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

[TheSmiths_1985]

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

I often think the same thing, but Bigmouth Strikes Again caught me off-guard on shuffle the other day.. and now I’m not so sure.

 

[Flibberty]

A classic and a great way to start the album. The sample works perfectly with the feedback opening and then there is little to fault about the entire track.

Also, a highlight of the live recordings of the era.


Just to show other viewpoints and not because they should be considered in any way definitive...

In the poll on this board this song ranked 6th from 73 of the group's songs.
In the poll on the Hoffman board this song ranked 25th from 73 of the group's songs.

 

[dotmatrix522]

I love it! It’s honestly one of my all-time favorite songs from the Smiths or anyone.
The Jarman video clip is pretty cool too.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Hey BB... did you purposely wait for the Jubilee to post this song ...If so,
Who da clever boy then

 

[Mayfly]

So nice to see this song turn up on the queen’s platinum jubilee.
poor Charles, still not appearing as king on the front of the Daily Mail.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

So nice to see this song turn up on the queen’s platinum jubilee.
poor Charles, still not appearing as king on the front of the Daily Mail.

When he does eventually get his kisser on the front of the mail, he will be the last I suspect.
When Betty 2 passes, she will take her generation with her. The start of the end of the monarchy I would say

 

[Mayfly]

When he does eventually get his kisser on the front of the mail, he will be the last I suspect.
When Betty 2 passes, she will take her generation with her. The start of the end of the monarchy I would say

Hard to imagine Great Britain without a monarchy, but who knows?

 

[Janice]

And by no accident, of course. My fave Smiths song. Now. Today. Tomorrow. And always.
Farewell Cheerless Marshes, indeed.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Hard to imagine Great Britain without a monarchy, but who knows?

Yes , I agree.
Great Britain, UK ??

In ten years time there won’t be
Any of the above.
Scotland will go first

Then Ireland will reclaim its self

Why can’t England have a vote to go solo?

 

[BookishBoy]

Hey BB... did you purposely wait for the Jubilee to post this song ...If so,
Who da clever boy then

Well, it would have been rude not to!

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

A song that in many ways is completely underrated. From the "Take me back to dear old Blighty" to the closing chord.
It's a masterpiece.
My all-time favorite song, by anyone, anywhere. The fact that M goes from Marco "state of the nation" to micro" personal" with such ease
The title, stolen from ol Herbert, is given a British twist. Yes, it's about the queen and yes, it's about leaving your teenage fay gay ways behind and moving on
It's classically English in the way M is aiming for an era that is no longer (was it ever?)
"Take me back to dear old Blighty "
The song soldiers may sing when abroad becomes perverted into" Turn back the clock, take me back to when England was England"
The humour is Stella" You should hear me play piano"
The words have never been bettered and Johnny was on rude form and gave his finest moment., The emotional journey Johnny takes us on is brooding but thrilling. Its such a brilliant creative joint effort.
10 out of 10, my number one song in Heaven (the nightclub and the spiritual destination)

 

[Anonymous]

It's okay, but it's no 'The Kid's a Looker'.

 

[Anonymous 2]

It's okay, but it's no 'The Kid's a Looker'.

Fair enough, but few songs can equal the greatness of TKAL.

 

[Redacted]

England is dead, in decay and everything about it is unpleasant and is not a place he wants to be. And he did leave and he has often expressed these sentiments.
Love the song tho, some very witty lyrics

 

[That's Enough For Me]

I can only imagine what people who have discovered Moz since the 90s make of this.

This was a massive statement at the time and it identified you and your politics if you owned it/wore the T-shirt.

In the pre-internet age, political statements seemed to be a bigger deal.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I can only imagine what people who have discovered Moz since the 90s make of this.

Sometimes things could be understood better from a distance, from a different perspective. I mean if those that are doing the inquiring are really interested. And if choosing so, newer fans can still use the song to reflect their political beliefs in anyway they choose.

This was a massive statement at the time and it identified you and your politics if you owned it/wore the T-shirt.

I could imagine that’s true. But the song is ‘political’ in other ways. Morrissey was wise enough to widen the scope of the song, it doesn’t seem to be merely about the monarchy. Maybe Morrissey even found it slightly funny that Smiths fans were identifying with it in the narrow way that they possibly were, not that there’s anything wrong with that identification.

In the pre-internet age, political statements seemed to be a bigger deal.