Side" as being a main factor in TQID being a disappointment. You'd think that such a regular occurrence in the music industry would be something the author knows about. And besides, why is it so wrong to include past singles releases. When you're reviewing *A Moon Shaped Pool*, how many of you feel slighted for having heard "Burn the Witch" and "Daydreaming." And how many people would have attacked *Sgt. Peppers* as an imperfect record if they included "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" in the track list?

The three tracks that get attacked are "Frankly, Mr. Shankly," "Vicar in a Tutu," and "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others." Again, I disagree with the author's feelings about Morrissey's humor. Additionally, the author is completely discounting the social commentary of each of these songs; again, this is what makes Morrissey so great: his ability to fluidly transition from seriousness to humor. "Frankly" comments on the music industry, "Vicar" on religion, and "Some Girls" on social classes. To dismiss the song as one about big boobs is to give no credit for the genius of Morrissey.

But what perhaps dumbfounds me the most is the lack of real credit for Johnny Marr's work on the album. His songwriting is his most creative and I'd argue his best on an album up to that point. Even "Cemetry Gates," which Marr regarded originally as a throwaway riff, is phenomenally written (Morrissey recognized as much, convincing Marr to create a song of out it). The thing that made the Smiths so great was the combination and chemistry between two musical geniuses in Morrissey and Marr and never was their partnership so great and perfect as it was on The Queen is Dead.
 
Even while I agree the albums overrated a bit I found myself generally disagreeing with the author and his extremity. Morrisseys skill is as evident as ever as well as the bands but the songs do seem a bit more limited in there ability to broadly appeal and relate to everyone in terms of subject matter. Funny for sure, which I appriciate, but I for one don't relate with the songs as much as I did with meat is murder. Novelty is taking it to far though
 
whhaaaat?! cant believe what i just read. frankly mr. shankly is so SO good. every line is gold.
 
I really enjoy tutu and frankly though tutu is just fun with a good guitar part. The lyrics to frankly also might not be that great but it's super catchy and fun to sing. For me it's I know it's over and never had no one ever as they're, especially when put back to back, momentum killers so early in the album. Cemetry gates is for me also just ok. Catchy opening riff and vocal melody but overall just alright? It's an uneven record for me that doesn't have the detail variety and cohesion of meat is murder and strange ways. It's interesting somewhat that a lot of it doesn't get that much play in his solo sets. Also the subject matter of the songs doesn't hit me like the other albums contents. I'm American so the queen is dead doesn't effect me as much. Frankly is personal if humorous, cemetry gates doesn't really say much about my life and I've never been super lonely or depressed. I like the album a lot but I think its most endearing quality was the validation it gave to smiths fans at the time which includes a lot of critics. It's probably my least played smiths album
It definitely has some catchy riffs and some humorous lyrics as usual, but it's the popular Smiths album and I've never been a fan of popular even when it comes to the Smiths. Apart from the title track the rest of the album is dare I say too pretty sound wise and lacks the guttural vibe of the debut album and MIM. I think it's great that people love TQID but it's not the quintessential Smiths sound for me.

Now Dislike :)
 

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