The Smiths A-Z: "The Queen Is Dead"

[BookishBoy]

Next up in our Smiths A-Z project, and just in time for the start of the Jubilee weekend in the UK, is this song, the title and lead-off track from The Queen Is Dead album, released in 1986. The song was also released as a single in June 2017, when it reached #85 in the UK singles chart.

The song was performed live 39 times by the Smiths, while it has been played live 114 times by Morrissey.

What do we think?

 

[Light Housework]

The trolls are dead, boys. It's so lonely on a limb.

 

[Light Housework]

I find life is very short, when I'm lonely.

 

[BookishBoy]

Johnny, on the song's musical DNA:

I had The Queen Is Dead, the track, in my mind for a long time. I knew the song had the title, and I knew that was what the album was going to be called. To me, it was the MC5 playing 'I Can't Stand It' [by the Velvet Underground]. I'd always felt let down by the MC5. When I was younger, people were going 'Oh, the Dolls, the MC5, the Stooges' -but when I first heard the MC5, it felt a little too gung-ho, too kind of testosterone-mad for me. I wanted to deliver what I imagined the MC5 to be - energy, coolness.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Without doubt one of their finest songs.
They should have been braver tho, and released this as the lead single, with There is a light as the second single, with Big mouth as the third and final one.
Far to many great lyrics to mention here, so I won’t.
This song is best played loudly and I much prefer the studio version when I do so.

 

[The Wild Turkey]

This is one of my fav Moz lyrics...
So I broke into the Palace with a sponge and a rusty spanner
She said, "I know, and you cannot sing"
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me play piano"

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

This is one of my fav Moz lyrics...
So I broke into the Palace with a sponge and a rusty spanner
She said, "I know, and you cannot sing"
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me play the piano"

He doesn’t say “the” before “piano”

 

[The Wild Turkey]

He doesn’t say “the” before “piano”

Fixed it!
Moved "the" before play instead.

Here's the new improved version...
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me the play piano"

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Fixed it!
Moved "the" before play instead.

Here's the new improved version...
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me the play piano"

What about the “Eh” bit ?

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

Fixed it!
Moved "the" before play instead.

Here's the new improved version...
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me the play piano"

For your favourite lyric, you don’t seem to know it terribly well.

 

[The Wild Turkey]

What about the “Eh” bit ?

Fixed it!
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me the play Eh piano"

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Fixed it!
I said, "That's nothing, you should hear me the play Eh piano"

Good lad

 

[The Wild Turkey]

For your favourite lyric, you don’t seem to know it terribly well.

Fixed it!
"For your favourite lyric, you don’t seem to know it terribly the well."

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

Fixed it!
"For your favourite lyric, you don’t seem to know it terribly the well."

It’s not my favourite.
I prefer The Charming Man:
The punctured bicycle, on the hillside that is desolate..

 

[Watson]

The 'Rank' version still rocks my miserable little world. Andy's bass line...my goodness!

Mind, I wouldn't be too fussed if I never saw the Jarman film again.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

It’s not my favourite.
I prefer The Charming Man:
The punctured bicycle, on the hillside that is desolate..

I Got a feeling 85 is gonna be on the Rampage tonight

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

I Got a feeling 85 is gonna be on the Rampage tonight

I don’t know, Baz. I’m feeling massively depressed.
But I suppose I could just take it out on everyone else to make myself feel better.
Yes. Yes, that’s a plan.

 

[Mike Rourke]

Am I the only person round these parts who's never much liked this song?
I can certainly appreciate it - the energy, the pace, the musicianship, the words etc., but I just don't enjoy it much.
And Morrissey's singing melody is pretty flipping basic - it's virtually just three notes all the way through.
Sorry.

 

[Mozzer1980]

I had a very memorable handshake with him during TQID . Eh memories
One of the greatest and most important "opener" in the music history .

 

[everydayslikesunday]

Without doubt the best song ever written by Morrissey & Marr which is definitely saying something. Totally brilliant, I simply love it.