The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

Tracklisting:

1. "The Queen Is Dead" – 6:24
2. "Frankly, Mr. Shankly" – 2:17
3. "I Know It's Over" – 5:48
4. "Never Had No One Ever" – 3:36
5. "Cemetry Gates" – 2:39
6. "Bigmouth Strikes Again" – 3:12
7. "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" – 3:15
8. "Vicar in a Tutu" – 2:21
9. "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" – 4:02
10. "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" – 3:14

All songs written by Morrissey and Marr. Produced by Morrissey and Marr.

Personnel:

Morrissey – vocals
Johnny Marr – guitar, harmonium, synthesizers
Andy Rourke – bass guitar
Mike Joyce – drums
John Porter – engineer
Stephen Street – engineer

By 1985, The Smiths had established themselves as perhaps the best alternative band in the world. Their previous album, “Meat Is Murder”, had been a massive critical and commercial success, reaching number 1 in the UK. However, their recent run of singles had performed disappointingly (for example, “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore” had limped only to number 49 in the UK), and various pressures on the band were increasing.

As the recording of “The Queen Is Dead” began, lead singer Morrissey’s notoriously difficult personality had left the band without a manager. Guitarist, songwriter, arranger and producer Johnny Marr was left with the responsibility of taking care of their business affairs, as well as driving the band musically. The strain took its toll, and Marr descended into alcoholism, looking painfully thin. He talked later of having to abandon a session halfway through due to a van hire company demanding money from the band. Bass player Andy Rourke was also by now a heroin addict, and would be briefly sacked from the band before the album’s eventual release. And due to the band’s poor recent run in the charts, which they blamed on poor publicity, tensions with record label Rough Trade ran so high that the album’s release was put on hold for several months, Marr even trying to break into the studio at one point to steal the master tapes.

However, none of this strain shows through in the music. The album is wonderfully diverse, and Marr’s production and arrangements are warm and ingenious. The album opens with the title track, an epic, searing diatribe about the British monarchy, with Morrissey’s biting lyrics talking of a cross-dressing Prince Charles, and beheading Queen Elizabeth. The lyrics are underpinned by a powerful instrumental track, with distorted, feedbacked guitar, improvised funk bass and thumping jungle drums.

From there, the album takes a slightly lighter turn with “Frankly Mr. Shankly”, a humorous attack from Morrissey on Rough Trade’s boss Geoff Travis, over a ska-influenced backing. Then comes a classic Smiths song, “I Know It’s Over”, a heart-wringing, soaring ballad, with fatalistic lyrics (“Oh mother I can feel the soil falling over my head…”) recorded in one majestic take by Morrissey. “Never Had No-One Ever” is perhaps the least inspired song on the album, re-treading familiar musical ground and themes, but is still tidily put together. In yet another fantastic change of pace, the summery, acoustic pop of “Cemetry Gates” (sic.) is up next. The lyrics consist of Morrissey’s warnings to others not to plagiarise, and a paean to days he spent in his youth in Manchester’s Southern Cemetery. Then comes the lead single from the album, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”. It’s another searing piece of music, with Morrissey comparing himself to Joan of Arc, referencing his reputation as a controversial figure in the press. The backing singer, credited as “Ann Coats” (parodying the Manchester district of Ancoats), is actually Morrissey’s voice put through a synthesizer. Marr excels himself on this song, with fast-paced acoustic guitar and raucous lead guitar breaks, over Mike Joyce’s thunderous punk drumming. Another single follows: “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side”. It’s another light, more acoustic number, with typical Morrissey lyrics about rejection and prejudice from the world around him. “Vicar In A Tutu” is next, a skiffle/rockabilly type song, with Carry On-style lyrics about a cross-dressing vicar.

The penultimate track on the album is perhaps Morrissey and Marr’s magnum opus – “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”. Morrissey’s lyrics smack of repressed teenage love, a yearning for a more exciting life, and in the soaring middle eight sections contain his most famous piece of imagery: “And if a double-decker bus/Crashes into us/To die by your side/Is such a heavenly way to die”. Marr’s musical backing is faultless, with warm, luscious strings (actually synthesized, and credited to “The Hated Salford Ensemble”), and an inspired refrain of synthesized flutes.

The album closes with the jangly, moody “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others”, on which Morrissey opines about the female form, along with giving us the bizarre image of Antony opening a crate of ale as he talks to Cleopatra, over a typically Marr guitar track.

Released in June 1986, “The Queen Is Dead” remains The Smiths’ greatest and most acclaimed work. It regularly features highly in “best ever” album polls the world over, and remains highly influential on indie musicians. The inner gatefold image of the band outside Salford Lads Club (shown below) has become the most iconic image of the band, and is now on display in the National Portrait Gallery. Unfortunately, escalating tensions within the band would lead to them releasing only one more album, “Strangeways, Here We Come”, before an acrimonious split the next year.

Contents

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

Tracklisting:

Personnel:

Index